City Council meets tonight

The City Council will meet tonight for the second time this month. The agenda looks lighter than the previous council meeting, which ran well after midnight.

Among tonight's agenda items is a request for the council to approve the final parcel map to divide 11.45 acres of Bernard Field Station land into 4 distinct parcels.

The 11.45 acres is owned by Harvey Mudd College and is located north of the Foothill Boulevard frontage road between College and Dartmouth avenues.

The purpose of the subdivision, according to the city staff report, is so that Harvey Mudd can sell half the land to Claremont Graduate University. "Neither academic institution has any developments plans at this time," the report reads.

Still, future development on these properties seems likely. As part of the approval, the city is asking for an agreement requiring a future developer to construct improvements such as street lighting, sidewalk, curb and gutter and undergrounding of utilities.

Also, the subdivider has been required to reserve a 10-foot private easement across the frontage of the parcel map, along both College Avenue and the Foothill Boulevard frontage road. That would allow for space to build a shared bike/pedestrian path and additional street lighting when the properties are developed.

The council will also conduct a 2-year review of their ordinance restricting salons and day spas in the Village and consider changes to funding for the city's Community Based Organization and Homeless Program.

Claremont Wilderness park closed

The Claremont Wilderness Park will be closed until further notice due to dangerous fire conditions. The park has been closed since Sunday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Los Angeles Montain areas. A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures will create extreme fire behavior.

To keep cool in the hot weather, the city is offering the Hughes center as a "cool zone." Claremont residents are invited to enjoy the air-conditioned facility, which will be opened until 9 p.m. The Hughes Center is located at 1700 Danbury Road.

Claremont Day tomorrow

Just a reminder, tomorrow is Claremont Day at the Fair. Claremont Day starts with a horse race named in honor of our City, followed by a parade and a community heroes' celebration at The Stage in Park Square. There will also be an area set up that will highlight Claremont organizations, services and programs.

Community Day parades feature community organizations and groups from high school marching bands to floats, police and fire departments, City dignitaries, mascots and classic car clubs.

Coupons for Claremont Day are available at City Hall, the Hughes Center or at the Claremont Chamber of Commerce. The coupons allow visitors to enter the fair for only $5 rather than the $17 regular priced admission. Coupons must be used before 5 p.m.

Dangerous intersection?

Two pedestrians suffered moderate injuries after being struck by a vehicle yesterday evening.

Around 6:15 p.m., the pedestrians were walking in a crosswalk at Bonita and Cambridge avenues. An elderly driver was leaving a church service at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church when he hit the pedestrians. His exact age was not immediately known.

"The driver said the sun was right in his eyes from the sunset and he could not see the pedestrians," Claremont Police Lieutenant Dennis Smith said.

The vehicle was not moving very fast but the pedestrians were both knocked to the ground, Lt. Smith said. They were transported to a local hospital, suffering from non-life threatening injuries.

No further information was immediately available.

In November 2009, a Claremont man died after being struck by a car in the same intersection. The 88-year-old man was crossing the street in a motorized scooter when he was hit by a vehicle. He died 13 days after the accident in the hospital.