[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630875,"mediaKeyId","2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7","parentId",2688566,"title","Council upholds Planning Commission approval allowing Chamlian School to continue operating under conditions; appeal denied","audioSeconds",4174,"startMs",7389000,"endMs",11563000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7&start=7389&end=11563","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7/thumbnail_7389000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630875/Glendale/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-upholds-Planning-Commission-approval-allowing-Chamlian-School-to-continue-operating-under-conditions-appeal-denied","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630875-0a85bebef91436f859107f315b3b0b80/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213574&Signature=ViU4xVmgey2xYRA3tyHiwhbN4qF8vxVg3tvikI6h6i8Eoawgz1IxornY3RSrQKZtkz7MfjOmIvSYc48sBKUd1DQYBAYDih2h~lPpZdWl2KdzCgMTRAi7TV9GszX4CzHNEbRWUKATycta2qhnVLoOpAFpJP2wJcIvNi9Gwt7o0CzDNDdANsD1uIKXNdo8s4zxxL1uoUXvszloknsoyHDzTmdWPSCo0cqjGZpSuB7ONvF3g-3AGFMeZfTjkD5GuEFR3JUIyvpKCRdUPge7~h2UMjyzk8FYfECLzXhe8v8lrM7Uva5DV2hKZX1wtr45LUhh2kHOJEy2uUU8mjv2Wl6Oqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Glendale","date","2025-03-19T08:14:29.193Z","article","The Glendale City Council on March 18 voted unanimously to sustain the Planning Commission’s May 15 decision to approve a use variance allowing Chamlian (Shamian) Armenian School to continue operating at its Lowell Avenue campus at existing enrollment and with new conditions.

The ruling preserves the school’s permission to operate in an R‑1 single‑family zone under the conditions set by the Planning Commission, which were adopted after extensive public comment, staff analysis and a traffic‑and‑operations review. Staff told council the current variance renews and codifies long‑standing site conditions: an enrollment cap (no increase beyond the approved cap), limitations on grades taught (including permission for transitional kindergarten within the existing cap), specified drop‑off/pick‑up procedures and a requirement to maintain a bus or shuttle service to reduce car trips.

Opponents — mainly nearby residents — appealed the commission’s approval, citing traffic congestion on Lowell Avenue and adjacent neighborhood streets, blocked driveways, property damage and repeated calls that neighbors say show noncompliance with prior conditions. Appellants asked the council to reverse the commission or to require a shorter expiration term so the school would return periodically for review.

School representatives, students, alumni and many parents defended the campus and urged denial of the appeal. The head of school described investments the institution has made to manage circulation and safety, including hiring seven professional security/crossing guards, stationing staff at the gates, operating a free school bus program and paying for traffic management services. Students and alumni described Chamlia’s academic and cultural role; parents and neighbors who support the school said the campus is a critical community institution.

The Planning Commission had adopted conditions including — among other measures — a tiered carpool incentive, limitations on event timing and types, designation of a school neighborhood contact person, and a requirement to cooperate with city departments to evaluate a mid‑block crossing on Lowell. The commission declined to require both a bus and shuttle, allowing the school to operate either a bus or shuttle service so long as required trip reductions are achieved and reported.

Councilmembers reiterated that the city has a revocation process should conditions be repeatedly violated, and several members said they expect the school to continue working with neighbors to reduce impacts. The motion to sustain the Planning Commission’s approval passed unanimously (Councilmembers Brautman, Garpetian, Kasakian, Najarian and Mayor Asatrian voting yes).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - 3/18/25","oneSentenceSummary","After lengthy public comment, Glendale’s City Council sustained the Planning Commission’s decision to approve a use variance allowing Chamlian (Shamian) Armenian School to continue operating at 444 Lowell Avenue under specified conditions; the appeal was denied by unanimous vote.","taxTitle","Glendale, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4651,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630880,"Glendale approves $5.76 million Verdugo Wash master‑plan contract with milestone reporting",0,7159000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7&start=7159&end=7159","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7/thumbnail_7159000.jpg","/articles/6630880/Glendale/Los-Angeles-County/California/Glendale-approves-576-million-Verdugo-Wash-masterplan-contract-with-milestone-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630880-805e4d1dd237bfe6850ddd2d5e2d2aa4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213574&Signature=UKQZk3Hz9vojeoRWCw~ybYx~BVv5kI7p4E0latFd0ojEjJ5o-HXGAwPCBHeLetVv6QRFHa5K5lCzfUZ5yGqul-atG-xIY6Ksi3D3w1lM0wVskOD7bsTQbDuvvfDKC6OaNbmTjzCMGdKwy8sRJu8zSlSh97jzURcsEaK62F2b8Rbgy9HfiU4-wX57G1FGrSewOgB4hp4SwKPlJLkf1I1gEluCzntOOfdUnTaRzqlhyYX0TmlJJogjyYyZk0cBkT75R4tprh543yX2MGKCzIyi2dg8gukRhLgf5mYNhNEYg77DQXEbmr-DbkbzgcazutGiRdNvrAfYVZxoRMPJA7-2Nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Glendale City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize a $5,762,370 professional services agreement with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) to prepare a Verdugo Wash Master Plan, environmental review and supporting engineering studies.

City planners said the master plan will evaluate roughly 9.4 miles of the Verdugo Wash to study opportunities for a coordinated linear park, active‑transportation corridor and ecological improvements while preserving flood‑control functions. Staff told council the contract will be fully funded with state grant funds already accepted into the city’s budget and that the award would not itself authorize construction or require city general‑fund spending.

