1 M I N U T E S
GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
613 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor Glendale, CA 91206
MARCH 11, 2025
ROLL CALL – All Present
1. CLOSED SESSION – 4:04 p.m.
a. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation: Najarian v. City of Glendale, L.A.S.C. Case No. 24STCP02101; Claim of Najarian, No. 25-0009 b. Conference with Real Property Negotiators: City-designated negotiator: Bradley Calvert. Negotiating Party: Events at Eden. Property: 1401 N. Verdugo Road.
Instructions to the negotiator(s) will concern the price and terms of payment for the lease of City-owned property
City Attorney Mike Garcia indicated that action is not anticipated. Council recessed to closed session at 4:05 p.m.
2. REGULAR BUSINESS AGENDA – 6:05 PM
Roll Call – All Present
a. Flag Salute: Mayor Elen Asatryan
b. Invocation: Dr. Suzie Abajian, City Clerk
c. Report of the City Clerk, re: Posting of Agenda. The Agenda for the March 11, 2025, Regular Meeting of the Glendale City Council was Posted on March 6, 2025, on the Bulletin Board Outside City Hall.
3. PRESENTATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
a. Agenda Preview for the Meetings of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Asst. City Manager John Takhtalian provided the preview. b. Presentation by the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District General Manager Susanne Kluh
c. Nominations for Appointment (Najarian/Gharpetian, 03/04/25) •Vivian Kanchian, Sustainability Commission (Seat 5 – Replacing Werner) (Najarian (A)/Gharpetian (B))
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Gharpetian
Vote as Follows
a.
4. CONSENT ITEMS (Including Minutes)
The following are Routine and May be Acted Upon by One Motion. Any Member of Council or the Audience Requesting Separate Consideration May do so by Making Such Request Before Motion is Proposed.
Item 4c pulled for separate consideration.
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian
Brotman, Asatryan
None
None
4A
2 a. City Clerk, re: Minutes of the Joint City Council and Housing Authority Meeting of March 4, 2025
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Kassakhian
Vote as Follows
b.
b. Public Works, re: The Babe Herman Restroom Renovation Project, Adopt Specification
1. Resolution 25-32 adopting the Specification for the Babe Herman Restroom Renovation Project, Specification No. 3978; and directing the City Clerk to advertise for bids
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Kassakhian
Vote as Follows
c.
c. Public Works, re: Subrecipient Agreement between the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) and City of Glendale related to the California Air Resources Control Board (CARB) FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Projects for Glendale Municipal Green Zone Project
Public Comments:
Mike Mohill
Beth Brooks
Alex Balekian
Vivian Kanchian
Staff Comments:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Shea Eccleston, Public Works Administrator
1. Motion authorizing the City Manager, or a designee, to enter into and execute all agreements, amendments, certifications, and documents necessary to implement the grant funding for services related to the Glendale Municipal Green Zone Project, subject to the approval by the City Attorney
Moved: Kassakhian Seconded: Brotman
Vote as Follows
d.
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
3 5. CITY COUNCIL/STAFF COMMENTS
Councilmember Gharpetian and Mayor Asatryan nominated Eddie Minassian to the Planning Commission.
Councilmember Brotman commended staff for organizing a successful Repair Café event over the weekend. He also requested a brief report on the recent fire on the 2 Freeway. City Manager Roubik Golanian stated that the fire was caused by a banned mylar balloon.
Interim General Manager Scott Mellon provided further details on the incident.
Councilmember Gharpetian attended the Police Department’s Baker to Vegas fundraising event.
Councilmember Najarian highlighted the detention of several Armenian officials by the Azerbaijani government. He requested that staff agendize a discussion on a council resolution or letter to the U.S. State Department and Executive Branch, condemning the detention of these individuals, the expulsion of the Red Cross, and the abusive treatment and illegal proceedings against the detainees.
Councilmember Kassakhian requested an update on debris cleanup along the 134 Freeway and asked staff to provide an updated schedule for street resurfacing.
Mayor Asatryan requested an update on the Artsakh Street project. City Manager Roubik Golanian stated that the project has been delayed due to various factors but assured that a report would be presented to the council in the coming weeks. Asatryan also expressed her appreciation to the Downtown Glendale Association for hosting the International Women’s Day celebration. Additionally, she thanked the Commission on the Status of Women for partnering with the Armenian Bar Association to host a screening and panel discussion on domestic violence.
