Pasadena Hearing Officer Schedules Public Hearing for Proposed Commercial Nursery in East Pasadena

A public hearing is set for Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. to evaluate a proposal for a new commercial nursery in Pasadena.

The proposed project, under Conditional Use Permit #7033, would be located on a Southern California Edison property at 3161 East Orange Grove Blvd.

The proposal is being put forward by Craig Toma of Pasadena Nursery and would involve the construction of four small structures totaling 880 square feet. The commercial nursery would operate between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week, and include up to 7,000 square feet of unenclosed shade structures to support the primary nursery activity.

The hearing will be conducted by Pasadena’s Hearing Officer.

The proposed site is situated between Lomora Ave. and Canyon Wash Drive, adjacent to Southern California Edison transmission towers and residential areas. Both the site and the towers are owned by Southern California Edison, which on June 20 authorized the applicant to proceed with the Conditional Use Permit application process.

A previously issued Conditional Use Permit for the site – approved in July 2015 – expired as no nursery activity took place. The new proposal aims to comply with the Zoning Code and General Plan while ensuring compatibility with surrounding land uses.

A Commercial Nursery land use is defined in the Pasadena Zoning Code as “a horticulture establishment selling plants, seeds, shrubs, and gardening equipment.”

A report by the Department of Planning and Community Development said the proposed structures, including an office, storage facilities, and shade structures, adhere to all Zoning Code provisions. The applicant plans to provide five parking spaces, exceeding the required minimum.

To avoid impacts on nearby residential areas, the applicant commits to adhere to specific hours of operation and truck loading restrictions. Staff conditions of approval also address issues such as odor, heat, and humidity, requiring that all fertilizers be stored and sold in package form only.

Various departments in the city, including Transportation, Fire, Public Works, and others, have reviewed the proposal, with Building and Safety Division providing additional conditions of approval.

The Hearing Officer will consider the proposal and solicit public input during the public hearing to determine whether to approve the Conditional Use Permit for the project.

The Planning Department, based on a preliminary assessment of the proposal, concluded the project complies with the applicable requirements, but has listed a number of conditions for the Hearing Officer to consider.

“The proposed commercial nursery meets all the applicable requirements of the Zoning Code and the findings to approve the Conditional Use Permit can be made,” the Planning Department’s report said. “Operating conditions of approval have been included in order to ensure that the proposed project would not negatively impact the surrounding land uses.”

Wednesday’s public hearing will be at the Hearing Room at 175 North Garfield Ave. Any interested party or their representative may appear at the meeting and comment on the project.

At any time before the meeting, written correspondence may be emailed to commentsHO@cityofpasadena.net or mailed to the Planning Division, Current Planning Section of the Planning and Community Development Department, 175 North Garfield Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101.