1960 –Marge, Becky and Kay, along with Richard Jencks, who was to become the WPRA’s first president, and others joined together as “Pasadenans FOR ‘vote NO’ on High Rise,” to derail plans to construct two 14-story high-rise buildings.
1961 – The Proto WPRA conducted a postcard survey to buttress arguments for retention of the single-family character of the area, which the General Plan would have rezoned for apartments.
1963 – Opposed a proposal by the Planning Commission to rezone for medium-rise garden apartments land north of Colorado Boulevard on Orange Grove Boulevard.
1980 – WPRA supported the downzoning of the west side and other Pasadena residential neighborhoods.
1981 – Supported a petition circulated by “Neighbors for Open Government” to make the Pasadena Redevelopment Agency (PRA) more responsive to citizens.
The WPRA monitored relocation, rather than demolition, of several “fine” homes to make way for a condominium project on South Grand.
Click to enlarge.
Courtesy of the Archives at Pasadena Museum of History (S40–45)
1983 – Monitored the three-year process to approve the Urban Design Plan, stressing the need for strong design guidelines and expressing concern about the significant growth the plan permitted.
1986 – Supported City’s new ban on overnight street parking to recommended sparing issue of overnight parking permits—to maintain the Pasadena “quality of life.”
1991 – WPRA started its participation with the analysis and decision-making for Pasadena’s next General Plan.
1994 – WPRA participated in the community discussion related to crowd and traffic handling, as well as security issues, for the World Cup matches that would be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
The WPRA expressed concern over potential horn and wheel noise from the Blue Line (later the Gold Line) and urged MTA representatives to test train horns, which it did.
1996 – The WPRA participated in the discussions to create a West Gateway Specific Plan.
1999 – The WPRA urged residents to participate in the planning process for Legacy Partners which planned to build 1,943 units on the West campus and the East campus.
2002 – WPRA categorically opposed the Legacy Project’s high density housing proposal, even when the developer reduced the projected units from 1,943 to 1,727.
To help mitigate congestion around the proposed Ambassador Campus Development Plan, the WPRA retained a traffic consultant to conduct an analysis of traffic impact out of concern that the proposal was so large it would have increased the number housing units in the WPRA service area by 40%. Legacy withdrew from the Project.
2003 – The WPRA adopted principles for the development of the Ambassador West Campus, stipulating: lower density, restricted height, compatibility and controlled traffic requirements.
2004 – WPRA expressed surprise (and dismay) that City staff recommended construction of a 60-unit residential development on the site of the former Friends Paper Company.
WPRA applauded the plan to convert a 2.5 acre lot at Arlington and S. Pasadena into a Mediterranean climate botanical garden which became the Arlington Garden.
2005 – Opposed the Sares-Regis’ plan to construct 829 multi-family units and 30,000 square feet of retail/commercial development in the Ambassador College East campus.
2006 – After reviewing the Draft Environmental Report, the WPRA continued to express concerns over the density of the Sares-Regis proposal to develop the Ambassador East and West campus projects.
2007 – Urged residents to become engaged when the City initiates the next update of the General Plan with an approach to development which is more balanced and moderated than in the past.
2008 – Continued to track the Ambassador West Project as developers changed again. Announced that Dorn Platz had withdrawn from the Ambassador West project.
2010 – WPRA explored how the General Plan, which was being updated, could be impacted by state legislation intended to encourage the majority of growth and development to occur in urban transportation hubs.
2012 –WPRA started monitoring City planning for Central District General Plan by advocating that change must be harmonized to preserve Pasadena’s historic character and environment.
2013 – WPRA established its position against “mansionization”.
2014 – WPRA continued to consult with Ambassador Gardens East project manager as design moved forward for lower campus and what would become the west campus named the “Grove” and “Jaimeson Place”.
2015 – WPRA continued to support the curtailing of allowed mansionization by the current Pasadena zoning regulations.
2017 – The WPRA alerted the community to the potential impacts of short-term rentals such as Air B&B and supported a balanced, nuanced approach to STR regulation.
2018 – The WPRA continued to track and educate the public about the state’s legislative bills which override Pasadena’s city planning and zoning regulations.
2019 – The WPRA continued to keep its constituency informed about the state’s housing increase mandates which influence Pasadena’s planning and zoning ordinances.
2020 – WPRA advises Mayor Tornek, City Council and the Planning department for Phase 2 – the “mansionization” Zoning Code Amendment, stating specific suggestions & potential guidelines. Council passes unanimously compatibility guidelines for the flats of Pasadena incorporating much of WPRA’s advice.
WPRA, along with Linda Vista-Annandale Association and Madison Heights Neighborhood Association continue to support Pasadena appealing the SCAG draft 2021-2029 RHNA allocation which would result in an untenable number of out-of-scale, out-of-character, dense, large buildings with related traffic and other infrastructure impacts.
2021 – WPRA recommends to Pasadena Senior Planner adjustments to guarantee tree maintenance, density & height reductions of residential units, widening the paseos & deign compatibility.
WPRA strongly opposes SB 9 which will allow up to 8 dwelling units on a lot originally zoned for a single family house.
WPRA strongly opposes SB 10 as an excessive, misguided and fatally flawed attempt to pre-empt local land use control.