Teresa St. Hillenner, principal planner, presented the consultant selection process, telling council that nine firms responded and that MVVA — a national landscape architecture and planning firm with a Los Angeles office and multiple Southern California subconsultants — ranked highest after interviews. \"The master plan will ensure that any build out that is approved in the future will be done in a well thought out coordinated and safe manner,\" St. Hillenner said.

In response to council concerns about transparency and accountability for $5.76 million in grant funds, councilmembers requested and staff agreed to build contract milestones and public check‑ins into the agreement. Councilmember Kosakian pushed for milestone reporting at regular expenditure intervals; the council settled on requiring periodic public reports tied to spending checkpoints (roughly quarterly increments of the contract amount), with the city attorney and staff to incorporate the reporting schedule into final contract language. Staff said the master‑plan process would include substantial public outreach, technical studies of flood‑control impacts, and regular updates to council during the roughly three‑year project timeline.

Opponents and supporters in the public comment period framed the item differently: some neighbors worried about potential park development near flood control infrastructure and urged study limits; other speakers and neighborhood advocates urged the city to accept the grant and study the full wash, saying the work will produce a transparent set of options and could produce shovel‑ready designs to attract future funding.

The council’s motion approved the consultant selection and directed staff to finalize a professional services agreement with milestone and reporting provisions; the vote was unanimous (Councilmembers Brautman, Garpetian, Kasakian, Najarian and Mayor Asatrian voting yes). The master plan will proceed with initial data collection and community engagement once the contract is executed.","Council voted unanimously to contract Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates for a $5,762,370 Verdugo Wash master plan and EIR, requiring regular budget and milestone reporting to council as work proceeds.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630884,"Glendale council restores, expands Commission on the Status of Women, directs staff to find funding and full‑time support",2173,2480000,4653000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7&start=2480&end=4653","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688566-f41446df153995caecbe5f950f2a8be7/thumbnail_2480000.jpg","/articles/6630884/Glendale/Los-Angeles-County/California/Glendale-council-restores-expands-Commission-on-the-Status-of-Women-directs-staff-to-find-funding-and-fulltime-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630884-c9b84cc82fe7b2888604ee08c01e8fb1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213574&Signature=Qx~g741W53-TQT8I~MyeSZJn8giQaciL4e4SkykZuhGL89qIzsvB-fAXFVSMcP4Lxm5gb4r52pGoxRmejMlcYClOWSjplMCUPSj8ckuR7kQJL6ABy4shrFHangtc0P82MWB0nYqtbdc51jYo5ZrqCDGVSW7RMhRElRn3uhucDbx39OAU-TfD-6cmGfFhPGPZ4WMMCajZNxojmT9e-s7qYn0Wb7d7A52m9E1aWrgsr6vk1NQ5~iuRYBkyue4MvL32-uWOkYyo0hlrDyaN3azSC5h4NaxpiyiDHsXy6c3rTDCdLO3YbsYqpuxDPkeEWXMZCyyofM22PftrDF0XiPYaZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Glendale City Council unanimously approved a motion Tuesday to expand the powers and responsibilities of the Commission on the Status of Women and to direct city staff to plan for dedicated staffing and program funding.

The council voted to amend the Glendale Municipal Code to explicitly authorize the commission to develop ongoing programming, pursue fundraising and grants, and increase its meeting frequency from four times a year to monthly beginning July 2025. The motion, as approved, also directed the city manager and city clerk to develop a funding path and staffing plan that would provide a full‑time staff person dedicated to the commission’s work.

The move follows presentations from commission members and community partners who argued the panel’s capacities were pared back in 2015 amid staffing and budget cuts. Diane Lambelott, chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, said the monthlong observance “is more than a celebration, it's a call to action,” and other speakers emphasized the commission’s prior work on programming such as financial literacy and violence‑prevention efforts.

City staff presented the commission’s recent report, noting persistent gaps for subpopulations — including higher poverty and unemployment rates for some Latina and Armenian women — and described a proposed staffing/funding pathway. Staff estimated a reclassification of an existing half‑time admin analyst into a full‑time executive analyst would increase annual personnel costs by roughly $36,900; recommended an initial programming allocation of $75,000 for FY2025–26 and a proposed ongoing programming budget of $150,000 in later years. The city attorney and staff clarified that an executive‑level analyst would have broader grant and program administration authority than the current admin analyst classification.

Council members who supported the motion said the commission needs both regular meeting cadence and a dedicated staff member to execute programming and to coordinate grants and partnerships. Opponents and some council members urged that specific budget allocations be vetted in the normal budget process; the council’s adopted motion directs the city manager and city clerk to develop a funding plan and return with options.

The council’s action also included direction that staff return an ordinance amending the municipal code language to reflect the expanded duties; staff said it could return draft code language within roughly six weeks. The council also adopted additional ministerial instructions directing that programming priorities be informed by the commission’s most recent Status of Women report and the city’s internal HR equity analyses.

The vote was recorded as unanimous (Councilmembers Brautman, Garpetian, Kasakian, Najarian and Mayor Asatrian voting yes). The council’s direction authorizes staff to begin implementing the staffing and programming steps but does not itself appropriate the full program budget; the administration will present funding options as part of the upcoming budget discussions.","The City Council voted unanimously to expand the Commission on the Status of Women’s duties to include programming, fundraising and more frequent meetings, and directed city staff to pursue a staffing and funding plan to implement the expansion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council upholds Planning Commission approval allowing Chamlian School to continue operating under conditions; appeal denied

Glendale approves $5.76 million Verdugo Wash master‑plan contract with milestone reporting

Glendale council restores, expands Commission on the Status of Women, directs staff to find funding and full‑time support