A “full house” at the Council meeting on Monday, July 16, 2018 (Photo – Garrett Rowlan).
Housing and construction issues, ubiquitous through Pasadena, were present at the Pasadena City Council meeting on Monday night.
By Garrett Rowlan
In open commentary, several speakers began the slightly-late starting session by addressing the problem at 120 S. Roosevelt, where residents have been issued eviction notices. Several speakers decried the abrupt notices issued.
After which the council returned to last week’s consideration of a planned development at 3200 East Foothill. Unlike the 120 Roosevelt, there was no “bad guy,” no greedy landlord, only a complicated situation with myriad issues encroaching on the council’s decision.
3200 East Foothill proposed development (Photo – Garrett Rowlan).
Those people who testified to the council regarding the issue ran basically two to one in opposition, though others said that more research and/or a higher percentage of affordable housing should be included.
The most telling comment was made during the course of the discussion by David Reyes, Director of Planning, “In an ideal world, we wouldn’t build next to a freeway.”
But East Pasadena, as Mayor Terry Tornek pointed out, is a prime spot for development. No one suggested 3200 Foothill is an ideal spot: the ground is polluted, the impact on traffic of 550 units will be substantial, despite mitigation efforts, and people already there will be displaced. Still, the considerable background work already done, the proximity of the site to the Gold Line, and the looming presence of the state of California, a Leviathan more tolerant of high-density construction, breathing down the city’s neck, moved the council to approve the plan. Something is going to be done there, as Councilmember Andy Wilson said, and this project would likely be better than something down the line. The vote was five to three.
Rendering of the ArtCenter South Campus Master Plan (Photo – mmaltzan.com).
Finally, the council took up the issue of the development of the South Campus site of ArtCenter. The greatest sticking point in the master plan was the digital billboard that several speakers objected to: its size (8,000 square feet) , its garishness, and its location, which would be a possible distraction to drivers on the nearby 110 freeway. The Council voted in favor of the Master Plan while tabling the digital billboard for further discussion.
> Watch the full video of the Pasadena Council meeting on Monday, July 16, 2018.
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