Montebello City Council
April 10, 2024

198 Montebello General Plan
F. COMMUNITY NEEDS

1. Gaps in the coverage — expand the parks and open space system to allow each resident access to park and open space within a 10 minute (1/2 mile) walk. In some cases, residents may be within a 1/2 mile of a park based on straight line measurement, but must go substantially further to reach a park either because there are limited entrances or limited sidewalks leading to a park.

2. Connect the system — paths and bikeways can improve
access to local and regional parks, recreational facilities, and open spaces. Besides humans, the urban forest canopy planted with native species planting, and stormwater bioswales along these connective corridors can also create safe paths of travel for local wildlife.

3. Shrinking Public Resources — create the most benefit with shrinking capital and operating expenditure and bridge the gap by leveraging the robust development market, grants, and private funding to meet the community’s needs.

4. Growth Impacts —As population increases and some areas densify, it is important to ensure access to parks and open space, particularly in areas where residents may have little private outdoor space.

5. Public versus Private Open Space — Montebello neighborhoods should have access to a range of public and private open spaces. The open spaces at the regional, neighborhood and block level tend to be more public and the open spaces at the lot and building level tend to be private. Lean maintenance budgets are encouraging creative public-private agreements that maintain public access but pass on the
maintenance responsibility to associations or private individuals. Open spaces attract and retain jobs and revenues.

Carefully examining the economic impacts of open space
helps informed decision-making about creation and maintenance of open spaces.

Which park do you live closest to?
Other
Don’t Know
Dutcher Tot Lot
Northridge Mini Park
Bicknell Park
Taylor Ranch Museum
Skate Park
Potrero Heights Park
Sanchez Adobe Park
Montebello Golf Cour
Ashiya Park
Taylor Ranch Park
Community and Senior
Chet Holi­eld Park
Reggie Rodriguez Park
Acuna Park
Grant Rea Park
Montebello City Park
Total responses =
6%
1%
1%
2%
0%
0%
1%
2%
5% 1%
6%
12%
13%
15%
16%
16%
18%
23%
29%
47%
52%
59%
395 396
2%
4%
2%
6%
6%
1%
9%
9%
17%
17%
23%
Which parks/recreational facilities have you used in past 12 months? Source: RRC Associates and KTUA
Recreation facilities
Recreational programs or services
Special events
City parks

3.0 3.1

3.1 3.2
Avg.
288
274
268
342
n+
20%
19%
20%
15%
38%
34%
34%
33%
24%
26%
25%
23%
38%
40%
42%
44%
19%
15%
14%
17%
21%
19%
19%
24%
27%
21%
22%
21%
1&2 3 4&5
percent responding 5 - Very satis€ed
1 - Not at all satis€ed
3 4
2 *Ratings categories are sorted in descending order by the average rating Source: RRC Associates and KTUA
How satised are you with quality of parks. recretion programs/services, & events? Figure C7.4. Community survey results.

Part C, 7. Our Active Community 199
G. COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
Based on community input received throughout the planning process, the parks, open spaces, recreation facilities, and programs are actively used by Montebello’s residents. Following are key issues identified by the Community:

1. Improve access to parks;

2. Add parks, places for sports, and recreation spaces;

3. Maintenance, repairs, and security improvements are needed throughout the park system;

4. Improve connections to the Rio Hondo Channel;

5. Parks need to be designed better to offer opportunities for people to exercise, socialize, relax and enjoy being part of their community;

6. There are not enough activities that can support people to live healthier lives or promote wellbeing;

7. Need more programs for senior and youth; and

8. Senior programs have not changed in over 40 years, same clubs, nutrition programs, activities. More technology, access to services, dedicated caseworkers, resources, accessibility to better transportation are needed.

200 Montebello General Plan

Part C, 7. Our Active Community 201
H. POLICIES AND ACTIONS

1. Access
P7.1 Expand park inventory to strive for the standard of 5 acres per 1000 residents.

To preserve the compact character of the neighborhood larger sports fields and parks should be located on the edges where they can also serve multiple neighborhoods. Small and frequent open spaces should be dispersed throughout the neighborhood. People that walk to the open spaces tend to use the open spaces more frequently than those that drive.

To encourage maximum use, the open space circulation system should integrate and connect with the circulation patterns of the neighborhood. The entrances and exits should be easy to locate from inside and outside the open space. Primary access route through the open space should be clearly identifiable, well maintained, and well lit.

A7.1a Amend development code to require new development to provide its fair share of public and private open spaces. SE R A7.1b Provide parks, open spaces, and trails at Montbello Hills. SE R A7.1c Provide parks, open spaces, and trails along the Edison Easement. SE R A7.1d Increase access to the Rio Hondo trail. SE R
A7.1e Collaborate with the school district to facilitate access and community use of school grounds when school is closed.

Develop a joint use agreement with the school district to ensure the partnership is equitable. SE R P7.2 Ensure the maximum distance between residents’ homes and the nearest public park is 1/2 mile.

Invest in the acquisition of new parkland that can make parks a part of everyday life in existing and future underserved areas.

The City should introduce and develop a collection of smaller pocket parks that can be woven into existing urban areas with insufficient access to parks. Additionally, areas in the Downtown and along the Corridors where the city is focusing future transportation investments will help improve, increase, and expand access to future parkland.

A7.2 Expand the overall parks and recreation system through repurposing public land like excess street-space, partnering with other organizations like Montebello School District, churches, and similar institutional uses for access and joint use of open space and facilities, and use other creative means to help address service gaps in available open spaces. SE R P7.3 Promote, expand, and protect a green infrastructure that links the natural habitat.

A7.3a Prepare a citywide Green Infrastructure Framework. VZ SE R A7.3b Use parks as functional landscapes that perform green stormwater infrastructure and flood mitigation roles to enhance resiliency, recreational use, and beauty. R
New parks will be designed with resiliency in mind with multi-benefit landscapes that protect against flooding, clean and filter stormwater, produce shade and prevent heat island effects, and promote not just environmental resiliency, but also social resiliency.

A7.3c Encourage simple, small, and low-cost demonstration green infrastructure projects both in the public and private realm. VZ SE R
Parks can be everywhere humans can find a spot for peaceful reflection. The advent of green roofs is offering new opportunities to site innovative parks on roof tops.

A7.3d Include an urban trails signage program that connects corridors and trails within the City to other regional trails. VZ SE R
P7.4 Identify and remove barriers to access parks. Encourage walking and biking as preferred way to get to and from parks.

A7.4a Increase the number of entrances to existing parks to expand the number of residents within walking distance of a park. VZ SE R
A7.4b Proactively plan entrances and access points for new parks to ensure the greatest number of residents are within walking distance.VZ SE R A7.4c Prioritize new access or entry points near existing mobility networks, including sidewalks, bike routes, trails, and transit. VZ SE R A welcome change during the pandemic was streets transformed to be people-centered — from walking and biking to outdoor dining and street games. In downtown core and select neighborhoods, streets should be designed for people while accommodating cars.

VZ Vision Zero SE Social Equity R Resilience

202 Montebello General Plan
P7.5 Make parks safer.

Visibility is an important design criteria for enhancing people’s comfort and security. Dense, visually impenetrable planting creates the opportunity for crime.

A7.5a Design parks to be in the line of sight of adjacent land uses and activities to ensure visibility. The frontages of the buildings should have active edges such as front doors, windows, and storefronts. SE R A7.5b Lighting should direct movement between destinations. VZ SE R A7.5c Increase presence of security officers in parks of concern. SE R

2. Facilities and Amenities
P7.6 Address deferred maintenance of citywide park system.

A7.6a Prioritize maintenance items that need immediate repair. Evaluate the list annually to create priorities to be addressed. SE R A7.6b Consider outsourcing service repairs as needed to meet the demand for deferred maintenance. SE R P7.7 Explore adding indoor facilities, recreation, teen, and Senior Centers.

A7.7a Find underutilized areas within the key growth areas of the City for additional indoor facilities, recreation, teen and senior centers. SE R
A7.7b Study the feasibility of adding a recreation facility on the western edge of town. SE R New parks will be designed with resiliency in mind with multi-benefit landscapes that protect against flooding, clean and filter stormwater, produce shade and prevent heat island effects, and promote not just environmental resiliency, but also social resiliency.

P7.8 Develop flexible use areas that can be used for multiple events and activities.

The recreation center’s role is expanding; it is becoming a community center. Centers must be designed to appeal to a variety of activities and sports—to justify their investment, to appeal broadly across the community, and to achieve high utilization.

Designing-for-change looks beyond today’s intended use. Adaptability, resilience, and reuse are essential to good design of facilities and fields, which seeks to enhance usability, functionality, and value over time.

A7.8a Assess the feasibility of creating a multi-use field at Reggie Rodriguez and Grant Rea Parks. SE R A7.8b Identify areas for multi-use fields. SE R
P7.9 Provide diverse programs and events.

A7.9a Install outdoor fitness and exercise equipment in programmable spaces in neighborhood parks. SE R A7.9b Increase and enhance programs for individuals with disabilities. Consider programmatic ADA inclusion requirements.

SE
A7.9c Offer organized walking programs for seniors and families in safe environments. VZ SE R A7.9d Offer additional enrichment classes for Seniors, using contract or volunteer instructors to maintain affordability. SE R A7.9e Offer special events in neighborhood parks that reinforces its unique sense of place and community. SE R A7.9f Develop partnerships with environmental advocacy groups, schools, and educators to offer environmental education programs and camps in local parks and open spaces. SE R Educating the public through nature/environmental programs can increase the knowledge of residents and encourage them to use parks.

VZ Vision Zero SE Social Equity R Resilience

Part C, 7. Our Active Community 203

3. Capacity
P7.12 Strive for financial resiliency to provide, maintain, & operate parks & recreational programs into an uncertain future.

A7.12a Reevaluate user fees for services to ensure it covers staffing, maintenance, and upkeep. SE R A7.12b Assure that the City’s Park Impact Fee Ordinance is kept current and reflects the appropriate impact fee for residential development. R
A7.12c Consider expanding volunteer opportunities such as Adopt-a-Park, Teen Internships, Neighborhood Cleanups, Habitat Restoration, Youth Sports Coaches and Officials, etc. to enhance volunteer efforts in the City. SE R P7.13 Create and promote opportunities to participate/ volunteer in the expansion/maintenance/operations of parks, recreation, events, projects & programs.

