What’s Behind Second Council Vote?

GUEST OPINION

Pasadena City Hall view (Photo – Staff).

For the second time in less than two months, Pasadena’s City Council is scheduled to consider granting an additional public subsidy to KHP III Pasadena, LLC, the private developer that is proposing to build a massive “Kimpton” hotel on the public parkland that serves as the setting for City Hall and the Robinson Memorial.

The following notice has been posted.

May 22, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – Pursuant to Government Code Section 53083 to Consider an Economic Development Subsidy to be given under a Ground Lease Agreement Between the City of Pasadena and KHP III Pasadena, LLC.

The staff report for Monday’s City Council meeting to decide the fate of the YWCA/KHP Hotel has been posted. Essentially, staff is suggesting the Council either
1.) Approve the Subsidy (50 years of free rent of the land, and 99 years of 136 free parking spaces) so that that massive hotel can be built as-is.
or
2.) Increase the subsidy (free land, free parking, + 20 years of no bed taxes) in order to build a smaller hotel project.
or
3.) Reject the subsidy. Assume that KHP ‘walks away’, start over to solicit new “bids”.

Staff also discusses keeping the property and rehabbing the YWCA and also constructing a parking garage and a new office building, and their analysis suggests that is unaffordable (However, no analysis is done to explore just rehabbing the YWCA without building the additional office building and garage).

The Pasadena Civic Center Coalition is asking concerned residents to continue sending a message to the City Council and KHP Pasadena III, LLC, that neither additional public subsidy nor building a massive hotel on public parkland is acceptable.

Speak up!

The agenda & staff report for the May 22nd meeting can be checked here.

The Council meetings often run very late into the night and the Kimpton item may not be considered until late.

Lawsuit

Meanwhile, Pasadena Civic Center Coalition‘s lawsuit continues, “pause” or not, since the project’s approvals are still in effect and have not been rescinded.

Public Subsidy for KHP Hotel? 2nd Council Vote

Date/Time
05/22/2017
7:00 pm - 12:00 am

Location
Pasadena City Hall

Source: savepasadenaciviccenter.org