The Pasadena Eco House Project is for sale. This has been in planning for 24 months and has full approval to start building now.  The project includes: lot, plans and permits.

This home, designed to be the first Platinum LEED Certified home in Pasadena, offers many energy saving advantages. It ‘s construction utilizes insulated concrete panels that are far superior to standard wood construction. It is resistant to natural hazards such as earthquake, fire and wind. All systems and materials planned for the home are state-of -the -art and environmentally friendly. Solar panels keep you off the grid. Ductless heating and air-conditioning is efficient. Floor to ceiling Anderson windows offer beautiful views. Attention to detail has been key to making this an exquisite home in style as well as function. This is your opportunity to own a home that is destine to become a Pasadena architectural landmark.

The address is 1614 Pleasant Way, Pasadena, CA 91105. The lot is listed in the MLS #22122779. If you have ever thought about building a custom green home in a wonderful neighborhood … This is your chance to be GREEN before next spring.

 Many area bloggers attended the enjoyable venue to chat about blogging and upcoming events in the community. It was a chance to meet new friends and learn of new blogs. The event has been going on 2-3 years and began with  10 – 15 people. Now the gathering has  more than doubled in size. I was impressed to see the turnout. The image below is a list I composed from the sign- in board. Over 35 blog contacts were made from this event. I have viewed 10 sites and plan to visit the rest by weeks end. Please enjoy the list and pass it on.

This is a shout out to all San Gabriel Valley bloggers – Join us for the next picnic …Share your stories, experiences and knowledge …Stay tuned for future details.

1. Synchronize the Traffic Lights – as obvious as this seems to improve traffic flow, logistically it has to be much more difficult. I was reminded that they are in sync, go, stop, go, stop. Traffic in the City can move at a snails pace, especially this time of year and any attempt to speed up our commute would certainly be appreciated.
2. Protected Left Turns – while we are on the subject of traffic, how about installing traffic lights that would provide a protected left turn. This traffic system as in all of LA County must have been designed 50 years ago. Personally I am tired of playing intersection roulette every time I need to make a left turn.
3. Get Serious about Water Conservation – If Pasadena is going to talk the talk, its time to begin walking the walk. Start with low flow toilets and shower heads at point of sale, just as the City of Los Angeles does. Offer incentives for property owners to Xeriscape, just as Pasadena’s power company offer’s incentives for energy conservation. It’s hard to understand why these measures have not been adopted in a City that promotes itself with a green initiative. We have to become proactive and asking the citizens to adopt volunteer conservation methods have fallen short of their desired goals.
4. Improve the Public Schools – for Pasadena to become a truly world class city, they must achieve a higher level of public education. We are surrounded by excellent public schools in Arcadia, South Pasadena and La Canada. I think improving the education of our children should be priority number one. It would be nice to hear that people choose to live in Pasadena due to the excellent public school system.
5. Eliminate the Sidewalk Ordinance – if the sidewalk in front of your house has become buckled due to underlying tree roots, there is a good possibility that it will be your responsibility to repair it when you decide to sell. The City plants and maintains many of the trees that decorate and line our streets and to me it just doesn’t seem right that the homeowner has to pay to have the sidewalk repaired. To delegate the safety and liability issue of uneven sidewalks to the homeowner, was a loud proclamation by the City saying “because we can”.

The City of Pasadena has many opportunities and challenges before it. Hopefully the decisions to be made will reflect the best interests of its citizens as well as its business interests.

How Green Are You?

As we prepare to bring you the details of how ecologically friendly building practices and sustainable materials will improve and enhance our lives, now would be a good time to test your homes to see how “green” your living practices are and what steps can you take to reduce your own personal greenhouse gases? By entering the data in the personal emissions calculator, you will be provided with a number showing your greenhouse gas emissions that will probably surprise you.

