Design Commission to Discuss Proposed 59-Unit Townhouse Project on Lincoln Avenue

Pasadena’s Design Commission will meet online on Tuesday, Jan. 26, to discuss the proposed construction of 59 townhouse units at 1307 Lincoln Avenue, located on the southwest corner of West Washington Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue, extending to Pepper Street to the south.

The commission’s special meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. 

A report by the Department of Planning and Community Development shows the project site consists of four separate parcels of a total area of 2.43 acres and is split-zoned. The northwesternmost parcel is zoned RS-6 (single-family residential) and the remainder of the site is zoned LASP-CL (Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan, commercial limited). 

According to the report, the applicant is proposing to have the project entitled through the Planned Development process, which is available for projects where the lot size is at least two acres, and where the city desires to achieve a particular mix of uses, appearance, land use compatibility, or when there is a special sensitivity linked to the neighborhood character. 

Currently, the site includes a one-story commercial/industrial building and a few one-story residential units built between 1950 and 1953. There are no known historic resources on the property and none of the existing structures are eligible for historic designation. 

Also, there are no protected trees on the site, although one tree, tree No. 23, a Quercus agrifolia with a 70-foot canopy, straddles the southwest corner of the Washington Boulevard property line and is proposed to be retained and protected in conjunction with the proposed project. In addition, 20 street trees surround the property. 

Located around the project site are single-family dwellings to the south across Pepper Street and directly adjacent to the west, industrial uses across Lincoln Avenue to the east, and commercial buildings across West Washington Boulevard to the north. Nearby designated historic resources include the Pasadena Arroyo Parks and Recreation Historic District, the Wotkyns-Richland Landmark District, and the Banbury Oaks Landmark District. 

The Planning Department said a preliminary consultation was conducted for the project on Dec. 11, 2018, and the comments provided by the Design Commission at that time have been considered. These will also be discussed further during the meeting on Tuesday. 

The applicant also returned to the commission in February for an informal status update regarding the design evolution. The general design of the project has not significantly changed since then and consists of a collection of attached units spread over multiple buildings with at-grade enclosed garages and several large areas of open space. 

Members of the community can access the virtual meeting through https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83976837258 or by calling (669) 900-6833 and using the webinar ID 839 7683 7258. 

To submit public comments on the project or other items in the agenda, email to  mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net before Tuesday, or go to www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/public-comment before 4:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting.