By Raymond Mendoza

Diamond Bar – The Diamond Bar City Council met once again last week for its remaining June meeting, which included naming a new Business of the Month, extending the City’s landscaping services, and denying a hotly debated conditional use permit allowing T-Mobile to build a new wireless telecommunications facility at 1355 Maple Hill Road.

To begin, Mayor Steve Tye congratulated Haggen, located at 240 S. Diamond Bar Blvd., as the new business of the month. Tye and the City Council members were joined on stage with the new supermarket’s manager, thanking him and the organization for bringing its business to Diamond Bar.

A presentation was given about Haggen, outlining the corporation – which is from the northwest, and expanding into the west.  In the last six months, the company has purchased 146 storefronts to bring specialty items, including organic and gluten-free products, into new areas.

After the Business of the Month award, the Council was given an update by Los Angeles County Fire Department Assistant Chief, Troy Flath, regarding the recent Tonner Canyon fire exercise, and an overview of the Department’s involvement in the Napal earthquake recovery.

The schedule of future events was then read to include the Planning Commission meeting on June 23; the next Concert/Movie in the Park on June 24, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., featuring Southland Band/“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” both at Sycamore Canyon Park, 22930 Golden Springs Drive; the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on June 25; Independence Day City offices holiday closures from July 3 through July 6; 4^th of July Blast, 5 to 9 p.m., at Diamond Bar High School; cancellation of the next City Council meeting on July 7; the July 8 Concerts/Movie in the Park featuring The Kings 88/”Maleficent” at Sycamore Canyon Park; the Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting on July 9; the Planning Commission meeting on July 14; , the July 14 Concerts/Movie in the Park featuring Stone Soul/”The Box Trolls” at Sycamore Canyon Park; and finally, the City Council meeting on July 21.

The Council then approved all items on the Consent Calendar, including the minutes for the June 2 City Council and May 12 Planning Commission meetings; ratification of check register dated May 28 through June 10, totaling $299,901.49; contract extensions for the Community Services Department; award of contract to AmeriComp Group Imaging, LLC, for printer service and toner in an amount not-to-exceed $90,000 for the period of July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018; award of contract to Ameritech Business Systems, Inc., for copier service in an amount not-to-exceed $50,000 for the period of July 1, 2015 through June 20, 2018; award of consulting services agreement to Comdyn Group, Inc., for as-needed information technology services in an amount not-to-exceed $250,000 for the period of July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2020; the approval of maintenance services agreement with Woods Maintenance Systems, Inc., DBA Graffiti Control System, to provide graffiti removal services for the fiscal year 2015/2016 with an option for four one-year extensions; approval of the execution of the first amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with Los Angeles Gateway Water Management Authority for the implementation of the watershed management program and coordinated integrated monitoring program for the lower San Gabriel River watershed group; approval to deny the appeal and affirming the Planning Commission’s decision to deny a conditional use permit to T-Mobile to install a new wireless telecommunications facility; and the adoption of a resolution approving a five year enterprise agreement with Microsoft Corporation through Compucom, for software licenses in an amount not-to-exceed $100,000.

And finally, the Council adopted a resolution approving a tentative tract to subdivide air space for a 10-unit warehouse condominium located at 614-646 Brea Canyon Road.

After the Council member’s reports and comments, the meeting adjourned with plans to meet on July 21, at 6:30 p.m., at the AQMD Auditorium at 21865 Copley Drive.

Photo By: Raymond Mendoza
The Diamond Bar City Council congratulates members of the Diamond Bar High School Badminton Team for winning its fourth consecutive championship.

By Raymond Mendoza

Diamond Bar – The Diamond Bar City Council met on Tues., June 2, with a regular agenda of presentations, a reading of future events, numerous action items and a public hearing concerning a new wireless telecommunications facility.

The meeting was started off with a presentation to the members of the Diamond Bar High School badminton team for winning their fourth consecutive championship.  Mayor Steve Tye congratulated the 14 team members in attendance for their hard work and continuing the proud lineage of the school’s team.  Tye offered his congratulations to not only the members but also Head Coach Kemp Wells, who promised to bring a fifth championship next year.

“What could be harder than winning once?” asked Tye. “Winning twice. What could be harder than winning twice? Winning four times. You have a winning program, congratulations.”

The second presentation was to David Matsukiyo and Matthew Chen for being “Report for Reward” recipients, meaning that their information led to making Diamond Bar safer from crime.