Fear not however. Help is at hand. After you pick yourself up off of the floor check out these action steps for an immediate plan of improvement. The City of Pasadena in conjunction with Pasadena Water & Power also has some excellent programs to assist you in your efforts to improve your own “green” initiative. They will provide rebates on certain appliances and fixtures that help save water and electricity. What a great opportunity to replace those old systems with new energy efficient cost saving alternatives.

Then they awarded “silver status” to top schools numbering from 101 to 505. Local schools making the list were Arcadia High, Crescenta Valley High, Eagle Rock High, Temple City High, South Pasadena High, Gabrielino (San Gabriel), Anderson Clark Magnet (La Crescenta) and Herbert Hoover (Glendale). Unfortunately, none of the schools in Pasadena were awarded “Silver” medals.

If you have Gold and Silver, you have to have Bronze. The “Bronze” category included about another 1100 schools. Again, Pasadena was noticeably absent.

Pasadena, A First Class City?

I don’t think you will get an argument from any resident of Pasadena that this is a first class city. The scenic beauty, the annual attractions and overall amenities are beyond compare. Why then does there seem to be such a disconnect when it comes to our public schools? We are surrounded by quality educational establishments, just look at the list. Don’t our kids growing up in Pasadena deserve better? Shouldn’t they have the same opportunities as kids in Arcadia, South Pasadena, Temple City and Eagle Rock? Absolutely, unequivocally right they should. Then why don’t they?

Our Kids Deserve the Best

There are very few things in life that I feel people are entitled to. Public education however is one of them. Let me rephrase that. An excellent public education should be one of them! When you consider the taxes you pay to live here, do you feel you get your money’s worth? Wasn’t this country founded upon “taxation without representation”? Do Pasadena schools represent the best we have to offer or can we do better?

What Will it Take to Improve the Schools?

If there is such as thing as a “Pasadena Priority List”, it would be interesting to see where our public education system ranks. Furthermore, I would enjoy hearing why we are surrounded by higher ranking schools. Are there any plans in place to improve the performance or have we just decided status quo, steady as she goes. Could it be that Pasadena has far too many national events that place it in the limelight and we just do not have time to produce a top notch school system?

Transportation Drives Early Growth

Founded in 1874, the city was incorporated in 1886. Like most Southern California towns of the 20th century, Pasadena grew rapidly as a result of the construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the subsequent construction of the local freeway system that linked Pasadena to Los Angeles and points to the southwest. Serving as the citrus capitol of the west, Pasadena experienced continued growth and notoriety as a leader in agriculture and as a prime tourist destination.

Unique Neighborhoods and Architectural Styles

Pasadena residents are proud of the city’s heritage and preserve it through neighborhood associations and special designations. Bungalow Heaven, Garfield Heights, Madison Heights, and the Historic Highlands are just a few you will find throughout the city. Also, Pasadena Heritage can keep you updated on special events during the year.

Hub for the Performing Arts

Pasadena residents enjoy the arts scene with their local symphony orchestra, a community playhouse, the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens; the Norton Simon Museum; the Pacific Asia Museum and several gardens noted for their rare display of flora. The Levitt Pavilion hosts free summer concerts in the park with a wide variety of music to suit everyone’s taste.

Shopping – Exclusive Designers & Fleas Too!

Shoppers will find a broad range of choices for all budgets including Old Town Pasadena, which is a popular shopping and dining venue for locals and tourists alike. Paseo Colorado offers a more upscale shopping experience complete with a mall designed to be a modern urban village, complimented by apartments above the mall. An exclusive shopping district is also located in the South Lake neighborhood as well.

If the flea market matches your style and budget, don’t miss the Rose Bowl Flea Market which is a large swap meet that involves thousands of dealers and tens of thousands of visitors who visit in and around the grounds of the Rose Bowl. Merchandise offered at this venue ranges from old world antiques to California pottery and vintage clothing. Open every second Sunday of the month since 1967, the swap meet is open rain or shine. The Pasadena City College Flea Market happens the first Sunday of every month on a smaller scale, but with just as many bargains.