6. COMMUNITY EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS (3-Minutes; 5-Speaker Limit) Per Mayor Policy, This Item Also Permits Speakers Wishing to Speak Under General Oral Communications, Subject to the Three Minute Time Limit. Discussion is Limited to Matters Not on the Agenda.
Mike Mohill
Barbara Mochrie
Tony Passarella
Alek Bartrosouf
Jackie Gish
7. ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES
8. ACTION ITEMS
a. Management Services, re: Organizational Strategic Plan
1. Motion to Note and File Report
Item 8a pulled off the agenda.
4 b. Community Development, re: Consideration of Development Standards and Conditional Use Permit for Drive Through Restaurant Facilities Presenting:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Staff Comments:
Mike Garcia, City Attorney
Yvette Neukian, Principal Assistant City Attorney
Public Comments:
Lynda Beck
Jackie Gish
Rooh Steif
Brett Slaughenhaupt
Alek Bartrosouf
Beth Brooks
Lisa Morris
Scott Gerhardt
Amber Avines
Edgar Markosyan
Shane Lee, Glendale Yimby
Chanda Davetas
Allen Dish
Brian Berry
Noel Amani
Juan Avila
Raul Torres
1. Motion to Provide Direction to Staff as it Pertains to Potential Development Standards or Conditional Use Permit Process for Drive Through Facilities Moved: Gharpetian Seconded: Najarian
Vote as Follows
e.
Council recessed at 9:10 p.m. for five minutes and reconvened thereafter. c. Public Works, re: Preservation and Reuse of the Former Rockhaven Sanitarium Project, Adopt Plans and Specification
Staff Comments:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Arthur Asaturyan,
Mark Berry
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
5 Public Comments:
Lisa Morris
Allen Dish
Allan Durham
1. Resolution 25-33 adopting Plans and Specification for the Preservation and Reuse of the Former Rockhaven Sanitarium Project, Specification No. 4004; and directing the City Clerk to advertise for bids
Moved: Gharpetian Seconded: Brotman
Vote as Follows
f.
2. Motion authorizing a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Maestro Development LLC (Maestro) in the amount of $304,730 to provide construction management services for the Preservation and Reuse of the Former Rockhaven Sanitarium Project
Moved: Brotman Seconded: Najarian
Vote as Follows
g.
9. HEARINGS
a. Community Development, re: Appeal of Design Review Board's approval of DRB Case No. PDR 002532-2023 located at 1000 Sandringham Drive for the construction of a new 2-story, 5,067 square-foot (SF) single-family dwelling with an attached 3-car garage on a vacant 31,290 SF lot located in the R1R, FAR District III Zone (Continued from February 11, 2025)
Asatryan and Najarian recused themselves due to possible conflict of interests. Gavel is passed to Mayor Pro Tem Brotman.
Hearing opened at 9:45 p.m. and closed at 10:09 p.m.
Staff Comments:
Mike Garcia, City Attorney
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Public Comments:
Christopher Smee, Appellant
Hunter Knight, Architect
Alen Malekian, Project Architect
Shane Lee, Glendale YIMBY
Tim Martinez
Valentine
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Najarian, Asatryan
None
None
None
6 1. Motion to sustain the Design Review Board’s decision of April 25, 2024, to approve the project with conditions
Moved: Kassakhian Seconded: Gharpetian
Vote as Follows
h.
2. Motion to continue the matter, directing the City Attorney to draft findings reversing the Design Review Board’s decision and denying the project
10. REPORTS - INFORMATION
11. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
12. DISCUSSION OF COUNCILMEMBER FUTURE AGENDA REQUESTS
13. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Discussion is Limited to Items NOT a Part of this Agenda. Each Speaker is Allowed 5 minutes. Council May Question or Respond to The Speaker But There Will be no Debate or Decision. The City Manager May Refer the Matter to the Appropriate Department for Investigation and Report.
Beth Brooks
Francesca Smith
14. NEW BUSINESS
15. ADJOURNMENT – 10:22 p.m.
Moved: Brotman Seconded: Brotman
Mayor of the City of Glendale
City Clerk of the City of Glendale
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Gharpetian, Kassakhian, Brotman (pro tem)
None
None
Najarian (recused), Asatryan (recused)