A7.13a Use the City website and MyMontebello app to promote special events and allow public to report any graffiti, or street, sidewalk, light, tree problem, or issues at parks. SE R A7.13b Create a parks map with safe walking path to parks, with mileage information. VZ SE R P7.14 Continue to partner with other recreation service providers to develop programs and services to meet changing demand and trends.

A7.14 Coordinate with local recreation providers to reduce duplication of services. R Local recreation providers include: Police Athletic & Activities League (PAAL), schools, youth sports providers, Montebello-Commerce YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley, the Montebello and Chet Holifield Libraries, etc.

P7.15 Explore creative or alternative funding opportunities for programs & capital projects.

A7.15a Explore establishing a Community Foundation or “Friends of Montebello Parks” organization for the purpose of soliciting park land donations; applying for private grants the City cannot apply for on its own; and for fundraising to acquire park land and open space. R
A7.15b Explore naming rights, sponsorships and asset management opportunities to create ongoing revenue for maintenance and operations of existing facilities. R
A7.15c Explore contracts with private business to provide and operate some of the recreational activities which would be financed, constructed, and operated by the private sector with additional compensation paid to the City. R A7.15d Explore inter-local agreements between two or more local units of government and/or between a local unit of government and a non-profit organization for the joint usage/development of sports fields, regional parks, or other facilities. R P7.10 Provide multi-purpose courts to accommodate trends and more variety in court sports.

Multi-purpose courts allow for a variety of sports to be played in a smaller footprint allowing for optimum utilization of limited park space.

A7.10 Identify existing courts that can be converted to multi-purpose courts.

Prioritize multi-purpose courts in areas where level of service is lacking.

Add multi-purpose courts including line striping for sports that are growing in demand. SE R P7.11 Communicate recreation opportunities to city residents.

A7.11 Develop a marketing plan that includes outreach, pricing, promotion, program mix and social media. SE R
The Plan could address the following marketing and outreach strategies:
• Publish a quarterly program guide to provide branding and program registration information;
• Develop a social media plan that has both resources and is aligned with current trends and updated continually;
• Increase communication and coordination with youth sports providers by creating a youth sports advisory board;
• Emphasize use of the City’s webpage to assist patrons to remain up to date on recreation program opportunities; and
• Continue specific emphasis on program promotion in the Spanish language.

VZ Vision Zero SE Social Equity R Resilience
Safety Around Water classes for underserved
community so that all children may be water safe
offered at the Montebello-Commerce YMCA in
partnership with City of Montebello and Union
Pacific Foundation.

204 Montebello General Plan

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 205
8 Our Creative Community
Arts and culture are the soul of the city. It can bring people together, build bridges to cultural understanding and provide a sense of community identity and possibility.

Montebello is a vibrant community where residents celebrate all of life’s opportunities and dreams. The arts and culture is an expression of the unique character, adding to the vibrancy, conviviality, civic pride, and economic value of Montebello.

The purpose of this chapter is to:
• Express a shared community vision for arts and culture; • Promote coordination and collaboration within the arts community; • Increase awareness of the potential of arts and cultural activity to contribute to community and economic development;
• Strengthen, leverage, and integrate artistic and cultural resources across all facets of local government to creatively advance broader objectives in the areas of economic prosperity, social equity, the environment, and cultural vitality.; and
• Lay out a roadmap to leverage the collective resources to elevate Montebello’s profile as a creative, innovative community, and to expand and enhance artistic and cultural opportunities for the arts/creative community and the broader community.

Montebello will nurture and promote arts and cultural activities, organizations, and events and give them more visibility and prominence in the region.

A. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. Inclusive: Montebello will provide, foster, and
facilitate inclusive cultural experiences that reflect
the diverse gender, age, ability, income, culture
of ethnic groups, religious, linguistic and artistic
identities of the City;

2. Accessible and Equitable: Creative placemaking can have a meaningful positive impact in low-income neighborhoods and along distressed
commercial corridors of the City. Residents
and visitors will have equitable and easy access
and opportunity to engage with art and culture
locally;

3. Flexible: Montebello will develop, facilitate, and
support creative and entrepreneurial ideas and
approaches to cultural planning and culture in the
City, considering affordability and resilience;

4. Engage Local Artists: Consult local arts organizations and city or county art commissions or councils to find local artists; and

5. Collective Leadership: Rather than being the sole
deliverer, the City of Montebello is a connector,
facilitator, and enabler for delivering public policy
and services. Collaboration within and across
municipal government and with the wider public,
private and non-profit sector is absolutely critical.

Through collaborations, there are opportunities
to share responsibility and pool resources more
effectively to support planning, operations,
maintenance, and programming.

206 Montebello General Plan
B. VALUE OF ARTS & CULTURE
Enhance Livability: Access to arts and culture makes a positive contribution to the livability of Montebello. The realm of arts and culture creates an environment for residents and visitors to reflect, explore, be challenged, play and learn. Art and cultural events activate public space, promote interaction and facilitate memorable experiences.

Economic Driver: Arts and culture provide an authentic identity and experiences which makes Montebello attractive to employers and employees, and supports tourism. The skills and knowledge of local artisans creating, crafting, and developing leading ideas and products when supported and nurtured can grow into creative industries that grow local economy.

Creative Youth Development: Arts education offers a pathway for students to access their deepest and most authentic selves and provides them with a creative outlet for expression and reflection, while helping students improve their academic scores, increasing student graduation rates, and get high value jobs.

Celebrate Diversity: Montebello has great social, ethnic, and economic diversity. The arts and culture enables the celebration of diversity, creativity, and innovation, while participation in arts and cultural events and festivals can help create opportunities to build social connection, understanding and cohesion.

C. CREATIVE PROFILE

1. Events and Projects
City Events
• Halloween Festival and Train Ride
• Dia De Los Muertos Community
Altar
• Veteran’s Day Ceremony
• Tree Lighting Ceremony/Holiday
Event
• Pet Fair/Pet Vaccine Clinics
• Stride for Pride 5K Walk/Run
• Downtown Street Fest
• Montebello Night Market
• Summer Concert Series
• Battle of the Bands
• 9/11 Commemorative Ceremony
• Easter Eggstravaganza
• Memorial Day Ceremony
• Anniversary Parade/5K
• Skate Competitions at the Skate Park
• City Service Saturdays --a volunteer
community clean-up effort
Library Events
• Hispanic Heritage Month Art
Activity
• Variety of concerts throughout the
year
• Teen Art Club
• Teen Writing Club
• Painting with Acrylics for Children
• Spray Ink Art Activity
School Events
• Visual Art shows and contests
• Arts partnership with the Friends Of
Montebello
• Southern California School Band &
Orchestra Association Festival
• Arts festival
• Theatre, Dance, Band, and Orchestra
Performances
• Competitions- choir, dance, music
• Film- Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival • TEAL- Technology Enhanced Arts
Learning- Professional Learnings

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 207
City Arts Education
The City of Montebello offers a variety of arts education program:
• “Paint and Play” painting class which includes, music, games, light snacks, and a canvas painting;
• Music class offers musical education, rhythm, sounds and movement;
• Cheer Program offers rhythm, dance, coordinated musical routines; and
• Camp Program offers daily arts and crafts that are weekly theme based such as: science week, talent show week, sports week, paint and play week.

Creative Programs for Senior Citizen include:
• Senior’s Dances
• Senior’s Line Dancing
• Senior’s Zumba Classes
• Senior’s Independent Art Class
• Senior’s Crochet Class
• Senior’s Guitar Class

2. Arts Education

208 Montebello General Plan
Library Arts Education
Young families and children visiting the library seek reading materials for school as well as recreational opportunities such as computer games and activity kits. To address these needs the Library plans to host more school readiness programs (such as Smarty Pants Storytimes). A special-needs adult community regularly uses the library space — the Library plans to serve their needs with tailored storytime and art activities. Following are a select list of arts education programs offered by the LA County Library in Montebello:
• Smarty Pants Storytime - Storytime with books, songs, rhymes, and movement while learning school readiness skills for ages 2 - 5 with their parent or caregiver. • Storykeepers: A Library Adventure - a library-themed puppet show for children that promoted the power of reading, imagination, and believing in yourself. • Clay Sculpture for Kids - Kids (ages 5 to 12) learned to sculpt a favorite character or animal by learning the basics of form and anatomy, enhancing both their creativity and focusing skills. • Ramadan Stories and Art Activity: Children learned about Ramadan through stories and art activities.

School Arts Education
The Montebello Unified School District provides dance, music (band/choral), theatre/ drama, media arts (film, graphic, digital, and visual arts education at various locations:

Applied Technology
Center
• Media Arts- Career
and Technical Education
• Visual Arts
Community Day School
• Film*
• Visual Arts
Montebello High School
• Dance CTE
• Band/Orchestra Music
• Choral Music
• Theatre
• Media Arts- CTE
• Visual Arts
• Film*
Vail High School
• Film*
• Visual Arts
Montebello Intermediate
School
• Band/Orchestra Music
• Visual Arts
• Film*
La Merced Intermediate
School
• Band/Orchestra Music
• Visual Arts
• Film*
Greenwood Elementary
School
• Film*
* Film Partnership with The
Latino Film Institute- Youth
Cinema Project
DIY School Supplies program where kids decorate
their own notebooks, pencil bookbags, and create
pencils toppers and keychains.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebration of Frida’s
Kahlo’s life and accomplishments.

Mariachi concert at the library. End of Summer concert at the library featuring bilingual songs in Spanish and English.

Mehndi demonstration and application.

Extended Learning Opportunity, Montebello
Intermediate Action Youth America - Beauty and
the Beast - Theater Club
La Merced Intermediate Action Youth America -
Mariachi Club

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 209
Other Art Educators
ARTSTUDIO.LA: Offers a comfortable fine arts and music
studio environment for students to learn at their own pace and style. ARTSTUDIO.LA partners with some of the most
talented artists in Los Angeles to showcase works of art in open gallery settings.

Sarabeth's Studio: The studio helps students learn to sing with as much ease as possible, while refining the instrument for the classical and musical theater repertoire. With focus on technique, diction, artistry, performance practice, and audition prep, the lessons are typically split between technical exercises and detailed work on the song of the student's choice. All lessons are private, one-on-one sessions.

