Design Commission Completes Review of Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan

The Design Commission on Tuesday completed its advisory review of the Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan, which aims to change the Lincoln Avenue corridor from an industrial and limited commercial area to a more vibrant neighborhood-oriented district, one with new housing options, local retail and service businesses, office spaces, and community uses.

City documents lay out the actions that need to be taken to re-create the corridor as one that better serves surrounding neighborhoods and creates an attractive gateway into Pasadena, consistent with the city General Plan’s goals, policies, and guiding principles. 

At the meeting, the Design Commission reviewed the specific plan’s draft design, development standards and guidelines.

“While Pasadena certainly supports a vibrant local industrial sector, districts in the city other than the Lincoln Avenue corridor are better suited and have been designated for such purposes,” the plan states.

Key specific plan objectives include:

• Creating a neighborhood “main street” that will serve as the focal point for the neighborhoods surrounding Lincoln Avenue. 
• Preserving and enhancing existing residential areas. Providing new opportunities for all types of housing along the corridor. Facilitate opportunities for catalytic developments that provide desired neighborhood-oriented retail and service businesses, local employment opportunities, and a link to the community. 
• Providing for the gradual phasing out of industrial uses that create conflicts with surrounding neighborhoods. 
• Supporting design that contributes to the enhanced character of the city and Northwest Pasadena in particular. 
• Enriching the pedestrian environment along Lincoln Avenue through well-designed and appropriately scaled projects and pleasing streetscapes. 
• Inviting pedestrian activity through a cohesive and improved streetscape corridor.
• Encouraging investment, maintenance, and pride in the  Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan area. 
• Enhance public safety. 

According to the plan, Lincoln Avenue has for decades been the location of small-scale industrial businesses ? many with outdoor operations.

The goal is to create a framework for change and to inspire private reinvestment along the corridor that includes rehabilitation of aging buildings and establishment of new buildings and new uses that can achieve the goals stated above. 

Through the Our Pasadena program, launched in 2018 as a step toward the implementation of the General Plan, which guides future growth and development, the city is updating all eight of Pasadena’s specific plans.

The Central District, East Colorado, East Pasadena, Fair Oaks/Orange Grove, Lamanda Park, Lincoln Avenue, North Lake, and South Fair Oaks all have specific plans.

The plan will next be presented to the Planning Commission before going to the City Council for consideration and possible adoption.