Residents are voicing concern over the environmental and zoning impacts of a wide-ranging proposed development plan that aims to guide years of growth and development in the San Gabriel Valley.
The West San Gabriel Valley Area Plan is a proposed policy document that would shape such growth for nine unincorporated communities for a generation.
Members of the L.A. County Planning department staff presented the project and the contents of its draft environmental impact report this week.
The nine unincorporated communities included in the project range in size from Altadena, home to about 42,000 residents, to South El Monte Island, which is made up of six parcels.
The seven other communities included are East Pasadena-East San Gabriel Valley, Kinneloa Mesa, La-Crescenta-Montrose, San Pasqual, South Monrovia Islands, South San Gabriel and Whittier Narrows.
Through meeting with local stakeholders, the planning department developed six vision statements that apply across all nine communities: Harmonious and coordinated growth, a thriving business friendly region, connected and walkable communities, social and cultural cohesion, resilient and sustainable built and natural environment and equitable decision making.
The West San Gabriel Valley Area is one of the planning areas that make up L.A. County’s general plan. The proposed project updates the general plan as well as existing zoning and land use. Some of the changes are required after the county’s housing element updates were approved in 2022.
County staffers said the project is meant to organize and update the region to make the process of planning and development across the county more consistent.
Environmental impacts that will be potentially significant or unavoidable include aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, noise and transportation, according to the report.
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James Drevno, a regional planner, said the plan is a long range planning document meant to guide growth and manage land uses over the next 20 to 30 years.
“Without the West San Gabriel Valley Area Plan, why we’re here tonight, the population would grow anyway,” Drevno said. “The area plan really is about managing that growth.”
But in a webinar on the project on Thursday, July 18, 11 people spoke and about 40 questions were posed to members of county staff in a Q&A format.
Residents voiced concern over the plan impacting the zoning and land use of their property. Some asked how they can oppose the plan.
Altadena resident Rick Scheuring asked if the county could reconsider changing the zoning on his property, which has been family owned for more than 60 years.
“I don’t see why it needs to change, and I’d prefer it to stay as it is,” Scheuring said.
Mi Kim, a supervising regional planner with the county, said based on Scheuring’s description of his property the county might need to take another look at whether a zoning change made sense.
Kim said in response to another question that, in general, spot zoning to make individual exceptions to zoning changes was not best practice for planning.
“That’s something that we try to avoid,” Kim said. “We’ve spoken to the property owners who are objecting to the changes proposed for their properties. We’ve explained that it’s not just that property but it’s also surrounding properties.”
Kim said about 6,600 letters notifying property owners of the proposed zoning changes have been sent.
Tim Martinez, with the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy, asked if the county would consider overlapping with the conservancy’s wildlife corridor initiative or adopting its own wildlife corridor ordinance.
Members of county staff asked the conservancy to send more information but said it would consider adding it to the implementation plan.
Residents who did not attend the meeting can still submit feedback on the plan until Aug. 12. The plan and environmental impact report are posted on the planning department’s website.
In addition, the following public libraries have the plan documents available for residents to review:
-Altadena Library
-Altadena Library- Bob Lucas Branch
-Hastings Library
-La Crescenta Library
-Lamanda Library
-Montrose Library
-South El Monte Library
-El Monte Library
-Duarte Library
-San Gabriel Library
-Montebello Library
-Temple City Library
Comments can be sent via email to wsgvap@planning.lacounty.gov. Responses sent via traditional mail should be sent to Evan Sensibile, Regional Planner Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning; 320 W. Temple St, 13th Floor; Los Angeles, CA 90012.
After the public review period ends, the final environmental impact report will be completed with approval expected in September. The entire plan is expected to be considered by the Board of Supervisors this winter, according to the presentation.
For more information, visit planning.lacounty.gov.
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