210 Montebello General Plan
Montebello
Creative
Expressions
Cultural
Occupations
Cultural
Enterprises
Festivals
&
Events
Cultural
Spaces
&
Facilities
Natural
Heritage
Cultural
Organizations
Cultural
Heritage
Intangible
Assets
Art Groups
Multicultural Groups
Bands & choirs
Heritage groups
Horticultural groups
Visual Artist
Literary Artist
Performing Artist
Media Artist
Historic sites
Public art installations
Historic plaques & monuments
Cinemas
Schools & colleges
Religious places
Cultural centres
Food establishments
Urban spaces
Event Zones
Arts festivals
(craft, dance, visual arts)
Music festivals
Farmers Market
Street fairs
Library
Performing Arts place
Art Galleries
Museums
Book Stores
Antique dealers
Music studio
Local parks
Trails
Conservation areas
Stories
Customs & traditions
Place names
Ceremonies
Figure C8.1. Montebello’s creative expression.

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 211
5 60
Whittier
Narrows
Recreation
Area
Whittier
Narrows
Golf Course
LA Clays
Shooting
Sports Park
Legg
Lake
Edison Trail Hike
La Loma
Park
Rio Hondo
Park
Smith
Park
Rio Vista
Park
Veterans
Memorial Park
Pico
Park
Saybrook
Park
Edison Trail
Park
Garvey Ranch
Park
George E Elder
Memorial Park
Barnes
Park
Lincoln Ave
Beverly Blvd
Montebello Blvd
Greenwood Ave
Washington Blvd
Whittier Blvd
Rio Hondo Bike Path
Rio Hondo Bike Path
Rio Hondo Channel
Natural Heritage
R
R
Creative Assets
1 2 1
3 2
3 Cultural Enterprises
1 2
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 3
4 5
6 7
Festivals & Events
1 1
2 3
4 5
6 7
8 10
12 9
11 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12
Schools
1 1
12 7
11 3
8 9
10 6
4 5
2 13
2 3
4 5
6 Cinema
c
c
Religious Places
A
A
B
B
C
T
D
E
F
G
H
Q P
O
N
V
U
J I
M
L
K
S
R
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 Cultural Spaces & Facilities
1 Cultural Heritage
Cultural Organizations
Cultural Occupations
1 1
1 2
3 2
1 3
Montebello City Park
Grant Rea Park
Acuna Park
Reggie Rodriguez Park
Chet Holield Park
Taylor Ranch Park
Ashiya Park
Montebello Golf Course
Potrero Height Park
Bicknell Park
Northridge Mini Park
Dutcher Tot Lot
Montebello City Hall
e Shops at Montebello
4 4
Chet Holield Library
Montebello-Commerce YMCA
Montebello Reegional Library
Montebello High School
Schurr High School
Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School
Applied Technology Center High School
Vail High School
Eastmont Intermediate School
La Merced Intermediate School
Montebello Intermediate School
Fremont Elementary School
Greenwood Elementary School
La Merced Elementary School
Washington Elementary School
Wilcox Elementary School
AMC Montebello 10
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church
Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral
Church of Christ
New Jerusalem Church
Beverly Boulevard Foursquare Church
Saint John’s Lutheran Church
Montebello Church of Christ
First Baptist Church of Montebello
First Assembly of God
Iglesia Cristiana
St. Benedict Church
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
Montebello Christian Fellowship
Montebello Foursquare Church
Montebello Plymouth Congregational Church
First United Methodist Church of Montebello
Praise Chaple Family Christian Fellowship
Evangelical Christian Church
e Ark of Montebello
S
T
U
De Paul Evangelization Center
Shri Nand Shiv Durga Mandir
Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan LA
V Iglesia Cristiana Elim
Old Site Of San Gabriel Mission
2 2
3 5
1 1
Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe
3 Battle of the Rio San Gabriel Historical Landmark
4 Armenian Genocide Martyrs Memorial Monument
5 Montebello Veterans Memorial Monument
Wiseguys Big Band
Montebello Historical Society
Montebello Woman’s Club
Eggstravaganza, Día De Los Muertos Community Altar
Winter Wonderland & Tree Lighting
Heritage Run, Walk & Heritage Festival,
Movies in the Park / Pet Fair, Skate Competition,
Veterans Day Ceremony, Memorial Day Ceremony
Farmers Market
Movie at the Pool
Independence Day Celebration,
Halloween Festival,Haunted Train Ride
Downtown Street Fest
Figure C8.2. Montebello’s creative assets.

212 Montebello General Plan
D. COMMUNITY NEEDS
Major Active Community Challenges:
• Need more cultural events.
• Promote the cultural events.
• Montebello has rich culture and talent — need to promote local artists.
• Need to elevate the architectural design of buildings. • Need a comprehensive Public Art program.
• Gateway signs into the City are dated and not well
maintained.

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 213
E. VISION
As Montebello evolves, arts and culture will continue to be the connective tissue that brings people together through history, stories, and creativity.

Montebello will pursue creative placemaking that integrates arts and culture with good architecture, landscape, and urban design and leverages those investments to serve and transform different areas of the City. Placemaking is a key strategy for job growth, improved public safety, and increased tax revenues.

For developers, creative placemaking creates distinctive, culturally rich, engaging, and economically thriving places. Benefits include greater community buy-in, faster approval cycles, higher market values, lower turnover rates, and effective branding and market recognition.

Montebello’s neighborhood will benefit from enhanced social cohesion, improved health and economic outcomes, and the creative energy and aesthetics of vibrant new places that are enhanced with arts and culture.

Arts and culture has a broad definition that includes visual arts, music, dance, food, cultural history, and other experiences that inspire memorable moments. Creative placemaking appeals to all senses, offering elements to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste.

Collaboration and partnership will be necessary to find financial support.

214 Montebello General Plan
F. FOCUS AREAS
Through parallel tracks of inquiry focused on public engagement, the discovery process identified six key needs to be addressed and opportunities to be explored:

1. Creative Prosperity: Empower Montebello’s creative sector (creative businesses, nonprofit cultural organizations, artists and other creative workers) to create even more economic opportunities and jobs;

2. Cultural Tourism: Make Montebello’s arts, heritage, and cultural attractions visible and accessible to tourists and local audiences;

3. Education for Creativity: Advocate for public and private commitment to ensure that children and youth in Montebello learn the skills of creativity and innovation that they need to thrive;

4. Cultural Equity: Enhance public understanding, appreciation, and respect for all cultures, achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion;

5. Historic Preservation: Preserve, conserve, and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance;

6. Public Art: Connect the imaginative potential of artists and the lived experience of our shared environment and to facilitate a dynamic cultural life; and

7. Capacity and Leadership: Coordinate arts and cultural leadership to implement the policies and actions, and respond.

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 215

1. Creative Prosperity
(also see Our Prosperous Community)
When recognized and nurtured as small business enterprises, individual artists and nonprofit cultural organizations provide significant employment in the community. Montebello’s creative sector (the creative businesses, nonprofit cultural organizations, artists and other creative workers) can create even more economic opportunities and jobs. Artists can often activate and enliven spaces in the urban landscape that would otherwise be vacant or underutilized.
a. Policies and Actions
P8.1 Increase awareness of the importance of the creative community.

A8.1a Communicate with a unified voice to decision makers about impact of creative businesses on the economy. SE R A8.1b Brand and market Montebello’s Creative Sector. SE R P8.2 Leverage maker economy to grow creative workforce, training, housing, and jobs.

A “maker” is someone who creates (either by design or fabrication) a tangible item. A “maker-entrepreneur” sells handmade items for a profit either online or in-person through brick and-mortar stores, craft fairs, pop-up markets, or to friends and family. Makers are potters, jewelers, metal-smiths, woodworkers, seamstresses, fabric artists, designers, cooks, chefs, artists, doodlers, printers, painters, candlestick makers and more.

A8.2a Map and convene the existing community of makers, connecting entrepreneurs to small business supports, investing in incubators and accelerators, and helping low-income entrepreneurs access capital. SE R A8.2b Drive demand for locally made and manufactured products through “Made Local” and regional brand campaigns, and by creating new business-to-business procurement. SE R
A8.2c Provide access to affordable and safe production spaces for makers and manufacturers by identifying micro-retail opportunities in existing buildings and new construction. SE R Encourage private developers to set aside space for local businesses, and supporting local craft events, farmers’ markets, and festivals.

A8.2d Continue to explore development of artists’ live/work spaces, including as part of a mixed-use development in downtown area and along the corridors. SE R Attracting and retaining the presence of artists and other creatives in Montebello is essential to maintaining its authentic culture.

Artists’ live/work facilities reinforce the community’s support for artists and often function as a magnet for programming and other resources that benefit the overall community.

P8.3 Expand artistic space, activities and programs in non-traditional venues.

A8.3a Facilitate the temporary & opportunistic use of vacant or underutilized spaces & venues for creative purposes. SE R A8.3b Explore use of public buildings such as City Hall, Senior Center, Youth Center, Library, and School buildings for arts activation and promotion. R
A8.3c Expand arts programs, activation, and promotion of local creative events at transit stops, and on buses and trains in partnership with transit agencies. SE R
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216 Montebello General Plan

2. Creative Placemaking
Creative Placemaking: Creative Placemaking is using arts and cultural activities to make places more engaging, responsive, inclusive, and distinctive from other places. Placemaking can make the arts, culture and creativity more accessible at the neighborhood level, drive economic development, inspire neighborhood revitalization and promote vibrant communities as destinations to live, work and visit.

Communication about Montebello events and programs to
both local and broader audiences would increase exposure and participation. Both the city and media can explore new technological opportunities for sharing information with Montebello residents. Expanding arts and cultural media that is resident-focused should help increase awareness of local happenings and events.
a. Policies and Actions
P8.4 Weave arts and culture into the fabric of the City.

A8.4a Infuse arts, culture, and creativity into neighborhoods, trails, bike paths, streets, parks, and other transit modes. SE R A8.4b Ignite public spaces with arts and culture-driven information and media, at gateway locations, Downtown, Civic Center, and along the Rio Hondo Channel. SE R Repurposed spaces, places, and infrastructure should be identified and assessed on their potential to add cultural value to the city, and to support a creative program that showcases the unique natural and built environment.

P8.5 Make Montebello’s arts, cultural, heritage, and natural attractions visible & accessible to tourists & local audiences.

A8.5a Partner with media outlets (print, radio, online) to maximize existing resources while expanding coverage of arts and cultural endeavors. SE R
A8.5b Develop a cultural resource map & directory. SE R A8.5c Leverage the transit stops to promote attractions/events. SE R P8.6 Develop an iconic cultural event.

