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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Conditional Vacation of a portion of the First Alley Easterly of Central Avenue, Southerly of California Avenue, Westerly of Orange Street (Alley 239) for the proposed 236 N. Central Avenue Project, Vacation Case No. 192V.
1. Motion to rescind October 21, 2025, City Council denial of the Vacation (Vacation Case No. 192V)
2. Resolution Ordering the Vacation of a portion of Alley 239 (Vacation Case No. 192V)
3. Resolution Adopting Plan No. 12-247
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Public Hearing
Approved for January 27, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 236 N. Central Avenue Project proposes to develop a new 8-story, mixed-use building with 682 residential units, of which 72 units would be affordable to very low and low-income households (the “Project”). The conditional vacation of a portion of Alley 239 would allow the project’s parking structure and amenity level deck to span through and across the alley.
On October 21, 2025, the City Council voted to deny the proposed design review approval and denied the proposed alley vacation related to the Project. On December 30, 2025, the city received a Notice of Notice of Violation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) citing a violation of the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), in connection with the denial of Stage II Design Review Case and this related alley vacation. Government Code section 65589.5 significantly limits a local agency’s ability to deny a housing development project or reduce its density when the project complies with applicable, objective standards unless the city makes findings that the project would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health and safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactory mitigate or avoid such impact(s) without rendering the development affordable to low-and moderate-income households.
Based on HCD’s review of the case materials, including the October 21, 2025 staff report, testimony and presentations, HCD determined that the Project and the associated alley vacation were improperly denied because they are consistent with the General Plan and applicable zoning regulations and comply with all objective standards of the Downtown 10c2
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Specific Plan, except for those standards proposed to be lawfully modified pursuant to the State Density Bonus Law. Additionally, the City Council did not make the required findings for denial.
Prior to further action by HCD, including, but not limited to, referral to the California Office of the Attorney General, a written response to HCD is required by January 29, 2026, outlining a specific plan and timeline for corrective action, including the reconsideration and approval of the Project as proposed.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the motion to rescind the prior denial of the alley vacation and adopt the resolutions approving the conditional vacation of a portion of Alley 239
1. Motion to rescind October 21, 2025, City Council denial of the Vacation (Vacation Case No. 192V)
2. Adopt a resolution ordering the vacation of the public alley; and
3. Adopt Plan No. 12-247 (Exhibit 1) showing the location of said public alley.
ANALYSIS
The proposed 236 N. Central Avenue project site is 4.57 acres and includes two sites separated by California Avenue: (i) the 3.7-acre mixed-use building site bounded by California Avenue, Central Avenue, and Orange Street, and (ii) the 0.87-acre potential public park site located on the northwest corner of California Avenue and Orange Street.
The mixed-use building site is bisected by Alley 239 and is developed with a three- story retail building formerly occupied by Sears (closed in March 2020), a three-level parking structure, and a small asphalt surface parking lot. The project proposes to replace all existing improvements with a new 8-story, 655,418 square-foot mixed-use building on the mixed- use building site. The Project would include 682 residential units of which 72 units would be affordable to very low and low-income households.
The developer has requested the city process the vacation of the subject alley to accommodate redevelopment of the mixed-use building site. The vacation would allow the Project’s parking structure and amenity level deck to span through and across the alley.
Alley 239 is approximately 18 feet wide and 607.6 feet long and is improved with asphaltic concrete pavement. It contains an 8-inch sanitary sewer mainline, an overhead power pole, and underground electrical conduit. The alley connects California Avenue at the north end to Wilson Avenue at the south.
The applicant is proposing to vacate the northerly 403-foot portion of Alley 239 and constructing a new 20-foot-wide by 187-foot-long alley at the Project’s southernmost property line running easterly and connecting to Orange Street. If the portion of Alley 239 is vacated, the underlying fee will revert to the fee owner of the project site and 10c3
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will be incorporated into the Project. If the Project is not constructed, the alley will remain "as is" (conditional vacation).
All city departments, various agencies and public utility companies have been notified of the proposed alley vacation and have advised the Public Works Department of their conditions or easements that may need to be reserved. This information will be included in a resolution ordering the vacation to be considered.
Planning Commission Finding
The Planning Commission’s role is to make findings as to whether the proposed alley vacation will be consistent with the goals and objectives of the City of Glendale Comprehensive General Plan, pursuant to Chapters 2.68 and 12.24 of the City of Glendale Municipal Code, and State Government Code Section 65402.
On August 6, 2025, the Planning Commission passed a motion finding and recommending to the City Council that the requested conditional vacation of a portion of Alley 239 is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive General Plan of the City. The Planning Commission’s motion is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.
Conditions of Proposed Conditional Vacation
All city departments, various agencies and public utility companies were notified of the proposed vacation. Conditions included in the resolutions are as follows:
a) The complete removal of the existing 8-inch sewer main, including associated manholes and laterals, within the entire portion of the alley to be vacated. b) The removal of the 8-inch sewer main extending from the alley to its connection with the manhole on California Avenue.
c) The construction of a terminal manhole at the southerly end of the vacated alley. d) A Public Works permit for all work conducted within the public right-of-way.
The proposed conditional vacation provisions must be satisfied prior to recording the resolutions with Los Angeles County.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Public notification was provided by physical posting at the vacation site, publication in the local newspaper, and through mailings to property owners within 300 feet of the proposed alley vacation.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report. Upon the completion of the alley vacation, the property would revert back to the underlying property owners and the city would receive a requisite share of property tax income. The vacated portion of the alley would be removed from the city’s street and alley maintenance inventory and, as such, the city would gain a small savings in the city’s maintenance budget, even after the construction of the required shorter nearby alley.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
On June 30, 2025, budget trailer bills AB 130 and AB 131 were signed and took effect immediately. AB 130 added Public Resources Code Section 21080.66 creating a new statutory CEQA exemption for certain qualifying infill housing projects that meet the following criteria:
Project site is no more than 20 acres.
Project site is within the boundaries of an incorporated municipality, or "urban area" as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Project site was previously developed with "urban uses" or is substantially surrounded by sites developed with urban uses. Project is consistent with local zoning standards, applicable general plan standards and any applicable local coastal program, subject to deviations allowed by the State Density Bonus Law. Project must be at least half the density deemed appropriate to accommodate lower-income households in the State Housing Element Law, as set forth in Gov. Code section 65583.2(c)(3)(B) Project will not require demolition of a historic structure that was placed on a historic register before the project's preliminary application was submitted.
For projects submitted after Jan. 1, 2025, no portion of the project will be used as a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast.
All project sites must satisfy SB 35's site eligibility criteria (farmland, wetlands and conservation/species habitat areas are excluded, and coastal sites, fire hazard zones, hazardous waste sites, earthquake fault zones and flood areas are subject to specified restrictions).
Staff has reviewed the Project and has determined that it meets the criteria and is statutorily exempt from CEQA review per Public Resources Code Section 21080.66.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The Campaign Disclosure is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Do not approve the resolution as recommended herein. This may prevent the development of the proposed mixed-use building as envisioned by the applicant.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
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Prepared by:
Sarkis Oganesyan, P.E., Assistant Director of Public Works/ City Engineer Negin Rezaei, Civil Engineering Associate
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Plan No. 12-247 and Location Map
Exhibit 2: Planning Commission Motion Dated August 6, 2025 Exhibit 3: Campaign Disclosure