Maxwell House Pasadena (Photo – maxwellhousepasadena.com)
Pasadena’s Arbor Day celebration and the ongoing discussions about using the Maxwell House for special events took center stage at the City Council meeting on April 7, 2025.
By Chase Jones
Below are the highlights from the City Council meeting, including the announcement of Arbor Day and the debate over the Western Justice Center’s Conditional Use Permit.
Arbor Day
Mayor Gordo announced that Saturday, April 12, 2025, will be Pasadena’s Arbor Day.
Arbor Day was established in Nebraska in 1872 by former governor and newspaper editor J. Sterling Morton. Morton’s strong belief in the importance of having a day dedicated to planting trees gained such popularity that it was adopted not only by Nebraska but eventually by the entire nation.
On April 12, Pasadena will plant 60 trees in District 7, around the Rose Villa Oakdale neighborhood, in partnership with the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation and Pasadena’s Public Works Department. This area is currently the least forested part of District 7. The City Council remains committed to ensuring that trees continue to be a defining feature of Pasadena. As evidence of this commitment, the number of trees planted this year has more than doubled compared to last year. The Pasadena Beautiful Foundation donated 25 trees during last year’s Arbor Day; they were planted by community volunteers at Victory Park. Pasadena’s Public Works Department currently oversees nearly 60,000 trees in the City and hopes to increase that number with continued support from the City Council.
Public Hearing
The discussion of the approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) allowing the Western Justice Center to continue hosting events at the Maxwell House was the most contentious of the day.
There has been an ongoing dispute between residents of the Arroyo neighborhood and the Western Justice Center, the nonprofit operator of the Maxwell House property. Residents are concerned about the events held at the property. Residents argue that the events violate the original lease agreement, which did not permit for-profit events. These events also conflict with the zoning code. While the events have been financially beneficial to the Western Justice Center, generating over half of its yearly revenue, they have caused disruptions to the neighborhood. Residents have complained about noise, limited parking, and even property damage caused by guests. One public commenter stated, “I wish the City Council would stop using the word ‘events’; it’s actually the number of disruptions. That’s how you should think about this.”
The value and frequency of these events were also questioned by appellant Mr. McDonald. He circulated a letter from early 2024, which stated that 50 weddings took place in 2022 and 46 in 2023. These facts contrast with the agenda report for this week, which stated 86 weddings in 2022 and 49 in 2023.
“I also have serious doubts about the fact that in the middle of COVID, there would have been 72 weddings in 2021…” said McDonald
Councilmember Steve Madison echoed the concerns raised by the appellants.
To address the disturbance concerns, Councilmember Tyron Hampton proposed reducing the number of events permitted each year from 21 to 18 and setting an earlier closing time for Sunday evenings, from 11:00 pm to 8:00 pm. He also suggested requiring implementation of a responsive complaint process, linking both the Western Justice Center and the police department, with daytime and nighttime contact information available for residents. This substitute motion was approved with a vote of 5-1.
The lease agreement between the City and the Western Justice Center is being discussed separately from the CUP application. This matter is not part of the Conditional Use Permit and there is no new information.
Chase Jones is currently pursuing a degree in journalism.
From what I’ve heard the complaining neighbors only seem to get bothered by certain types of weddings.