A8.6 Identify the event promoter with the most promise to serve this role. SE R This event should distinguish itself from other offerings in the region by reflecting Montebello’s authentic character. The event could be organized around an overarching theme that allows broad community engagement with ideas that have strong resonance in Montebello. Montebello’s arts organizations, artists, library, parks, businesses, the school district, churches and other partners can program their participation around the theme and provide shared marketing and promotion for the event. While the event can be centered in the Downtown/Rio Hondo Channel area, it could also include programming throughout the city.

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Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 217

3. Education for Creativity
There are a variety of institutions that provide
learning, not only through appreciation of artwork,
but also through educational programs and ongoing
engagement with the arts.
a. Policies and Actions
P8.7 Engage students and youth in the creative community beyond the classroom.

A8.7a Create citywide art programs for the youth. SE R
A8.7b Collaborate with local partners to support art education. SE R Local art colleges could host classes at the city, which can lead to citywide art shows, displays, murals, theater productions, etc. Local restaurants could offer a culinary arts experience to youth. This could be beneficial because it may inspire youth to seek a career in culinary arts. Local art colleges could host theater classes at the city, which can lead to citywide theater productions.

P8.8 Increase partnerships between higher education, cultural organizations and arts entrepreneurs.

A8.8 Host periodic networking events for art educators to identify assets, shared goals, opportunities to scale and share results; and implement collaborative projects. SE R
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218 Montebello General Plan
P8.9 Enhance public understanding, appreciation, &
respect for all cultures, achieving diversity, equity,
and inclusion.

A8.9 Create strategic partnerships among artists,
activists, businesses, and policymakers to discuss
and activate arts and culture roles in strengthening
communities. SE R
P8.10 Expand equity-focused arts and culture investments across public agencies, through budget appropriations, and targeted allocations to artists
of color, and cultural institutions serving communities of color and low-income areas.

A8.10a Include artists of color and cultural representatives on boards, commissions, and other agencies to
reflect demographics and interests of their communities, and to inform projects in their neighborhoods. SE R A8.10b Support purchases from artists and cultural groups of color. SE R
P8.11 Increase access to arts and culture in under-resourced neighborhoods.

A8.11a Maximize use of all city facilities and assets to bring arts programs and cultural activities to each
neighborhood, including parks, recreation centers,
libraries, and other facilities. SE R
A8.11b Recognize and celebrate artistic and creative professionals who live in these neighborhoods. SE R A8.11c Foster use of available and appropriate facilities for studio and living spaces for artists. SE R

4. Cultural Equity
Montebello is home to people from different cultural backgrounds that have different needs, behaviors, aesthetics, and uses and relate to space differently. Equity cannot be achieved with one-size-fits-all policies but warrants a more nuanced approach that allows the ability of people to fulfill their ways of life. Culture is the lens through which diverse people and their concerns could be understood. A more informed and inclusive approach to arts and culture can help build a more just, healthy, and resilient Montebello.

When arts and culture are harder to find in neighborhoods, people have to dedicate more time to access those experiences.

Although arts and culture are being woven into the fabric of the city, there is opportunity for uniform distribution across Montebello. Ensuring that all Montebello residents can access arts and culture in their neighborhood will promote equity.

Opportunities for surprise, delight, and creative participation are diverse and should be infused into everyday life for easy access and appreciation. Doing so begins with an inventory of available assets and a commitment to infusing more arts and culture into underserved neighborhoods.
a. Policies and Actions
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Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 219

5. Historic Preservation
Montebello’s architectural heritage is vulnerable to threat of demolition or insensitive alteration. The most effective protection against these threats are policies, laws, and incentives that foster historic preservation.

Montebello does not currently have a historic preservation program. The City has not conducted any citywide survey of historic resources. A broad base historic context report was prepared as part of the discovery work associated with the General Plan.

The policies and actions are structured so that the City can start small building awareness and appreciation and gradually become more comprehensive and eventually adopting an ordinance. The guiding philosophy was to take some initial baby steps to get the ball rolling, and then as historic preservation becomes more firmly engrained in the City’s ethos the City can incrementally grow and expand their program as resources permit, with the eventual longterm goal of having a program that is rooted in best professional practices.
a. Policies and Actions
i. Awareness and Appreciation
P8.12 Create a useful portal to historical information and preservation resources on the City’s web site.

A8.12a Enhance the City’s existing web page entitled “The History of Montebello” with additional information about the developmental, architectural, and cultural history of Montebello, particularly in the period after its 1920 incorporation. R A8.12b Provide links to local history resources like the Montebello Historical Society, and historic preservation resources like those of the Los Angeles Conservancy, the California State Office of Historic Preservation, and the National Park Service. R
P8.13 Make information related to the City’s historic built environment available on multiple platforms and in varied formats.

A8.13a Utilize the City’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to promote awareness of local history and highlight sites or topics of local historical significance. R A8.13b Promote local knowledge and tourism by developing walking tours of Montebello. R Starting tours with the Whittier Boulevard corridor in the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area. The City may consider partnering with the Montebello Historical Society or other local stakeholders with specialized knowledge of Montebello’s history.

A8.13c Create a curriculum available to local public and private elementary schools based on local architecture and history. R ii. Context Sensitive Development
P8.14 Promote the importance of integrating new development with the existing building stock, particularly within the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area.

A8.14a Develop design standards that encourage architectural continuity for infill development within the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area through size, massing, scale, materials, and other relevant factors. SE R A8.14b Address issues of continuity and compatibility of typology, massing, design, etc. in future Specific Plans. R P8.15 Develop a policy framework for evaluating the potential significance of older properties within City limits.

A8.15 Require a Phase I Environmental Assessment when a demolition permit application is submitted for properties that are greater than 50 years of age, to assess preliminary historic eligibility. R SE Social Equity R Resilience

220 Montebello General Plan
iii. Identify, Preserve, and Maintain
P8.16 Develop historic context statement(s) to guide future historic resource survey efforts.

A8.16a Prepare a focused historic context statement for the Downtown Specific Plan Area, using the Historic Context Report prepared for the General Plan Update as a foundation. R A8.16b Prepare a citywide historic context statement for Montebello. R Use the Historic Context Report prepared for the General Plan Update as a foundation.

P8.17 Identify potential historical resources within City limits.

A8.17a Conduct a focused historic resources survey of the Downtown Specific Plan Area to identify potential historical resources within the City’s historic downtown core. R A8.17b Expand survey efforts to other areas of the City as resources permit. R Future survey efforts may pertain to a particular geographic area or neighborhood, or may be specific to a particular topic or theme in the City’s history. The City may consider prioritizing survey efforts in South Montebello, which has a rich history but has historically been underserved.

P8.18 Engage community members and stakeholders when identifying potential historical resources.

A8.18 Encourage public participation in the identification of historical resources by maintaining a web page dedicated to local history, and soliciting input from the Montebello Historical Society and other local stakeholders about buildings, sites, and other elements of the City’s built environment that are of interest. SE R P8.19 Identify and protect Montebello’s paleontological resources.

A8.19 A Qualified Professional Paleontologist shall be retained by the project applicant to conduct a paleontological resources analysis prior to the beginning of projects involving ground disturbance in geologic units with high paleontological sensitivity to determine whether there is a potential for significant impacts to paleontological resources. Paleontological resources analyses shall be reviewed, approved, and enforced by the City of Montebello. SE R If potential impacts to paleontological resources are found to be significant, then the project applicant shall retain a Qualified Professional Paleontologist to develop and implement a Paleontological Resources Impact Mitigation Plan (PRIMP) that shall be approved by the City of Montebello, to ensure that impacts to paleontological resources resulting from the project are less than significant. The PRIMP shall include measures for a pre-construction survey, a Worker Environmental Awareness Program, paleontological monitoring, fossil salvage, curation, and final reporting, as applicable. Final reporting shall be reviewed and approved by the City of Montebello.
iv. Best Practices in Historic Preservation
P8.20 Develop policies and procedures enabling the protection of local historical resources.

A8.20a Adopt a historic preservation ordinance that enables the designation of local sites as historic, listing of these sites on a local register of historical resources, and provision of a level of protection through design review. R A8.20b Establish a Historic Preservation Commission whose purview includes the designation of local landmarks and the review of proposed changes to historic properties. R
A8.20c Provide opportunities for regular training and discussion of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and other historic preservation topics for City staff and Commissioners. R P8.21 Encourage and promote the designation of local historical resources.

A8.21 Implement incentive program(s) to encourage the preservation and maintenance of historical resources. R Possible incentives may include the Mills Act Property Tax Abatement program, waving of permit fees for historical resources, and/or other incentives deemed appropriate by the City.

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Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 221

6. Public Art
Public art is work produced by an artist that is installed in a publicly-accessible space. Montebello’s public art program will be guided by the following principles:
• Creative: Residents and visitors will engage in creative and cultural discovery through art. The artists is encouraged to experiment with new concepts to produce engaging public projects.
• Diverse: Public art can take on many forms including but not limited to sculpture, murals, street and graffiti art, video, and digital media. Public art can be permanent or temporary.

Public art can be conceived as “permanent” installation or as a shorter-term, “temporary” work. Temporary public art would encourage greater variety and complement the permanent collection, while the turnover from temporary projects would facilitate renewed public interest and create more work opportunities for artists.
• Contextual: Public art creates and shapes a sense of place. It is intended to be site-specific, integrated into its environment and enhancing its surroundings. The public can connect with the art in engaging educational and interpretive programs that strengthen the everyday experience of public art. Public art will be inclusive of Montebello’s deep diversity, through both local stories told through public art, and the artists commissioned for public projects. Public art is also a platform for local artists that creates valuable opportunities for both emerging and established professional artists.
• Everywhere: Public art can provide opportunities for
residents to engage with the city’s diversity and creativity on an everyday basis, no matter where they live. Recognizing the need to increase city-wide access to public art, geographic distribution of public art will be across the city.
• Inclusive: Public art is designed for publicly-accessible spaces, and is intended to engage the public. Public art is created for and installed in inclusive, barrier-free sites that are publicly-accessible, such as parks, trails, streets, community centers, bridges, underpasses, or privately-owned publicly accessible spaces.

222 Montebello General Plan
a. Policies and Actions
P8.21 Develop a Public Arts Program.

A8.21a Develop standards to consistently apply the “Percent for Public Art” policy to municipal capital projects. R A8.21b Develop standards to consistently apply “Percent for Public Art” policy for private development. R
Developing clear guidelines and consistently applying this policy will unlock new resources for public art, allowing for more municipally-commissioned projects in all corners of Montebello. This represents the City’s best opportunity to improve the geographic distribution of public art. Such guidelines will need to be created by an interdivisional working group with representation from City divisions and agencies that contribute to major capital infrastructure projects.

