City to Rejoin San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments

The City Council unanimously voted Monday to rejoin the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG.)

The group serves as a unified voice representing San Gabriel Valley cities on county, regional and state issues. 

To rejoin, the city will have to pay $121,660.94 in back dues.  

In the past, the SGVCOG has focused on transportation projects, homelessness, water resilience, and legislative advocacy.

“I believe it’s very important to support this,” said Councilmember Gene Masuda. 

The city manager will provide the Legislative Policy Committee with a memorandum on the work done by the SGVCOG. 

One of the biggest benefits to Pasadena could be participation in the SGV Housing Trust Fund, which would provide the city with access to state funds awarded to members for affordable housing.

Currently, SGVCOG is made up of representatives from 31 cities within the San Gabriel Valley, as well as the three Los Angeles County Supervisorial Districts and the three Municipal Water Districts located in the San Gabriel Valley.

“Pasadena should be coordinating local policies and programs with our neighbors to the north, south and east and combining our voice as strong advocates to county, regional and state agencies and officeholders,” said former Councilmember and Mayor Rick Cole. 

In March 2018, the city formally withdrew from the group over differences regarding the extension of the 710 Freeway, according to a city staff report. The SGVCOG favored building a traffic tunnel between Alhambra and Pasadena to connect the 710 and the 210 freeways, a position that alienated cities in the western part of the valley.

Mayor Victor Gordo voted against leaving the SGVCOG when the item came before the City Council.

Pasadena, South Pasadena, La Canada Flintridge, and the San Fernando Valley cities of Glendale and Burbank opposed the 4.2-mile connector tunnel proposal. That opposition led to talk about the formation of an Arroyo Verdugo COG, but that idea never materialized. 

According to Gordo, the city and its residents face myriad complicated issues, including housing, transportation and the need to sustain the local economy. Membership in the group could help the city better address its problems in these areas. 

“All of these issues are local to Pasadena, but also impact our region,” Gordo said. “More than ever, we need to work with our neighbors to address these issues.” 

Gordo called the SGVCOG an additional tool that may not solve problems but will aid local residents and Pasadena’s neighbors in the region.

“We are not going to resolve traffic and affordable housing as one city of 140,000, but pooling our resources will help to construct affordable housing. Rejoining is the right thing to do,” Gordo said.

The city first joined through a City Council-approved Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) in 1994.