[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6610468,"mediaKeyId","2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68","parentId",2902570,"title","Residents near Barranca and Cameron urge planning commission to reject proposed faux-tree cell tower","audioSeconds",848,"startMs",1848000,"endMs",2696000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68&start=1848&end=2696","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68/thumbnail_1848000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610468/West-Covina/Los-Angeles-County/California/Residents-near-Barranca-and-Cameron-urge-planning-commission-to-reject-proposed-faux-tree-cell-tower","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610468-0441ca558efb1174d4d0873ea4315f0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213855&Signature=M0hafGsz4uKOhyoH9ys2cpPMdfzpUhvZGOXNMaMhXd6F5Vl9uA1n0ew6fNrkqeK479Tq0tKhfs56IZE8jJlY5859JtF7hlt36a6W4lN9-55s6bceuSS8-aKfnQMsr2wvOeEb7Qy02aiCH75aaf1wotv9HIuZ7RTVCI2vmlzsYRqyAutyidultRgcVtzm1nS~XUN-~Ig1xLRIiqeAhdRNjYqIIh5d8eR30YnlURu7IU-O~jFlkGqMR7yo5fzfIEtjwo3rYiLRZTpV4ycCUDtnge9wKETUJPcG3sgchhs6V29t163KNYVz72DwxgljGf2QlPLOnJLeC-2FAHRm4w9wnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-08T15:24:00Z","article","Neighbors of a proposed cell facility at the corner of Barranca Street and Cameron Avenue told the West Covina City Council on April 15 that they oppose a planned 60-foot faux-tree monopine that would be sited near area schools and residential properties.

Resident Sheena Heng said more than 150 people had signed a petition against the tower and voiced health and property-value concerns. She told the council the tower would be \"beam[ing] microwave radiation\" at nearby schools during the day and said it would decrease property values. Heng urged neighbors to attend the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for April 22 and named independent researchers she urged residents to consult.

Resident John Solis, who also lives in the Shadow community, said the city previously had resisted proposed towers near a fire station and that federal law limits local authority to deny facilities on the basis of perceived health risks. Solis cited a 1996 federal law he said prevents cities from rejecting installations based on claims of physical harm, noting that aesthetic grounds remain the primary lawful basis for local rejection.

City staff told the council that the proposed site was not a city agenda item for April 15 and that the matter would proceed to the Planning Commission before any council consideration.

What residents said

- Petition: Sheena Heng said the group had collected over 150 signatures opposing the proposed structure at Barranca and Cameron.
- Schools: Speakers said the site would be near Nogales High School and other nearby campuses and asked the city to protect students.
- Legal limits: John Solis noted federal law restricts local decisions based on health concerns and that aesthetics are the primary lawful basis for denial.

No formal action on the proposal was taken by the council; the Planning Commission will consider the proposal on April 22.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","The City of West Covina - April 15, 2014 - City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","More than 150 residents signed a petition opposing a proposed 60-foot faux-tree cell site at Barranca and Cameron, saying it is too close to schools and will reduce property values; the proposal is scheduled for the Planning Commission on April 22.","taxTitle","West Covina, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",3860,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_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":56,"_73":56},6610472,"Residents press West Covina council over years-long litigation; council reports no reportable closed-session action",854,111000,965000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68&start=111&end=965","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6610472/West-Covina/Los-Angeles-County/California/Residents-press-West-Covina-council-over-years-long-litigation-council-reports-no-reportable-closed-session-action","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610472-d76091ae349111f49e9cb0df1fc4635e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213855&Signature=bF2kfRo8oGN9TBddvSNU1rDDWIQE7w4AX7jrXrkW3lfOPMUG0Xz6cQKBUQsCn9Ohu7L0tnQxUb9Vx342veGb1s8grDbgbHUXUSYY-UAlsEjSeEv1xVW0RdRBqq5Ec~A7zkUIpwpyVXE1xhg1N5KQ~6R2ewf1KBQSQEDTZoJZaV2IYPToDvLeZm7ODwi02nWI6l~H91Jnh4VD2HoGpkEJ~R3fC4L~zN4swCwtkJ~BGRwcpvv269aGYdLGd89YoqAdBX4LYjjiMhidIe-GyK9O1TGklE~~3QTCI-iHWMl3fDni-uHYKQAle9yI68Q86uju4H6wCh4KMq5tcpSf-Eb72w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Covina City Council reported that it had met in closed session on April 15 to discuss multiple litigation matters, including City of West Covina v. Haassen Imports Partnership (Los Angeles Superior Court case no. KC048157) and two related bankruptcy proceedings. The city attorney told the council the session covered the current status, upcoming motions and potential settlement strategies and that no reportable action was taken.