The working group will need to consider criteria for identifying public art opportunities on municipal projects; the needs, objectives and potential benefits for individual City divisions; and how to balance existing capital budget pressures with this policy direction.

A8.21c Pool public art funds to produce new works in underserved areas of the city. SE R
“Pooling” of public art funding involves collecting contributions from multiple project sources and combining them to produce works of public art in underserved areas of the city.

A8.21d Protect public art works city-wide through proactive maintenance. R Ongoing care of public art collections is respectful of the work of artists, and helps to ensure that works continue to make a positive impact on the public realm over their lifespan.

P8.22 Promote education and interactive components to increase understanding of public art and their contribution to Montebello.

A8.22a Build a digital library of artist videos that tell the story of the pieces and makes the work more accessible. R
Develop and maintain a range of online resources such as searchable maps, image databases, and mobile apps that will help to make the City’s public art works more accessible to a wide audience of residents and tourists.

A8.22b Activate public art through community-focused educational and interpretive programming. R Educational and interpretive programming such as artist or curator talks; self-guided and artist-led tours or walks; digital QR codes on art works; and didactic plaques and panels help uncover the story behind the public art works that are found across the city. Educational and interpretive programming can be developed in partnership with artists, cultural organizations, school boards, private sector partners, and other community partners.

P8.23 Integrate public art into the development review & capital improvement program.

Early engagement allows for artists to be embedded within the design team, and facilitates greater collaboration and dialogue with project architects, landscape architects, engineers, and the local community in the development of the project concept. Proactive, early engagement of artists should be emphasized as part of any new guidelines for applying the percent for public art policy to municipal capital projects. In addition, private developers should be encouraged to begin planning for public art early in their planning process.

A8.23 Identify public art opportunities and engage artists as early as possible in all projects. R
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Mosaic mural entitled “A Day in the Country,”
designed by Millard Sheets and executed by Nancy
Colbath. Installed in 1974, the mural depicts local
recreational activities and the idyllic countryside
that were once hallmarks of the Montebello
landscape, and was recently restored.

Part C, 8. Our Creative Community 223

7. Capacity and Leadership
Most of Montebello’s arts and cultural events are produced or presented by nonprofit organizations. Sustained funding is a pressing need as government grants are shrinking. Montebello does not have an agency with authority to ensure planned actions are fulfilled. The Plan’s outcomes will require both individual initiative and collective action to strengthen the cultural sector and its capacity to improve the lives and well-being of the people of Montebello. Implementation will require support and cooperation from public and private sectors.

Montebello’s needs will change over time as a result of new social realities, new technologies and generational differences.

Artists and organizations need to adapt to these changes if they want to be successful and sustainable over the long-term. To do this, they need to have a clear understanding of their mission, governance, financial resources and administrative systems. The policies and actions in this section explores ways to enhance administrative, financial, management and governance systems that create a strong foundation for the future.
a. Policies and Actions
P8.24 Ensure that Montebello’s cultural organizations have the necessary resources to succeed.

A8.24a Promote volunteer opportunities in the creative sector through an Arts and Culture e-newsletter. R A8.24b Encourage & facilitate placement of artists on City Advisory Boards, Commissions, and other leadership bodies. R A8.24c Actively search for and apply for new funding opportunities such as grants, corporate sponsorship, etc. SE R Creativity, flexibility, and political will be required to create sustainable resources for arts and cultural programs. Following is a range of possible funding sources that in consort will facilitate implementation:
• Multiple programs at the California Arts Council (Artists in Communities, Creative California Communities, Innovations + Interactions, Veterans in the Arts, Artists in Schools, Arts Education Exposure, JUMP StArts, Youth Arts Action, Cultural Pathways, Organizational Development, Professional Development); • California Endowment for the Humanities;
• National Endowment for the Arts; and
• Philanthropic foundations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, Kresge Foundation Creative Placemaking Program, US Conference of Mayors CommunityWINS, Art Place America, and Levitt Foundation.

City Investments: Subject to the availability of funds, the City could invest in economic development (tourism arts marketing, arts programming) for support of the arts community.

Develop Sponsorships: Iconic arts and cultural events can attract sponsorships from area businesses and corporations.

Specialized Funding: For special projects, funding sources such as new market tax credits, federal grants, and affordable housing grants for artists’ live/work projects can be pursued.

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“
Leadership is the capacity to translate
a vision into reality.”
— Warren Bennis

224 Montebello General Plan

Part D: Implementation 225
D Implementation
FROM VISION TO REALITY: IMPLEMENTING THE GENERAL PLAN
The General Plan vision, guiding principles, policies, and actions will drive: budget priorities; capital investments; operational
decisions; regulatory updates; policies; and
future studies.

General Plan Consistency in
Implementation: The General Plan
serves as a tool to align City decisions
and actions with the community's vision.

The General Plan will be implemented
through municipal policy decisions, ordinances and regulations, and future actions that are consistent with the General Plan.

Conformance with the General Plan
will be assessed for public and private
investment items placed on the agenda
before the City Council and Planning
Commission. This ensures elected and
appointed officials, staff, developers and
the community understand the importance
of the General Plan and the guidance it
provides moving forward. This Section describes the steps and actions to implement the Montebello General Plan based on
collaboration with community members,
City decision makers, and City Staff. The
actions listed in this section should not be
interpreted as budgetary mandates. The
intent is to convey a roster of priorities
that should guide the City Council as
they develop, approve, and execute annual
operating and capital budgets.

The plan guides decision-making, therefore it must be updated periodically and provide accountability for implementing it
over time.

Implementation Accountability: The
City will need to develop robust partnerships with local businesses, residents and other public agencies to fully implement
the vision outlined for Montebello. The
City can combine its efforts with private
sector efforts to improve public service
delivery, manage public sector assets, or
leverage private sector investment. By
expanding the role of the private sector,
the City can use its technical, management, and financial resources in creative ways to achieve objectives of the General
Plan. These partnerships will be crucial to
ensuring the most important actions are
being implemented, and the most pressing
community needs are being addressed.

Most actions include one or more City
Departments. In some cases, however,
the action is entirely within the private or
non-profit sector. The Lead for an action
item represents the agency or partner
most likely to take a leadership role in
the measure. The leadership may shift to
a new department depending on circumstances needed for the issue, and resources available at the time.

The General Plan is designed to be
implemented over the next 20 years
(2024—2044) by residents, business and
property owners, non-profit organizations,
community groups, city and county
agencies, and elected and appointed
officials. Some actions are straightforward
and relatively easy to achieve, others will
demand significant investment of time
and resources and will require steadfast
commitment on numerous levels.

226 Montebello General Plan
Time frames: Each action includes a time
frame, within which the action should be
carried out. These are intended to provide
a general sense of how long it will take to
implement the action.

Ongoing Some actions require
continuous monitoring or
effort. These are identified
as ongoing actions.

Immediate Begin work immediately.

Short term Begin work within 1 to 4
years.

Mid term Begin work within 4 to 8
years.

Long term Begin work within 8 to 10
years.

At the time of adoption, the time frames
set in the General Plan and the city’s
approved Capital Improvement Program
may not be in complete agreement. Over
time, a stronger link should be established
so that the two documents are synchronized and eventually are in full agreement.

Annual Progress Report and
Updates: An annual monitoring report
will be prepared and presented to the
Montebello Planning Commission and
City Council. This report will review
the progress made in implementing
the General Plan. This is a vital part of
keeping the General Plan implementation
process open, transparent, and responsive.

The public will be kept up to date as
implementation actions are completed
over time, i.e., checking off completed
actions and reprioritizing remaining
actions, reporting back to elected and/or
appointed officials regarding progress, and
periodically updating the plan. Providing
regular updates on implementation actions
and opportunities to participate in implementation activities are ways to engage the community on an ongoing basis.

Funding and Resources: Given the constrained fiscal environment and competing priorities under that are typical of local
governments, identifying funding, staffing,
and other resources are critically important for successful implementation. It is particularly important to establish their
availability for short-term actions that
generate momentum for further progress.

However, financial feasibility should not
constrain the ambition and potential of
the General Plan to realize the community
vision and goals. The strong plan with a
compelling vision can be used to secure
grants, philanthropic funding, leverage
resources from external partners, and
attract private investment. Some actions
may not be feasible in the short term,
but could have a high impact if resources
become available in the future.

The cost estimates are identified into
three categories:
• Actions primarily involving internal
staff time with limited outside
funding required ($);
• Actions requiring outside consulting
services or relatively minor ($100,000
to $1 million) investment in infrastructure or project development ($$); • Actions requiring significant investment in infrastructure or project development ($$$).

Potential funding sources are identified
for each action item.

Part D: Implementation 227

FUNDING SOURCES
To carry out the actions recommended in this Plan, a variety of Federal, State, regional, local, and private funding sources have been identified:

FEDERAL
Community Development Block Grant
This fund accounts for activities of the
Community Development Block Grant
received from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, including monies received from this agency as part of the federal stimulus program.

Low Income Housing Tax Credit
The Low Income Housing Tax Credit
(Housing Credit) is designed to encourage
private sector investment in the new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of rental housing affordable to low-income
households.  The Housing Credit offers a
dollar-for-dollar reduction in a taxpayer’s
income tax liability in return for making a
long-term investment in affordable rental
housing. State agencies award Housing
Credits to developers, who then sell the
Credits to private investors in exchange for
funding for the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing. The 4% tax credit (30% subsidy) is for the acquisition
of existing buildings for rehabilitation and
new construction financed by tax-exempt
bonds. The 9% tax credit (70% subsidy)
is usually for new construction and
substantial rehabilitation without federal
subsidies.

National Endowment for the Arts Grants
for Arts Projects
The NEA Grants fund institutions
whose projects are vehicles for any of the
following: the portfolio of American Art
is expanded, Americans throughout the
nation experience art, and Americans of all
ages acquire knowledge or skills in the arts,
and American communities are strengthened through the arts.

Highway Safety Improvement Program
The Highway Safety Improvement
Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid
program with the purpose to achieve a
significant reduction in traffic fatalities
and serious injuries on all public roads,
including non-State-owned roads and
roads on tribal land.

STATE
Enhanced Infrastructure Financing
District (EIFD)
An EIFD is a governmental entity
established by a city that carries out a plan
within a defined area (boundaries of which
do not need to be contiguous) to construct,
improve and rehabilitate infrastructure;
construct housing, libraries, and parks;
remediate brownfields, etc.

