(Photo Courtesy: City of Walnut)
Walnut City Council

By Raymond Mendoza

Walnut – Walnut’s City Council was met with an outpour of concerned citizens during its latest Feb. 25 meeting, each speaking out against the planned Mt. San Antonio College parking structure, urging the City to move toward litigation to stop its construction.

First, however, the Council approved the minutes for the Feb. 11 Council meeting and the second reading of City Ordinance No. 15-03, which would amend the City’s municipal code to ensure that tattoo/body art establishments stay 500 feet away from child-related businesses.

For the consent calendar, the council approved all items on the agenda including a resolution of the City allowing certain claims and demands in the amount of $605,241.94; the contract amendment for Placeworks to prepare environmental and technical analyses for the Shea Homes mixed-use project on Valley Boulevard; the request for installation of guard rails on Gartel Drive; and the request to provide legislative advocacy and governmental affairs services.

The Walnut Housing Authority only had one item approved, which was for certain claims and demands in the amount of $20,023.11.

Finally, public comments given earlier during the meeting urged the City to seek litigation as a means of blocking the placement of Mt. SAC’s proposed parking structure. One resident even went so far as to use children to deliver prepared speeches, asking the Council to not to have the nearby school ruin the views in their neighborhood or further pollute the air.

After the public comments, Council Member Mary Su called for a future discussion about Mt. SAC’s master plan of upcoming construction projects.

The Council then adjourned into closed session to discuss the possible litigation against Mt. SAC and the proposed parking structure, with plans to hold their next meeting on Mar. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Council chambers at 21201 La Puente Road.