Planning Commission Finds Two Projects Consistent with General Plan; Sends a Third Back to Council

In a split vote the Planning Commission found that two Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) were consistent with the city’s general plan, but could not agree on a third one.

After a three hour meeting, the commission could not come to a consensus that proposed modifications of the I-210 eastbound off-ramp at California Boulevard and westbound California Boulevard at the St. John Avenue northbound I-210 on-ramp,

The item will go back to the City Council.

“I think hearing from the people who will be impacted by the St. John project and the history behind it was very helpful in our deliberations,” said Commissioner Felicia Williams. “Fundamentally, the goal of our General Plan is to tie land use and mobility and I think this project needs more public outreach and refinement to do that.”

The project would have included dual southbound left turn lanes and dual right turn lanes, which would have required roadway striping and reconfiguring lanes.

Other work would have included resurfacing a portion of California Boulevard to accommodate roadway striping changes, widening the sidewalk, and modifying traffic signals and associated hardware at the intersection of Pasadena Avenue and California Boulevard, and the southbound I-210 off ramp at California Boulevard.

The commission did find that projects that would replace traffic signals on Walnut Street and the installation of technology at 55 traffic signals on three of the city’s main thoroughfares, Colorado, California and Orange Grove boulevards to be consistent with the general plan.

The project includes updates on Hill Avenue and Holly and Green streets.

The CIP budget process is managed by the Department of Public Works. The budget consists of projects aimed at improving the city’s public infrastructure such as streets, transportation issues, street lights, traffic signals, parks, public buildings, sewer and storm drains, the Rose Bowl, the Pasadena Center, technology and water and power projects.

To qualify for the CIP, a project must have a total estimated cost of at least $75,000 and meet one or more of the following criteria: Addresses a particular safety issue, existing maintenance efforts are no longer satisfactory to keep a facility in good repair, existing facility is no longer adequate to meet the demand.