Active Transportation Program (ATP)
ATP taps both state and federal funds
for bike and pedestrian projects across
California. The program allows cities to
compete for grants to build bicycle/pedestrian paths, install bike racks, and other projects or programs that make walking or
biking easier, safer and more convenient.

Caltrans Transportation Planning Grant
The Caltrans Sustainable Transportation
Planning Grants seek to fund projects
that ensure consideration of sustainability,
preservation, mobility, safety, innovation,
economy, health, and equity in transportation planning.

California Strategic Growth Council
(CSGC)
The CSGC provides grants to cities to
promote sustainable community planning
and natural resource conservation. The
grant program supports development,
adoption, and implementation of various
planning elements in three focus areas:

Local Sustainable Planning, Regional SB
375 Plus, and Regional Planning Activities with Multiple Partners.

California Arts Council (CAC)
CAC offers grants as well as provides a
great resource to search for other grants by
applicant type and field.

Proposition 68
Authorizes $4 billion in general obligation
bonds for: creation and rehabilitation of
state and local parks, natural resources
protection projects, climate adaptation
projects, water quality and supply projects,
and flood protection.

Proposition 41
Authorizes $600 million in general obligation bonds for affordable multifamily supportive housing to relieve homelessness, affordable transitional housing, affordable
rental housing, or related facilities for
veterans and their families.

Highway Users Tax Account (HUTA)
The HUTA, also known as the Gas Tax,
can be used for any street or road purpose
including new construction, bikeways,
curbs, landscaping, signs, signals etc.

REGIONAL
Prop A
The Proposition A requires that Local
Return (LR) funds be used exclusively to
benefit public transit. Expenditures related
to fixed route and paratransit services,
Transportation Demand Management,
Transportation Systems Management
and fare subsidy programs that exclusively
benefit transit are all eligible uses of
Proposition A LR funds. Proposition A
LR funds may also be traded with other
Jurisdictions in exchange for general or
other funds.

Prop C
The Proposition C directs that Local
Return funds also be used to benefit public
transit, and provides an expanded list of
eligible project expenditures including
Congestion Management Programs, bikeways and bike lanes, street improvements supporting public transit service, and
Pavement Management System projects.

Measure M
Measure M was approved by the voters of
Los Angeles County in 2016 to improve

228 Montebello General Plan
transportation and ease traffic congestion
consistent with the LosAngeles County
The Measure M Ordinance specifies that
Local Retrun funds be used exclusively for
transportation purposes.

Measure R
Measure R is a half-cent sales tax increase
to fund mass transit projects in the county
like new light rail lines,
Measure W
Los Angeles County Stormwater Fee
Transportation Development Act Article
3 Fund
Transportation Development Act Article
3 (TDA 3) provides funding annually for
bicycle and pedestrian projects.

AQMD Program
The AB 2766 Motor Vehicle Subvention
Program is a funding source for cities to
encourage the development of measures
or projects that result in the reduction of
motor vehicle emissions. Projects include
alternate fuels/electric vehicles, vehicle
emissions abatement, land use strategies
that encourage people to walk, bike or
use public transit, traffic management,
transportation demand management,
effective bike expenditures, PM reduction
strategies, and public education.

SCAG Sustainable Planning Grant
The Southern California Association of
Government (SCAG) offers direct funding of innovative planning initiatives for member cities through the Sustainability
Planning Grants program. The Sustainability Planning Grants Program provides direct technical assistance to SCAG
member jurisdictions to complete planning
and policy efforts that enable implementation of the regional Sustainable Communities Strategy. Grants are available in the following three categories:

Integrated Land Use – Sustainable Land
Use Planning, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Land Use & Transportation Integration; Active Transportation – Bicycle, Pedestrian and Safe Routes to School Plans; Green Region – Natural Resource Plans,
Climate Action Plans (CAPs) and Green
House Gas (GHG) Reduction programs.

Part D: Implementation 229
Local
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
The CIP identifies all of the major projects
to be undertaken to improve facilities
and infrastructure within the city. During
the fiscal year, a separate CIP document
that reflects the current year program and
proposes a program of prioritized projects
for the next four to five years is prepared.

City Departments submit all proposed
projects in the foreseeable future, along
with their best cost-estimate. The request
includes the year a project will commence,
any funding sources that may be available
with either future sources or ones which
might have been previously designated,
justification for the project, and on-going
costs expected to occur after the project
has been completed. The CIP budget
team then compiles the information and
presents a draft CIP program to the City
Council. Projects are prioritized, based on
City Council and staff input.

General Fund
The General Fund is the City’s largest
single fund type used to account for basic
City services such as police, fire, public
works, parks and recreation, community
development, information technology, and
general administration. The two major
sources of revenue are property and sales
taxes.  For the 2023-2024 budget, the
breakdown is as follows:

Total Revenue [$XX,XXX,XXX.]
Sales Tax [$XX,XXX,XXX] or [XX%] of the
total.

Property Tax [$XX,XXX,XXX] or [XX%] of
the total.

Property Business Improvement District
A Property and Business Improvement
District (PBID) is a mechanism of funding improvements through assessments to businesses and real property within the
established PBID boundaries. Under the
Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994, revenues from PBID assessments may be used to fund capital
improvements and maintenance costs for
projects such as parking facilities, street
furniture, public restrooms, art, parks,
street and streetscape enhancements, and
plazas. A PBID formation petition, which
is initiated by property owners, requires
the signature of more than 50 percent of
the property owners, weighted by assessment liability.

Park Dedication Fees
The City receives fees from developers to
fund recreation facilities. These funds are
used for qualified recreational purposes
throughout the City.

Various Grant Funds
Various Federal, State, and regional grant
programs distribute funding for public
improvements. Because grant programs are
typically competitive, grant funds are an
unpredictable funding source.

Developer Contributions
Development Impact Fee
The City charges one-time impact fees on
new private development to offset the cost
of improving or expanding City facilities
to accommodate the project. Impact fees
are used to help fund the construction or
expansion of needed capital improvements.

Development Agreements
Development agreements are contracts
negotiated between project proponents
and public agencies that govern the land
uses that may be allowed in a particular
project. Development agreements provide
a developer with assurances for a specified
length of time that the proposed project
may proceed as originally approved, and
not be affected by future changes in land
use regulations. In exchange for this assurance, the landowner/developer may agree to public improvements, land dedications,
or in-lieu fees, as negotiated with the City,
as a condition of the agreement.

Community Facilities District
The Mello-Roos Community Facilities
Act of 1982 allows any county, city, special
district, school district, or joint powers
authority to establish a Mello-Roos
Community Facilities District (a “CFD”)
which allows for financing of public improvements and services. The services and improvements that Mello-Roos CFD can
finance include streets, sewer systems and
other basic infrastructure, police and fire
protection, ambulance services, schools,
parks, libraries, museums, and other
cultural facilities. By law, the CFD is also
entitled to recover expenses needed to
form the CFD and administer the annual
special taxes and bonded debt.

230 Montebello General Plan

1. Our Natural Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Green Infrastructure
P1.1 Enhance air and water quality, increase public green space through the integration of green infrastructure.

A1.1a Improve access to trails along the Rio Hondo Channel. VZ SE R Short-term RCS
$$$ Grants (ATP), General
Fund, Developers PW, PCD, Developers
A1.1b Develop a trail along the Edison easement. SE R Mid-term RCS
$$$ Grants, General Fund
PW, PCD, Developers
A1.1c Require larger development projects to provide a range of public and private open spaces. SE R On-going
PCD
$ General Fund
RCS, PW, Developers
A1.1d Promote the use of captured rainwater, grey water, or recycled water. R On-going PW
$ General Fund, Grants
PCD
A1.1e
Review and revise development regulations to encourage a green approach in new developments. Minimize impervious areas. Develop new projects and retrofit existing surfaces to reduce runoff through infiltration. R Short-term
PCD
$ Grants (ATP), CIP
PW
A1.1f Promote the use of green roofs, bioswales, pervious materials for hardscape, and other stormwater management practices to reduce water pollution. R On-going PW
$ Grants, General Fund,

CIP PCD, RCS
A1.1g Coordinate city work programs and projects to implement green streets as an integrated aspect of City infrastructure. R On-going
PW
$ General Fund, CIP

PCD, RCS
A1.1h Develop a predictable and sustainable means of funding implementation and maintenance of green infrastructure elements and Green Streets. R Short-term PW
$ General Fund

PCD, RCS
A1.1i
Educate citizens, businesses and the development community about Green Streets and how they can serve as linear parks to enhance, improve, and connect neighborhoods to encourage their support, demand, and funding of these projects. SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund

RCS, PCD ,PAIT
Air
P1.2 Support regional planning efforts to improve air quality.

A1.2
Coordinate air quality planning efforts with local and regional agencies to meet State and Federal ambient air quality standards in order to protect all residents from the health effects of air pollution. SE R
Mid-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund,

ATP PD, AQMD
P1.3 Consider emission reduction goals in all major decisions on land use and investments in public infrastructure.

A1.3a
Reduce potential GHG emissions from development by encouraging electrification of new developments, promoting energy conservation in existing buildings, plan new development and redevelopment to reduce single-occupancy vehicle miles traveled, and consider green space during development. R Mid-term
PCD, Developer
$$ Grants, Developer
PW
A1.3b Educate property owners and developers on greenspace inclusion through educational pamphlets, programs, and webpages. SE R Mid-term PD
$$ Grants, General Fund
PAIT, Consultant
P1.4 Educate businesses and the general public about air quality standards, health effects, and best practices they can make to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A1.4a Promote public outreach and education campaigns highlighting the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies. SE R Short-term PCD, Consultant
$$ General Fund
PW
A1.4b Educate property owners and developers on greenspace inclusion through educational pamphlets, programs, and webpages. SE R Short-term PD, PAIT $ General Fund

Part D: Implementation 231

2. Our Prosperous Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P1.5 Coordinate initiatives and regulatory changes with local, regional, and state agencies to reduce motor vehicle emissions.

