Facade Improvement Program

For several years, the City of Temple City has offered a Façade Improvement Program, as there has been a gradual revitalization of the City’s commercial areas, particularly along Las Tunas Drive. A few years ago, as part of the City’s new comprehensive Business Retention and Attraction Program, the City Council authorized increasing the maximum grant amount of the Facade Improvement Program to 75% of the total project expenditure up to a maximum of $25,000.

The City Council has also expanded eligibility criteria for the Façade Improvement Program to include businesses not situated within a commercial zone if they have a Conditional Use Permit (CUO) and a valid commercial business license. The increased financial incentive and expanded eligibility criteria have had a very positive affect on the level of participation for the program.

The purpose of the Facade Improvement Program is to assist property and business owners with enhancing the exterior of their stores. The following are some examples of improvements eligible for the Façade Improvement Program; Exterior signs, awnings, windows, exterior lighting, painting and landscaping.

Typically, the refurbished buildings have new stucco, new paint, new windows, modernized signage, improved exterior lighting, appropriate decorative trim, such as moldings and eye-catching awnings as well as complementary landscaping or hardscape. Revitalizing and reinvigorating commercial business areas can be contagious in a very positive way. The reinvestment in the city’s commercial areas not only assists the business community, but also improves the image of the entire city. The Façade Improvement Program not only results in short-term benefits, but is also important for the future vitality and livability of the community.

For further information, contact the Temple City Community Development Department at (626) 285-2171.

Overnight Parking Restrictions

The Temple City Municipal Code requires that vehicles parked on City streets between the hours of 3:00 a.m. through 5:00 a.m. must have an overnight parking permit displayed. By limiting the number of vehicles on our streets, the Law Enforcement Officers and Public Safety Volunteers have an unobstructed view of residential streets during early morning hours.

An application may be submitted to the City to obtain an annual overnight parking permit for residents with inadequate garage space or insufficient driveway area to park all their vehicles. Inadequate parking is especially common at apartment complexes where one parking space is provided per unit. Please be advised, annual overnight parking permits are issued only if all available garage and driveway space is already used for vehicle parking.

The 2008 annual overnight parking permit application fee is $46 per vehicle. An application may be obtained at www.templecity.us or at the City’s Public Services Department at 5938 Kauffman Avenue. For residents with periodic overnight parking needs, the City has a temporary parking permit machine. The machine provides residents with the ability to purchase a temporary permit seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Temporary parking permits are available at a cost of $1.00 a night and may be purchased in one, two or three night increments and are valid for one to three nights from the date of purchase. For your convenience, the dispenser is located at the southeast corner of City Hall at 9701 Las Tunas Drive.

e-mail FRAUD OR NOT

It's almost a certainty that if you have an email account you will get fake emails trying to steal your personal information. Once the thieves have your information, they can use it to steal money from your bank accounts or buy things using your credit. The name for this scam is "phishing".

Fraudulent phishing emails usually will claim to be from a bank, credit card company, EBay, Pay-pal, or other companies using the Internet. The subject of the email is usually something like "EBay Account Verification" and has a sending email address from some reputable sounding entity like customerservice@ebay.com. These spoof emails look like they are official. They will have artwork, logos, and type fonts that look like the real website being imitated.

The email may begin with a generic greeting, like "Dear EBay User" or it might try to parse your email address (for example, Fred.Flintstone@bedrock.com might be parsed to read Dear Fred; info@templecitychamber.org might be parsed as Dear Chamber).

The content of the letter usually has some sort of urgency and a threat. For example, it may say that EBay has noticed suspicious activity on your account and is freezing it; you will only be able to continue to use your EBay account if you send in "verifying personal information" or "confirm your account details." You might be asked to fill in a form within the email or click on a link that will take you to a website with a form to fill in.

Unfortunately, these are frauds. Whether it involves the closing of your checking account, the freezing of your credit cards, or the suspension of your EBay account, the goal of these emails is to get you to resubmit your personal information and account details. With this information, the scam artists running the frauds can log on to a real website and steal from you.

No reputable company will ever ask you to send your personal information via email. If there is any problem, they will ask you to telephone or go to their regular website and follow instructions there.

There are tools available that can help alert you to fraudulent emails. One of the best of these is available for free from www.phishguard.com which also has a lot of other resources describing email identity theft scams.

Activities/Services for Temple City's Seniors

Senior Citizen Club
Meets each Tuesday at Live Oak Park, 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Membership dues are $10 per year. Weekly fee $1.25/$1.50 for non-members. Activities include singing, bingo and cards.

Blood Pressure Checks
Available Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Fire Station #47, 5946 Kauffman. Service is free.

Transportation
Services is available to Temple City residents 60 years and older and the disabled. Registration is required and can be completed at the Community Services Department at City Hall. For more information, call 285-2171.

Metro Access
This transportation system serves persons with disabilities who cannot use the regular MTA system. Vans will provide curb-to-curb service covering the 29 cities in the San Gabriel Valley. Pre-certification is required. For more information call 285-2171.

Federal/State Income Tax Preparation
Seniors who are 62 years or older with low yearly income receive free income tax assistance February through April. Call 579-0461 for an appointment: starting in January.

MTA/Foothill Transit Reduced Fares
Fares Reduced bus fare stamps can be purchased from the 25th of the month to the 10th of the following month. For more information call 285-2171.

Meals On Wheels
Provided by California Christian Home. Delivers two meals midday--one hot lunch and a cold meal for evening. Volunteers are also needed to deliver meals. Call 287-0438 to arrange delivery.

Animal Information
Senior Citizens 65 and older may license one spayed or neutered dog free of charge. To qualify, proof of age must be provided. Call the Animal Control office a 285-7187 for details.

Postal Alert
A free home-watching protection service for older adults and people with disabilities living with the 91780 zip code area. Applications can be obtained by calling 579-0461.

Card Clubs
Bridge players meet Mondays a 11:30 a.m., Duplicate Bridge or Fridays at 11:30 a.m., and Pinochle players meet Mondays at 12:30 p.m. at the Community Center. Free bridge lessons are available. Call 579-0461 for more information.

Once a location has been selected, the business owner should come in to City Hall to obtain a business license application packet. Commercial licenses cost $75 annually, while home occupation licenses cost $64 per year. Specialty business licenses vary by type of business.

Businesses conducted in one's home may not occupy more than 200 square feet of floor space. The business must be in the main residence, and may not be in the garage or any outbuilding.

The Municipal Code requires that there not be any display or storage of goods or merchandise, and only one person may conduct the business. Businesses that use any equipment that emits excessive noise or emissions are prohibited, as are businesses that cause an appreciable increase in pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Signs are not permitted in the residential neighborhoods.

License fees are pro-rated quarterly. There may be additional fees for commercial businesses with employees, vending or video machines. There are varying license and permit fees for certain specialty businesses as well.

All business owners must provide documentation such as fictitious name statements, articles of incorporation, and Seller's Permits, when appropriate. Those businesses that employ full-time employees must provide evidence of worker's compensation insurance coverage as well.

Once the completed application and fees have been received, the City sends inspectors to the business location prior to the issuance of the license. The business license is mailed to the business owner shortly after the inspection.

All licenses expire on December 31st. Renewal forms are mailed at the beginning of December each year and fees are payable by January 31 without a penalty. A 10% late fee is imposed as of February 1.

Additional information regarding business licenses may be obtained by calling (626) 285-2171, ext. 2345.