Following the closed session, several residents addressed the council during oral communications, urging transparency and criticizing the length and cost of litigation involving parties the speakers identified as Alhassen/Haassen and the law firm Squire Sanders. Lloyd Johnson and Elsie Messman said they believed contracts and approvals in prior years were invalid or improperly executed and claimed the city's legal costs had grown from an initial claim in the low hundreds of thousands to \"over $12 million\" or \"almost $13 million,\" as described by speakers. Those dollar amounts were assertions made by speakers and were not presented as an official city accounting during the meeting.

Speaker Herb Bridal asked the council not to \"rush to judgment\" on the city manager but repeated concern over the city attorney and counsel selection. Multiple speakers urged the council to release nonprivileged documents related to the litigation so the public could judge the decisions and legal strategy.

The city attorney confirmed the council had received a status update from special counsel and discussed settlement strategies but said there was no reportable action to disclose after the closed session.

What was reported

- Closed session topics: litigation concerning City of West Covina v. Haassen Imports Partnership (Los Angeles Superior Court case no. KC048157) and two bankruptcy matters involving the same parties.
- City attorney statement: council received status reports and discussed motions and settlement strategies; \"no reportable action\" was taken.

Public comments summarized

Speakers raised questions about contract validity, the role of outside counsel (identified by speakers as Squire Sanders or \"Esquire Sanders\"), cumulative legal bills they said had grown into the millions, and a request that the council make non-confidential documents available to the public. Speakers requested an accounting of who authorized fees and why litigation continued.

No new litigation decisions were announced by the council at the meeting.","After a closed session on litigation involving Haassen Imports Partnership, residents urged the council to release records and criticized escalating legal bills tied to the case and related matters.",{"_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":56,"_73":56},6610478,"West Covina council declines to require property owners to police tour-bus parking; education motion fails",593,3211000,3804000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68&start=3211&end=3804","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68/thumbnail_3211000.jpg","/articles/6610478/West-Covina/Los-Angeles-County/California/West-Covina-council-declines-to-require-property-owners-to-police-tour-bus-parking-education-motion-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610478-7c9e58c503024216c98b101fee16721d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213855&Signature=eLnJ6yUcyo5pELDYqGTc~fLc3sFYUyJ9xtvcl~xWpkjtWZ-pAsxi8w0CQDG3hBIxksfMo35CsMEsOmFO5dwC9FWBYkJieVLUhir6QUiV9wHSKRNoCYBv9tePJKhqQ6HG6QBap7vbLPO83BEvOfUrWx8tNX~7UNn-kkxIAM40~KV-F0FnVw8On8g8C-qYlz7BF2OuDRs7a0GNkJcw1ZAWbKxLdR0umVGH--ynQgGsVjq8bz5YGt9t6M7uURtERaw5qzL7XpxEi24ZtR~CaHjRk~Hk6KWlE5ns1eU4PgqJ5THyf6lJHdo-M-GiJ1mNydhiNt3njyDis5GmK2PGd8~bIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Covina City Council on April 15 considered complaints that tour buses routinely stop to load and unload on the east side of Azusa Avenue north of Amar Road, at times obstructing traffic and parking stalls. Mayor Pro Tem Sykes and other council members said they had observed the buses and wanted a clear, enforceable rule focused specifically on parking rather than relying on vehicle-code provisions aimed at moving violations.

Sykes said the issue should be framed as \"no parking\" and not left to the vehicle-code provisions that address driving. He urged the council to adopt a clearer local ordinance if state vehicle code proved inapplicable to parked buses. Councilmember Toma and others suggested starting with outreach: contact property owners and the bus companies to ask them to stop the practice before creating new regulations.

Mayor Hereford moved that staff be directed to educate the property owner at the Azusa/Amar area about bus parking and report back to council on responses. A second was offered, but on roll call the motion failed by a 2-3 vote: Spence No; Sykes No; Toma Aye; Warshaw No; Hereford Aye. Because the motion failed, council did not instruct staff to perform the outreach as a formal assignment.

Afterwards a subsequent motion to \"receive and file\" the staff report was also put to a roll-call vote and failed by the same 2-3 margin, leaving the issue on the record but with no additional city direction.

What failed

- Motion: Direct staff to educate property owner at Azusa Avenue and Amar Road and report back.
- Mover: Mayor Hereford. Second: not specified.
- Vote: Spence No; Sykes No; Toma Aye; Warshaw No; Hereford Aye. Outcome: failed, 2-3.