A1.5a
Develop incentives and adopt regulatory standards to reduce transportation emissions. In addition to reducing the number of miles driven, the fuel efficiency and emissions standards of vehicles must also improve. Working in collaboration with Local, Regional, and State agencies, Montebello will seek to increase use of clean fuels in public and private automobile fleets, consider new legislation, and implement educational programs. R
Short-term
PD
$$ Grants, General Fund
MT, PW
A1.5b
Promote use of alternate modes of transportation in the City of Montebello, including pedestrian, bicycling, public transportation, car sharing programs and emerging technologies. VZ SE R
Mid-term

PD, MBL
$$ Grants, General Fund
PW, Developers
A1.5c
Invest in low-emission or zero-emission vehicles to replace the City’s gasoline powered vehicle fleet and transition to available clean fuel sources such as bio-diesel for trucks and heavy equipment. R
Mid-term
MBL
$$ Grants, General Fund
PD, PW, Developers
A1.5d
Encourage the use of low or zero emission vehicles, bicycles, non-motorized vehicles, and car-sharing programs by supporting new and existing development that includes sustainable infrastructure and strategies such as vehicle charging stations, drop-off areas for ride-sharing services, secure bicycle parking, and transportation demand management programs. VZ SE R
Mid-term

PD, MBL
$$ Grants, General Fund
Caltrans, PW
A1.5e Require and incentivize projects to incorporate Transportation Demand Management (TDM) techniques. R Mid-term

PD, EDD
$$ Grants, General Fund
Developers Developers
P1.6 Improve the City’s jobs/housing balance ratio.

A1.6 Support development that provides housing and employment opportunities to enable people to live and work within Montebello. VZ SE R Mid-term PCD, Developers
$$ Grants, Developers,
General Fund PW, B&S
Water
P1.7 Montebello will protect, conserve, and replenish existing and future water resources.

A1.7a Encourage and educate residents, business owners, and operators of public facilities to use water wisely and efficiently. R Short-term PW
$$ Developer, Grants,
General Fund PD, RCS
A1.7b Encourage public and private property owners to plant native or drought-tolerant vegetation. R Short-term
PD, PW
$$ Developer, Grants,
General Fund
Developers
A1.7c Continue to coordinate with the developers for opportunities to expand use of reclaimed water systems. R Short-term
PD, PW
$$ Developer, Grants,
RCS, WP General Fund
Support Economic Development Capacity and Leadership
P2.1 Support the Creation of an Economic Development Organization in the City.

A2.1a Determine the best governance of economic development efforts in the City. R On-going

PCD, EDD
$$ Grants, General Fund
MCC
A2.1b Monitor economic development activities in the City. R On-going PCD $$ Grants, General Fund

232 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Promote Infill Development
P2.2 Promote corridor development.

A2.2a Promote housing and job growth along the Beverly Boulevard Corridor. R On-going

PCD, EDD
$$$ Grants
MCC
A2.2b Encourage infill housing along Montebello Boulevard Corridor. R On-going

PCD, ECON
$$$ Grants
MCC
A2.2c Repurpose struggling retail along the Whittier Boulevard Corridor (outside Downtown). R On-going

PCD, EDD
$$$ Grants
MCC
A2.2d Evaluate Feasibility of Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFD). R On-going

PCD, EDD
$$$ Grants
MCC
P2.3 Maximize future Light Rail Stop with TOD Planning.

A2.3a Capitalize on transit adjacency. R On-going

PCD, MT
$$$ Grants, EIFD
PW, Metro, Developer
A2.3b Prioritize placemaking. R On-going
PCD
$$$ CIP, Grants,
PW Developers
P2.4 Repurpose the regional retail centers to meet new community needs.

A2.4
Redevelop struggling retail property as mixed-use urban places, re-use anchor store boxes as office space, or create new-build housing and entertainment options. R
On-going PCD $$$ EIFD; Community
Facilities District
Protect and Invest in Existing Assets
P2.5 Nurture the local business community.

A2.5a Provide more resources to small businesses. SE R On-going PCD, EDD $$ EIFD; LAEDC; Small
Business Development
Center
A2.5b Support local business operations. SE R On-going PCD, EDD $$$ LAEDC; Small
Business Development
Center
A2.5c Establish an incubator for local start-ups. SE R Immediate PCD, EDD $$$ EIFD; Small Business Administration (SBA)
A2.5d Create pathways to high-quality jobs for residents. SE R On-going

PCD, EDD
$$$ County of Los Angeles;
LAEOWDD State of California
P2.6 Preserve and enhance industrial areas.

A2.6a Promote more compatible land uses adjacent to idustrial areas. SE R On-going PCD $$ EIFD A2.6b Explore potential for higher value productive industrial users. R Short-term PCD, EDD $$ General Fund Prioritize Fiscal Sustainability
P2.7 Encourage urban infill and compact development.

A2.7a Promote infill development on vacant and underutilized sites (such as surface parking lots), particularly on corridors and in the Downtown area. SE R On-going PCD $$$ EIFD A2.7b Ensure that new infill development is not a fiscal burden to the City. SE R On-going PCD $ General Fund, Grants P2.8 Remove regulatory and procedural barriers to fiscally productive land uses and good design.

A2.8 Amend General Plan policies and zoning and development standards to allow more intensive uses while being respectful to the contextual setting. SE R Immediate PCD $$$ General Fund, Grants

Part D: Implementation 233

3. Our Well Planned Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Land Uses: Growth, Preservation, and Reinvestment
P3.1 Preserve natural areas.

A3.1a Preserve a network of habitat and open space, thereby protecting biodiversity and enhancing the City’s quality of life. VZ SE R On-going

PCD, RCS
$$$ Impact Fees, grants,
general fund, developer RMC, ACE, PW
A3.1b Encourage parkland dedication and conservation easements for trails that support the City’s Parks Master Plan and the Green Infrastructure Plan. VZ SE R On-going PCD, RCS $$ Grants A3.1c
Capture the inherent value of parks, open spaces, and trails by providing more opportunities for people to live and work on properties with direct frontage on these investments. SE R
On-going RMC, ACE, PW $$ Grants, Developer
A3.1d Allow and encourage historical agricultural and related uses to continue to occur as permanent land uses. SE R On-going PCD, RCS $$ Grants, General Fund P3.2 Direct growth and redevelopment to the Downtown Area.

A3.2a Encourage growth and density by improving underutilized downtown parcels for development. SE R On-going PCD $$ General Fund
A3.2b Support streetscape projects on Whittier and Montebello Boulevards to reduce traffic speed in downtown area. VZ SE R On-going PW, PCD, MT $$$ Grants A3.2c Integrate better design in public spaces to create enjoyable places to stay and contribute to the economic viability of the downtown area. SE R On-going PCD
$$ Grants

PW, PCD
P3.3 Revitalize established neighborhoods and corridors.

A3.3a
Provide non-residential uses that are accessible for the convenience of individuals living in residential districts. VZ SE R On-going PCD $$ Grants, Developer A3.3b
Protect adjoining properties from the potential adverse impacts associated with non-residential uses on corridors adjacent to residential areas with proper mitigation measures that address scale, massing, traffic, noise, appearance, lighting, and drainage. VZ SE R
On-going PCD, PW $$ Grants
A3.3c Reduce the length and number of vehicle trips generated by residential development by enhancing the accessibility to non-residential areas. VZ SE R On-going PCD, PW, MT $$ Grants, Developer P3.4 New development will create diverse and walkable neighborhood.

A3.4a Create diverse neighborhoods instead of a monoculture of single-housing type.

SE R On-going PCD $$ Grants
A3.4b Encourage a block and street layout that promotes walkable and bicycle friendly road designs with slower vehicular design speeds. VZ SE R On-going PCD
$$ Grants
PW, MT, Consultants
A3.4c
Site new residential areas accessible to roadways, sidewalks, trails, transit, parklands, schools, existing utilities, and retail commercial goods and services.

VZ SE R
On-going

PCD, PW, RCS, MT
$$ Grants, General Fund

PD, MFD
A3.4d Encourage properties to redevelop in an urban form utilizing place-based zoning designations. SE R On-going PCD, ECON $$ Grants, General Fund

234 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P3.5 Retrofit suburban development.

A3.5a Reuse the existing structure. SE R On-going PCD, Developer $ Grants A3.5b Integrate more housing choices in existing subdivisions. SE R On-going PCD, Developer $ Grants, Subdivision A3.5c Add new units to existing subdivisions. SE R On-going PCD, Developer $ Developer A3.5d Invest in public realm improvements. SE R On-going

RCS, PD
$$ Grants, General Fund,
Developer Developer, PW
P3.6 Preserve and enhance the industrial district while retaining and expanding existing businesses.

A3.6a Support innovative and flexible land use framework for industrial district. R On-going PCD, Developer $$ General Fund, Developer
A3.6b Encourage the use of “green” technologies to minimize noise, air, and water pollution. SE R On-going PCD, Developer $$ General Fund, Developer
Water
P3.7 Maintain high-quality reliable potable water and non-potable water services, diversify supply and maintain and create facilities that meet existing and future water demands including drought conditions.

A3.7a
Regularly review and evaluate future iterations of five local Water District’s Urban Water Management Plans (UWMP) and other regional water supply assessments in order to maintain an understanding of available supply sources and update plans for expansion of supply infrastructure as necessary. These Districts include San Gabriel Valley Water Company, City of Montebello System, CA Water Service Company, Montebello Land and Water Company and South Montebello Irrigation District. SE R
On-going
PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
A3.7b Coordinate with the local Water District providers to expand recycled water infrastructure for efficient reuse throughout the City. SE R On-going PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
A3.7c
Ensure the resiliency of local water supplies by promoting infiltration of stormwater on both small-scale and large-scale scopes, including coordination with the Los Angeles County Public Works on maximizing infiltration capacity of the Montebello Forebay Spreading Grounds. SE R
On-going
PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
A3.7d
Implement water reuse strategies where potable water, gray water, recycled water and stormwater are all viewed as viable sources and integral components to a holistic water management program. SE R
On-going
PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
A3.7e Regularly review federal, state, and local water quality standards and ensure that water distributed to all areas of the City meets these standards. SE R On-going PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
P3.8 Maintain, upgrade, and expand water pipeline, storage, and pumping infrastructure to meet projected domestic, commercial, and fire flow demands for all land uses within the City.

A3.8a
Regularly review updates to the local Water District providers Water Master Plans and coordinate their water capital improvement plans with the City’s capital improvement plans in order to effectively manage the water infrastructure system. SE R
On-going
PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PD
A3.8b
Construct, maintain, and revitalize distribution infrastructure as needed throughout the City in response to changes in demands land use patterns and aging infrastructure and incorporate fair cost-sharing policies between beneficiaries, developers, water suppliers and the City. SE R On-going
PW, WP
$$$ CIP, Grants
PW, Developer

Part D: Implementation 235
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Wastewater
P3.9 Ensure that wastewater in the City of Montebello is safely and efficiently conveyed and treated under all demand scenarios, including existing and future average and peak flow sewer flow scenarios.

