No Council Meeting This Week; Leaf Blowers, Campaign Finance Ordinance and Predevelopment Plan on Deck For Next Meeting

There is no Pasadena City Council meeting on Monday, but several issues tabled at the last meeting are expected to return on Oct. 18.

At the last meeting, the council delayed a first reading on one ordinance and discussion on another. The ordinances would set laws on unlimited donations in local political campaigns and prohibit gas-powered leaf blowers, respectively.

Complaints about gas-powered leaf blowers have long been an issue among Pasadena residents, who have complained about air and noise pollution, as well as workers using them early in the morning, outside of operating hours.

According to one published report, gas-powered leaf blowers emitted 23 times more carbon monoxide and 300 times more hydrocarbons than a 2011 Ford Raptor high-performance pickup.

The South Pasadena City Council recently banned the machines.
Pasadena’s Environmental Advisory Commission took up the issue to “create a package of information” for the City Council’s Public Safety Committee to consider at an upcoming meeting.

The item was not discussed by the committee, but could come to public safety before a council vote.

The council was also scheduled last week to conduct the first reading on an ordinance that would allow local campaigns to be conducted without contribution limits.

Historically, local City Council campaigns have not had campaign contribution limits, but Assembly Bill 571, which took effect in January, limits campaign contributions to $4,900 per contributor during an election.

In order to control local campaign finance contribution limits, the council was forced to pass the ordinance.

Once two readings of the ordinance have been conducted, the ordinance will replace AB 571.

Also last week, the council did not conduct a predevelopment plan review on a proposed a five-story, 112-unit senior affordable housing project at 280 Ramona St. or 279 E. Holly St., as agendized.

The site was once considered for becoming a city Water and Power Department administration building.

The applicant, National CORE (Community Renaissance) of California, plans to put up a senior housing community that’s 100% affordable, with 50% reserved for average median income seniors, and a minimum of 10% set aside for permanent supportive housing.

After some revisions, the project will now comprise 55 studio units, 56 one-bedrooms apartments, and one two-bedroom unit for the onsite manager. The developers have been working with city planning staff to make sure they are meeting all of the city’s requirements regarding setbacks and clearances.

The developer is also working with Pasadena Heritage to design the outside of the building so it meets the standards needed to fit with the rest of the city’s historic Civic Center, home to City Hall, the Central Library, a one time YWCA, a historic YMCA that since the early 1990s has been used for single-room occupancy (SROs) accommodations, the Hale Building, the Police Station and the County Courthouse.

The site is adjacent to the former YMCA building, with frontage on East Holly Street, North Garfield Avenue, and Ramona Street.

National CORE has submitted a preliminary design package to the city and will soon return to review their plans with the city’s Design Commission.