Tye and the Council then presented a City tile to Kaiser Permanente’s Diamond Bar offices and proclaimed the hospital as “Business of the Month” for June 2015. Tye thanked them for their years of service to the City and wished them well in their continued business.

“We are grateful that Kaiser Permanente has chosen Diamond Bar and we look forward to your future expansions,” Tye said.

The schedule of future events was then read off to include a pop-up City Hall on June 4 at the Diamond Hills Plaza, at 2825 S. Diamond Bar Boulevard, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Planning Commission meeting on June 9; the Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting on June 11; and the next City Council meeting on June 16.

The Council then approved all items on its Consent Calendar, including the minutes for the study session and regular meeting of the May 19 City Council meetings; the April 9 Traffic and Transportation Commission; the April 14 Planning Commission; the ratification of check register dated May 14 through May 27 totaling $1,494,739.50; the Treasurer’ April statement; the approval of the first amendment to the consultant services agreement with ECS Imaging, Inc., extending the contract term through June 20, 2016 in the approved not-to-exceed amount of $87,000; the approval of the first amendment to the consultant services agreement with Sytech Solutions, Inc., extending the contract term through June 30, 2016 at a cost of $40,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $140,000; the approval of Amendment No. 4 to the contract with Valleycrest Landscape Maintenance to extend the term of the contract from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 to provide landscape maintenance services at nine city parks, the grounds of the Diamond Bar Center, the football field and slope at Lorbeer Middle School and the Mesa Trail/Trailhead at Sycamore Canyon Park in the amount of $368,995 each fiscal year and as-needed work in the amount of $25,000; an approval of adjourning the June 16 City Council meeting to July 21; a resolution calling for the holding of a general municipal election to be held on Tues., Nov. 3, for the election of certain officers as required by the provisions of the laws of the State of California relating to general law cities; a resolution requesting the Board of Supervisors of the county of Los Angeles to consolidate a general municipal election to be held on Nov. 2, with the school elections to be held on the date pursuant to Section 10403 of the Elections Code; a resolution adopting regulation for candidates for elective office pertaining to candidates statements submitted to the voters at an election to be held on Nov. 2; the approval of supplemental appropriations of $559,591 into the fiscal year 2014-15 building fees revenue accounts, and $233,547 into the fiscal year 2014-15 building and safety contract services expenditure account to fund the payment of RKA Consulting Services invoices; approval of professional services agreement with David Evans and Associates, Inc., to provide landscape plan checking services for three fiscal years (2015-16 through 2017-18) with an option for two one-year extensions; authorization for the City Manager to enter into a three-year agreement with the Los Angeles Gateway Region Integrated Regional Water Management Joint Powers Authority to share the costs for installation of monitoring equipment and monitoring pursuant to the Harbor Toxic Pollutants total maximum daily loads for a total amount not to exceed $30,000 for the term of agreement; and a resolution adopting the statement of investment requested by the finance department.

After the Consent Calendar, the Council approved two consideration items, including an appointment to the Wildlife Corridor Conservation Authority Advisory Committee, and the approval and adjustment of City Council appointments.

The Council then moved onto its only public hearing item, denying the appeal and affirming the Planning Commission’s decision to deny a conditional use permit for a request to allow the installation of a new wireless telecommunications facility consisting of 12 panel antennas, three remote radio units and a 24-inch diameter microwave dish antenna on the 65-foot high artificial tree and associated above-ground equipment cabinets (from T-Mobile) within a 220 square foot enclosure at Maple Hill Park.

The reason for the denial, as stated by the Planning Commission, was that the antenna would obstruct the park’s views and take up too much space – and that a large number of residents agree with the decision.

Several representatives from T-Mobile spoke during the meeting, asking the Council to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision and allow the construction of the structure and antenna. The representatives claimed that without the new antenna, the City’s T-Mobile customers would have a significant lack of coverage. Furthermore, the representatives stated that the structure and antenna would not have any adverse effect on Maple Hill Park or the City’s residents.

Throughout the speeches, the council members disagreed with the T-Mobile representatives, stating that the addition of this extra antenna and structure should not be considered a “necessity” to the City and that mobile phone users are not facing coverage burdens as of yet.

Some 20 residents also spoke during the public hearing, listing dozens of reasons why the antenna and structure should be denied.

After the speeches were over, the City Council members voted to deny the conditional use permit, blocking the construction of the new structure and antenna.

Following the public hearing item, the Council adjourned with plans to meet on June 16, at 6:30 p.m., at the AQMD/Government Center Auditorium at 21865 Copley Drive.