Council comments focused on balancing proactive enforcement and avoiding unnecessary regulation. Some members said criminal or traffic laws already provide enforcement tools for cases where buses impede traffic; others worried that relying on statutes aimed at moving violations could lose in court if phrased imprecisely as a parking issue.

No ordinance or other enforcement action was adopted at the meeting; councilmembers who favored outreach said they may pursue nonbinding contact with owners and operators outside of a formal council directive.","Council considered whether to require proof of private-property permission for tour buses that load and unload on private lots along Azusa Avenue and Amar Road and voted 2-3 against directing staff to educate property owners and operators.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6610483,"West Covina council votes to restore cable broadcasts with $7,000 equipment upgrade",1486,4054000,5540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68&start=4054&end=5540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902570-8af191a53d36d83554c6f7f921975c68/thumbnail_4054000.jpg","/articles/6610483/West-Covina/Los-Angeles-County/California/West-Covina-council-votes-to-restore-cable-broadcasts-with-7000-equipment-upgrade","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610483-d6481ec433a4d68c2d7c4ad0f9c71ce8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213855&Signature=QXg5S~SQ8ynJ5ryazMR~xKZbX0Vut2nCWWqei8dQ2VD-sC0cVbVyEe0wZT6mfIX-l38ERYYiU0EuGSouFgmUaCvSGbdMOx9q1-5GAXYnYl2M90R64B5MqrVzr2f3J-8Ox-TSO0Mbyey2jv9H5~Wcl~~06N~D3FaL1CTGPX2-fTI9YC6U3ih5cmwYOKUjWwLV0D5j7hEXKYUcH4xd8rAm7IBzMkC~nJ9HqqMVoSzZ3qyGifI0MBbLSns064wPnOjk9RlaHT3l0BNt0ykSpW24nS2FvNmPAnWPoYoENGGTkGNDb0rNCz2NPTlAm3FO2JUPLavVP7K1AS60R6vcuB8KkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On April 15 the West Covina City Council voted 4-1 to restore televised broadcasts of council meetings using the city's current webcast feed and about $7,000 in equipment upgrades, funded from the city's public, education and government (PEG) account.

City staff presented three options for resuming broadcasts: use the existing live feed with minimal upgrades (about $7,000), add a more advanced \"Broadcast Pix\" system for $28,000 more plus staffing, or continue internet-only webcasting. Chris (city staff) told the council that Mount San Antonio College had offered to install the $7,000 equipment at no cost and recommended the low-cost setup as a first step.

The measure drew discussion about costs and staffing. Councilmember Warshaw opposed the motion, saying additional production staffing would be a general-fund expense; Warshaw said he was reluctant to add ongoing staff costs even though the one-time equipment purchase could be paid from PEG funds. Councilmember Spence and Mayor Pro Tem Sykes supported the lower-cost option and volunteer installation; Councilmember Toma and Mayor Hereford also voted in favor. The motion was moved by Councilmember Spence and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Sykes.

City staff estimated the PEG fund balance at approximately $257,000 and said PEG revenue could pay for the equipment purchases but not for regular production staff. Staff estimated fully staffed production would cost about $240 per meeting based on two production assistants at $20 per hour for up to six hours.

Supporters said restoring cable broadcasts would increase transparency for residents who rely on television rather than internet streams. Opponents urged caution about recurring general-fund staffing costs. Council approved the low-cost option, directing staff to proceed with the $7,000 upgrade and to coordinate installation with Mount San Antonio College.

The council also discussed re-establishing a PEG fee to fund longer-term capital needs for TV production; no vote on reinstating the fee occurred on April 15.

What the council decided

- Motion: Adopt option 1 to televise council meetings using the current live feed with no additional staffing and with $7,000 in equipment upgrades.
- Mover: Councilmember Spence. Second: Mayor Pro Tem Sykes.
- Vote: Spence Aye; Sykes Aye; Toma Aye; Warshaw No; Hereford Aye. Outcome: approved, 4-1.

Next steps

Staff will purchase the recommended equipment, coordinate volunteer installation with Mount San Antonio College and return with implementation details and any additional cost estimates if the council seeks fuller production capability in the future.","The council voted 4-1 on April 15 to restore televised council meetings using the city's existing webcast feed and about $7,000 in equipment paid from PEG funds; staffing beyond existing volunteers was not approved.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents near Barranca and Cameron urge planning commission to reject proposed faux-tree cell tower

Residents press West Covina council over years-long litigation; council reports no reportable closed-session action

West Covina council declines to require property owners to police tour-bus parking; education motion fails

West Covina council votes to restore cable broadcasts with $7,000 equipment upgrade