WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Newsletter from 10.26.21

10/19/21 Zoom City Council Meeting
During the Public Comments Section at the beginning of the meeting, a speaker asked the City Council to require story poles and full size mock-ups to be displayed at 600 Foothill BEFORE the project goes to City Council, instead of after approval if that should happen. The public and decision- makers must see the massive size of this project before it is voted on by the City Council.
Another citizen questioned why the 2-car injury traffic accident in front of the Arco station at 8:48 a.m. on Thursday, September 9, 2021 was listed instead, in the Fire Department’s September Monthly Activity Report to the City Council, as occurring at Foothill and Gould. Photos were offered as proof that it actually occurred involving a car exiting the ARCO station at Woodleigh and Foothill west of Indianola. The reported Foothill/Gould location is where the 911 dispatch call was made.  

History of 600 Foothill Property 600 Foothill has had a recent controversial past.  The most recent use of the property was as a church, owned by the Church of Christ Scientist of La Canada.  In the past several years it has experienced a declining membership and so has sought to sell the property. The first buyer, who bought on an option, Oakmont Senior Living, proposed a senior assisted living project in 2018 at over 77,000 square feet.  After the first public Planning Commission hearing, which included an overflow crowd opposing the project on size, lack of parking and design, the Planning Commission deferred consideration of the project until it received more information. Instead, Oakmont just decided to walk away. After Oakmont walked away, Councilman Jonathan Curtis and his investors bought the property on September 17, 2019, for $4.2 million ($2.1 million cash and $2.1 million carry-back financing from the Church). He has proceeded with plans to build almost the same zone-violating density and height (three-story in a two-story zoned area) that Oakmont wanted to build.  This project includes 77,310 square feet, three story structures to house 47 senior-housing units, twelve unmanaged and non-serviced hotel units, with no onsite management, and 7,600 square feet of office space on a property currently zoned Institutional. The project requires a new higher density, mixed use (MU-3) zone – allowing basically three-story development and a 1.5 floor area ratio (meaning, the structures can contain square footage equaling 1.5 times the actual lot size).  The concern is not only density and height of this project and the congestion it will cause right across the street from the ARCO station, but that it is a new zone that can be duplicated throughout the Downtown Village and the Foothill and Verdugo corridors.  It also is on the south side of Foothill adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Right now, only two-story development is allowed in the Downtown Village area.   We support all affordable and senior housing developments that conform to the existing La Canada zoning code. We will be holding neighborhood coffees and site visits of the property (stay tuned for future dates!) to build support and donations for our effort to reject the General Plan Amendment and new Mixed Use -3 story (MU-3) zone proposed by Councilman Curtis specifically for his project. Instead, we want the project to conform to the current zoning allowed in the Downtown Village Specific Plan (DVSP) area with an increase from 15 to 20 dwelling units per acre.  Currently, the two mixed use zones within the DVSP (MU-1 and MU-2) permit up to 15 dwelling units per acre, and the DVSP prohibits three-story mixed use developments. Mixed use zones have a mixture of office, retail and residential in the same building.  Senior housing – yes!  Massive, tall developments – no!