April 06, 2016
Page 9
Mid Valley News
Metro News
Baldwin Park Downtown Transit Oriented Development Specific Plan Adopted by Metro.net Los Angeles
tate development, especially residential development, in the Downtown area proximate to the Metrolink Station. The primary objectives of the project were to identify land use options that include increased housing densities and mixed uses, as well as create pedestrian linkages between the station, community facilities and major recreation, retail, and residential nodes of activity. The Specific Plan will guide future development of mixed uses in a walkable environment, streamline the development process, and serve as an incentive for economic development. The of Baldwin Park City
Joe T.’s Scoreboar d By Joe Torosian
I am writing this for a deadline on Monday, April 4…You are reading this on Wednes-day, April 6. Therefore, I do not yet know who won the National College Basketball Championship on Monday night. So, I am putting on my Nostradamus hat and congratulating the Villanova Wildcats on their 72-69 victory over North Carolina. I was so happy watching them comeback from a ten-point deficit in the second half. For the record, I have been a Nova since I saw “Planet of the Apes” when I was a kid. If you can figure that riddle out drop me a line at the email below. ***I’ll leave my Nostradamus hat on and predict the San Francisco Giants to win the Na-tional League West. The Chicago Cubs to win the National League Central. The New York Mets to win the National League East. In the American League, I like the Texas Rangers in the American League West. The Cleveland Indians in the American League Central. The Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. That prediction feels a little bit hazy, but I’ll stick with it. ***Back to Basketball, did you ever see a worse men’s Final Four on Saturday? Info-mercials were more competitive than those games. Oklahoma fared better in the Dust Bowl than they did against Villanova in the
second half of its semifinal. Everyone is in love with Sooners guard Buddy Hield. It was a great year for him, he won the John Wooden Award, and he had a great tournament. A great tournament, at least, until he played Villanova. Hield will be a high firstround pick in the NBA Draft in June, but, wow, he’s got a big hole in his game. He likes to catch and shoot. Who doesn’t? The problem is in the NBA (and good college basketball teams) they don’t just let you catch and shoot. Hield has to learn how to get open without the basketball. Too many times he was just standing around on Saturday waiting for somebody to give him the ball. Mid-Bits (Like Tidbits) ***I’m really glad the spring break season is coming to an end. ***One of the things I didn’t mention in last week’s Spring Training-Cactus League re-port was that all the vendors seemed to have a New York-Brooklyn accent. These guys were all locals from Arizona, but somehow their voices and dialect changed when selling. For example “Get your beer here!” became “Get your beaare here!” I wonder if nailing the speech pattern of northeastern vendors was a job requirement. ***If you like chaos in baseball be sure to take in a Mission Valley League
recently adopted the Downtown TOD Specific Plan, which will guide future development of mixed uses in a walkable environment, streamline the development process, and serve as an incentive for economic development. Community members participated in this planning process by attending public meetings and offering their viewpoints on the future of Downtown. The Downtown area was originally developed as a pedestrian and transit oriented traditional downtown. The old Pacific Electric Red Car rail line to Los Angeles once occupied the middle of the Ramona Boulevard rightof-way, connecting Baldwin Park to downtown Los Angeles. However, in the early 1950’s, the Red Car rail system was dismantled. Since then, incompatible strip commercial development has replaced older buildings in the Downtown. Though still called the baseball game. Every week, every game, even every inning is literally a flip of a coin. Happy Birthday this week to: 4/6: Temple City American/Arcadia High School/ UC San Diego alum Garret Tuck turns 24. 4/6: El Monte basketball standout Jim Wooten turns 54. 4/9: Arcadia High School alum John Miles turns 30. 4/11: Longtime area coach/former Bassett head coach Pete Smolin turns 49. 4/11: Former Temple City wide receiver Kenny Werner turns 25. 4/12: Former Temple City cheer standout Natalie Saxon turns 25. 4/12: El Monte alum/Traveling Principal Larry Cecil turns 54. (If you have a sports birthday you’d like acknowledged drop me a line at the address be-low):
Contact Joe at joe@midvalleysports.com Follow Joe at @joet13b on Twitter Listen to “The Joe Show” Coming back soon at www. midvalleyradio.net Like “The Joe Show” on Facebook
“Downtown,” the traditional downtown district fabric has been dissolving around its edges in favor of automobile oriented strip commercial development. The Specific Plan will help return Downtown Baldwin Park to being an area that is vibrant, walkable, and the heart of City. This project provides opportunities to build on the City’s unique historic and cultural characteristics to enhance the Downtown core, create a strong community identity and sense of place, provide new employment, housing and shopping opportunities, and strengthen the City’s tax base. Several opportunity
sites within walking distance of the Metrolink Station and Transit Center parking structure allow significant potential for new development and adaptive reuse of existing under-utilized structures to better serve the transit-oriented Downtown area and generate new investment in Downtown. For more information goto: www.baldwinpark. arroyogroup.com/ The TOD Planning Grant Program is designed to spur the adoption of local land use regulations that are supportive of Transit Oriented Development in Los Angeles County.
Baldwin Park continued on page 13
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Go Metro to see the Dodgers Want to reach Dodger Stadium faster this season? Go Metro from Union Station or the South Bay and connect with the Dodger Stadium Express. Your Dodger ticket is good for the fare! For more information, visit metro.net/dodgers. Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Now in Service Metro’s Gold Line Foothill Extension o;cially opened March 5, with six new stations in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. The 11.5-mile rail line extension connects East Pasadena to Azusa and points in between, providing a relaxing and money-saving alternative to driving the busy 210 Freeway. Rediscover Gold at metro.net/moregold. New Line 501 from NoHo to Pasadena Now in Service Look for the all-new Metro bus Line 501, o=ering Express Service from North Hollywood to Pasadena. Save up to 20 minutes on your commute as you ?y down the carpool lane on the 134 Freeway, with limited stops and easy connections to partner transit services and Burbank Bob Hope Airport. For detailed timetables or to plan your trip, visit metro.net/line501. Go Metro to Work Looking for an easier and faster way to get to work? Go Metro! There’s a station or stop closer to your employer than you think. Metro o=ers a program that gives incentives to your employer and a relaxing commute to you. Call 213.922.2811 to get started.
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As part of Metro’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Planning Grant Program, the City of Baldwin Park completed the Downtown TOD Specific Plan (Specific Plan). The TOD Planning Grant Program (Program) supports local governments in developing and adopting regulatory frameworks that promote sustainable transit supportive planning in Los Angeles County. The purpose of the Specific Plan is to revitalize Downtown Baldwin Park and improve access to all modes of transportation, including transit, walking and bicycling. The Specific Plan is anticipated to facili-