Newsletter from 10.17.21
600 FOOTHILL DEVELOPMENT
Ultimately the City Council makes the decision on this project regardless of what the Planning Commission approved or recommended. City Council must vote 3-1 in favor of the General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, Density Bonus Agreement, Conditional Use Permit, Tree Removal Permit, Vesting Tentative Tract Map and Mitigated Negative Declaration. Councilman Curtis must recuse himself from voting on his own project.
9/2/21: The Planning Commission voted to adopt six resolutions with conditions for approval. These six resolutions needed to be finalized and therefore the formal approval process would take place at the next Planning Commission Meeting on 9/23/2021.
Resolutions:
a) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-53; adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program prepared pursuant to the California Environmental
Quality Act for a new mixed use project located at 600 Foothill Boulevard.
b) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-36; recommending the City Council approve General Plan
Amendment (PLAN2020-0002) amending the Land Use and Housing Elements to incorporate a new
Mixed Use 3 land use district (proposed by Councilman Curtis for his project) into the Downtown Village
Specific Plan and setting a density range of 20-30 dwelling units/acre (du/ac) and floor area ratio of 1.5:1
for the Mixed Use 3 land use district.
c) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-37; recommending the City Council approve Zone Change
(PLAN-2020-0001) amending the Downtown Village Specific Plan to incorporate a new Mixed Use 3 land
use district, adopting a list of permitted uses and development standards for the Mixed Use 3 and
amending the land use district from Institutional to Mixed Use 3 (DVSP) for a 1.29 acre parcel located at
600 Foothill Boulevard.
d) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-38; approving Conditional Use Permit (USE-2020-0750) for a
new 77,310 square-foot, three-story mixed use project that includes 47 senior housing units, 12 hotel
units, 7,600 square feet of office uses, and associated parking located at 600 Foothill Boulevard.
e) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-39; approving Tree Removal Permit (DEV-2021-0034) for the
removal of ten protected trees located at 600 Foothill Boulevard. f) Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-40; approving Vesting Tentative Tract Map 83375 (LAND-
2021-0001) to subdivide a 77,310 square-foot mixed use development into 49 parcels for condominium
purposes on a 1.29-acre parcel at 600 Foothill Boulevard.
9/9/21 Planning Commission Meeting: Meeting Notice of Cancellation
9/23/21 Planning Commission Meeting: The Planning Commission could not approve the consent
calendar that included the 6 resolutions on the 600 Foothill project because staff left off the Mitigated
Negative Declaration (MND) from the agenda package. This would be a violation of the state’s
requirements for public notice.
10/14/21 Planning Commission Meeting: Prior to the Planning Commission’s approval of the consent
calendar that included the 6 resolutions on the 600 Foothill project, City staff amended resolution ( 21-
37) and substituted Story poles with full size mock-up instead. Commissioner Oh asked why and City
Staff said it “creates flexibility.” A mock-up will show an on-site demonstration of height and spatial
dimensions”. Several citizens voiced strong opinions to the Planning Commission and City Council about
requiring story poles for this massive development. It was disappointing that a last minute change was
made and approved without any public input. Conceptually, a full-size mock-up is a positive
development since it provides more visual information than a story pole.
10/15/21 We were told by City Staff that the 600 Foothill building mock-up would only be done if the
project is approved by the City Council and not before the City Council review. We believe the
community and City Council must have an opportunity to see what the project will look like before
the City Council makes a decision on the project. In the city’s own words, the whole purpose of the
full-scale mock-up would be to “provide a tool to assist decision-makers, Staff, and the public when
reviewing development projects and assist in making applicable findings.” Building a mock–up after
the fact clearly defeats that purpose.
Together La Canada 