Re: Appeal of Design Review Board decision PDR 1723012-B; 1633 S. Victory Blvd. 3-story, 64-room hotel with ingress and egress access to 2 level of underground parking from public alleyway — allowing for a single business monopolization of alleyway and burden of cumulative traffic congestion.
As the date approaches for our appeal case to be heard by City Council, we will be adding photos to our feature called “alley traffic photo of the day.” The point of this is so that our concerns about cumulative alley congestion, resident access, and potential of injury are not heard as typical generic cries of “traffic,” but are instead clearly demonstrated, over time, and shown to be a real condition, not merely an opinion based in projection, assumptions, or fear.
Though there is A LOT of alley congestion here on Tuesdays (residential trash pickup day), I had little time for pictures on April 9, 2019.
This image from April 9, shows the placement of a trash container on the alleyway after being emptied. That’s common all the way down the alley since most properties on the Winchester Ave. side abut the alley and do not have a setback. This brown container sits next to the proposed hotel property.
April 10, 2019
A truck that transports casket vaults is parked alongside the Chevron Extra-Mile shop, across from the proposed hotel site. (time 1:16:41 p.m.) In the background we can see a Waste Management truck coming from the opposite direction, also making a stop to service the Extra-Mile shop.Here are the same two vehicles from another angle showing the width of the Waste Management vehicle. In the distance beyond the WM truck, two neighbors chat in the alleyway. (time 1:16:48 p.m.) The casket vaults truck crew departs the Chevron Extra-Mile shop, across from the proposed hotel site. (time 1:17:17 p.m.) . The WM driver is getting a tool from his truck to remove debris from the top of his vehicle. (time 1:17:26 p.m.) The Waste Management driver has to pause to remove a piece of debris off of the truck.As the trucks in the alley complete their tasks, a large delivery truck awaits to make a left turn into the alley from Victory Blvd. (time 1:19:37 p.m.) The casket vault carrier is unable to pass the Waste Management truck in the alleyway directly across from the proposed hotel’s underground parking entrance. Instead it backs up to make a three-point turn utilizing the gas station’s property to back up. (time 1:19:42 p.m.) The front of the casket vault carrier is seen here at the mouth of the alley awaiting to exit onto Victory Blvd. The large delivery truck is still waiting to get into the alleyway. Both vehicles have to wait for a safe opportunity as traffic flows on Victory Blvd. Note the two school buses to the lower left. That space is a bus stop that serves LA Metro buses and the Glendale Beeline systems. (time 1:20:04 p.m.) After the vault carrier exits, the Waste Management truck approaches the alley mouth at Victory Blvd. waiting for a safe opportunity to enter the flow of traffic. (time 1:20:16 p.m.) The large delivery truck is now able to enter into the alleyway. (time 1:20:33 p.m.)As it moves slowly down the alley, it travels along the center staying clear of any obstacles that may be present or unexpectedly enter its path. (time 1:20:41 p.m.) A plumbing supply truck driver checks his load at the Chevron gas station before entering Victory Blvd. The driver is a local neighbor who opposes the proposed hotel and additional alleyway traffic. (time 1:22:22 p.m.) A neighbor moves his car out of his driveway to make room for their expected delivery, two houses away from the proposed hotel site. (time 1:23:47 p.m.) He places his car temporarily alongside the adjacent property while the delivery is removed from the truck. The delivery truck is positioned over the alleyway’s central gutter, directly across from a trash dumpster. Any attempt to pass through the alleyway at this time is risky, dangerous, or impossible. (time 1:23:56 p.m.) Turning around seconds later we see a silver pickup truck enter the alley at Victory Blvd. (time 1:24:13 p.m.) This image shows that the truck has entered into the Chevron gas station via the alley mouth due to congestion of the gas station driveway. (time 1:24:30 p.m.) A white passenger vehicle utilizes the same maneuver in the opposite direction, exiting the station to enter Victory Blvd. via the alley mouth. (time 1:24:36 p.m.) (time 1:24:37 p.m.) (time 1:25:16 p.m.) With the delivery almost complete, the neighbor turns his car around to return his car to his driveway. (time 1:25:36 p.m.) As the neighbor pulls back into his driveway, a white car rapidly approaches and slows for the alley congestion (time 1:28:06 p.m.) With no choice except to wait, the car follows the departing truck in its slow procession down the alley toward the Lake St. mouth of the alley (one half block away from Benjamin Franklin Elementary School). (time 1:28:19 p.m.) Another large truck and trailer parks briefly along the Chevron Extra-Mile shop, across from the proposed underground parking entrance, leaving only one alley lane available for passing vehicles. (time 2:17:41 p.m.) This angle demonstrates the length of the truck and trailer. In front of the truck are the telephone pole tension support cable and impact protection poles. (time 2:19:13 p.m.) When asked about a hotel parking garage entrance/exit proposed in this portion of the alley, the driver’s opinion was the same as everyone else’s: ‘it is poorly planned and invites congestion.’The truck departs the Chevron Extra-Mile shop, across from the proposed underground parking entrance, and proceeds down the alley toward Lake St., passing a neighbor doing repairs on his garage door. (time 2:20:27 p.m.) A municipal sanitation vehicle travels from the Lake St. mouth of the alley to Victory Blvd. A US Postal Service jeep is parked next to the Chevron gas station, and across from the proposed hotel site. (time 3:06:06 p.m.)
It is our sincere hope that the Glendale City Council will view
these photographs and consider all of their implications; from issues
regarding resident inconvenience and prevention of usage, to the potential for property damage, injury, or fatality.
Please email City Council at the addresses below and let them know that measures must be taken to mitigate the cumulative traffic congestion
caused by allowing hotel patrons to occupy both lanes of alley
traffic. The solution to this is to require incoming hotel traffic to
approach the underground parking entrance while remaining on the hotel
property exclusively, and only exiting into the public alleyway.
Voice your opposition to PDR-1723012-B by emailing or speaking to CITY COUNCIL