A3.9a
Prepare a City-wide Sewer Master Plan including the preparation of a city-wide sewer hydraulic model to evaluate existing and future capacities, sewer line integrity and develop a prioritized Capital Improvement Plan for sewer infrastructure. R Short-term
PW
$$$ CIP, Grants
SD
A3.9b Coordinate with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts to ensure adequate regional treatment and conveyance capacity under future land uses. R On-going PW, SD
$$$ CIP, Grants
PCD
A3.9c
Construct, maintain, and revitalize wastewater infrastructure as needed throughout the City in response to changes in demands land use patterns and aging infrastructure and incorporate fair cost-sharing policies between beneficiaries, developers, water suppliers and the City. SE R On-going
PW
$$$ CIP, Grants
SD
Stormwater
P3.10 Utilize and maintain a robust stormwater conveyance system that protects the City from flooding impacts while seeking multi-benefit solutions including water quality.

A3.10a
Prepare a City-wide Storm Drain Master Plan in coordination with LADPW to evaluate existing and future capacities, storm drain line integrity and develop a prioritized Capital Improvement Plan for storm drain infrastructure. SE R Short-term
PW
$$$ General Fund
PCD
A3.10b
Develop and refine cost-sharing policies for new developments in the City that require capacity improvements for local storm drain infrastructure so that costs are equitably split between beneficiaries, developers, and the City. SE R Short-term
PW
$$$ CIP, Grants, General
Fund
PCD
A3.10c
Promote regional multi-benefit stormwater projects through the participation in the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed Group and Enhanced Watershed Management Plan. R
On-going
PW
$$$ CIP, Grants, General
Fund PCD
P3.11 Effectively treat all urban runoff and stormwater and ensure that local groundwater supplies and downstream receiving waters are protected.

A3.11a
Maintain and update City-level regulatory language that ensures that all new development complies with pertinent regional and State-level stormwater treatment requirements. SE R
On-going PW $ General Fund
A3.11b
Inspect all new developments during both construction and operational phases for compliance with local, regional, and state level water quality regulations. SE R
On-going
PW
$ General Fund
PCD
A3.11c Encourage the implementation of low impact design features for all new developments and redevelopments within the City. SE R On-going PW
$ General Fund
PCD
Electricity and Natural Gas
P3.122 Ensure that all City residents are safely and affordably supplied with electricity and natural gas throughout all future buildout scenarios.

A3.12a
Review local and regional demand and supply planning documentation to ensure that improvements can be adequately prepared for and trends in power demand and generation are followed. SE R
On-going
PW
$ General Fund, Grants
SoCal Gas, SCE
A3.12b
Maintain City capital improvement plans to ensure that any necessary connections or upgrades are adequately funded and constructed in a time efficient manner. SE R
On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
SoCal Gas, SCE
P3.12 Provide and maintain adequate and orderly systems for the efficient collection and disposal of solid waste for existing and future development.

A3.13a
Coordinate with solid waste service provider to ensure that waste pickup, recycling, and disposal occurs in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible.

R
On-going
PW
$ General Fund, Grants
Waste Industries
A3.13b Conduct Citywide outreach and education to reduce solid waste generation at the household and business level to minimize landfill loading. R Mid-term PW $$ General Fund, Grants

236 Montebello General Plan

4. Our Accessible Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P4.1 Support and promote walking, biking, and other nonvehicular modes as an alternative to driving within Montebello.

A4.1a
Prepare and adopt an active transportation plan (ATP) with bicycle and pedestrian improvements built upon the San Gabriel Valley Council of Government (SGVCOG) recommendations. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund

PCD, MPD
A4.1b
Balance the provision of on-street bike lanes and regional bikeways along arterial roads with on-street bike routes/boulevards and local-serving bikeways along residential streets. VZ SE R
Short-term PW $ Grants, General Fund
A4.1c
Coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions to ensure that the City’s bikeways are connected and consistent with existing and planned bikeways at the City limits.

VZ SE R
Short-term PW $ Grants, General Fund
A4.1d Facilitate non-motorized connectivity to key destinations in the city through bicycle- and pedestrian-oriented wayfinding signage. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.1e
Improve access to the Rio Hondo River Trail by opening additional access points and positioning wayfinding between the trail and key destinations in Montebello. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
Developers PCD, Developers
A4.1f Require new development projects to provide adequate bicycle and pedestrian access, plus the provision of safe and secure bicycle parking. VZ SE R On-going PW
$$ Grants, Developers,
PCD, Developers General Fund
A4.1g
Enhance the pedestrian and bicycle experience in the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan area and other key destinations through amenities such as wide sidewalks, low-stress bikeways, landscaping, pedestrian-oriented lighting, high-visibility crosswalks, and other improvements. VZ SE R On-going PW $$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
A4.1h
Establish citywide mode split and VMT targets as a means to reduce traffic congestion, support healthy communities, and improve accessibility by transit-dependent populations. VZ SE R Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
P4.2 Promote the use of public transit through high-quality local and regional transit service and facilities.

A4.2a
Partner with LA Metro to improve regional bus routes that serve Montebello through modifications to headways and hours of operation, adjustments to bus stop locations, and modification of routes to serve new development areas. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
LA Metro
A4.2b Coordinate with Montebello Bus Lines (MBL) to improve geographic and temporal bus service coverage throughout the city. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$ Grants, General Fund
MBL
A4.2c Reorient MBL routes or provide new routes to serve the future Gold Line Greenwood Station and new areas of development in the city. VZ SE R Mid-term PW
$ Grants, General Fund
MBL
A4.2d
Enhance bus stops in the city incorporating high-quality transit stop design and amenities that creating a simple, legible, and pleasant experience at the bus stop.

VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
MBL
A4.2e
Coordinate with Metrolink to enhance the Montebello/Commerce Station’s passenger amenities, bus transfer facilities, parking facilities, and other elements to encourage rail ridership in the city. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
Metrolink
A4.2f Coordinate land use and transportation planning efforts to develop transit-supportive land uses near existing and future major transit hubs.VZ SE R Mid-term PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD, MBL, LA Metro
A4.2g
Partner with LA Metro as Gold Line alignment and planned Greenwood Station alternatives are studied to ensure that the final station siting and configuration (e.g., at grade or above grade) maximizes accessibility and minimizes negative effects on other modes and safety. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
LA Metro
A4.2h
Improve connectivity within growth neighborhoods, areas of opportunity and for transit-dependent populations to enhance access to local and regional transit services. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD

Part D: Implementation 237
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P4.3 Foster multimodal accessibility between transit services and destinations within the city.

A4.3a Improve walking and bicycling access to the existing Metrolink Montebello/ Commerce Station and the future Gold Line Greenwood Station. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.3b
Explore the feasibility of establishing a microtransit or fixed-route shuttle service to provide convenient access between the future Gold Line Greenwood Station and key local destinations such as the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan area, City Hall, and the Beverly Boulevard corridor. VZ SE R
Long-term
PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.3c Create small-scale mobility hubs at key multimodal transfer points. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
MBL
A4.3d
Implement larger-scale mobility hubs along Montebello Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue to facilitate multimodal access to/from the future Gold Line Station. VZ SE R
Mid-term
PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
MBL
P4.4 Manage parking and develop curbside regulations to balance the needs for parking, passenger loading, and commercial loading while avoiding negative effects to the walking, biking, and transit experience.

A4.4a
Update the City’s curb regulations to balance the needs for on-street parking, rideshare-based passenger loading, e-commerce deliveries, and other modes in areas with high demand. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.4b
Develop a parking management plan and/or district surrounding the future Gold Line Greenwood Station to reduce spillover parking onto residential streets and secondary negative effects on walking and bicycling. VZ SE R Mid-term
PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.4c
Establish parking management plans for the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan area and along key corridors such as Beverly Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard and Montebello Boulevard/Greenwood Avenue to balance the parking needs of diverse land uses and the circulation needs of people walking, bicycling, and taking transit. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.4d
Update the City’s parking code to allow shared parking arrangements, flexible parking standards and parking in-lieu fees in mixed-use areas and/or in proximity of high-quality transit. VZ SE R Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD

238 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P4.5 Provide a network of complete streets that are safe and accessible for all transportation modes and users, including those with impaired mobility, with a system of multimodal and context-appropriate roadways that support a shift to alternative travel modes and a reduction in VMT..

A4.5a Develop and formally adopt a citywide Complete Streets Ordinance. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$ Grants, General Fund

PCD, MPD
A4.5b
Utilize a Complete Streets approach that acknowledges all users when improving existing transportation facilities or designing new transportation facilities in the city. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund

PCD, MPD
A4.5c
Adopt and implement updated roadway classifications that reflect the various multimodal needs and land use contexts in different areas of the city including the downtown area. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.5d
Consider the implementation of two-way center turn lanes and raised medians along currently undivided roadways to improve traffic flow, safety, and crossing distances. VZ SE R
Short-term
PW
$$-$$$ Grants, General Fund
PD
A4.5e Implement active transportation improvements when roadways are undergoing rehabilitation, resurfacing, or other modifications. VZ SE R On-going PW $-$$$ Grants, General Fund Developers
A4.5f
Incorporate regional and national design guidance from LA Metro and NACTO, and other best practice guidebooks into local roadway design standards. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.5g Ensure that roadway designs safely accommodate goods movement in the City’s industrial areas. VZ SE R On-going PW $ Grants, General Fund A4.5h Develop a citywide roadway network that ensures funds and improvements are distributed equitably among the City’s different neighborhoods. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$ Grants, General Fund

PCD, CM
A4.5i
Regularly review and update the local truck route network to accommodate existing and future multimodal transportation needs and complement the local built environment. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$ General Fund

PCD, MPD
P4.6 Balance local and regional vehicular throughput needs, as well as their effects on other modes of travel.

A4.6a Require new development projects to assess effects on local traffic operations as part of non-CEQA analysis. VZ SE R On-going
PW
$ General Fund
PD, Developer
A4.6b Partner with Caltrans and LA Metro on regional highway planning to reduce congestion on local roadway facilities. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$-$$ Grants, General Fund
LA Metro, Caltrans
A4.6c Partner with Caltrans to ensure that freeway ramp intersection signal timing plans complement signal timing at City-operated traffic signals. VZ R Short-term PW
$$ Grants, General Fund
Caltrans
A4.6d
As appropriate, establish flexible vehicular operational standards along facilities that serve mixed-uses and are key to bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, such as within the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan area. VZ SE R Short-term
PW
$ Grants, General Fund
PCD
A4.6e
Monitor residential streets and implement traffic calming as needed to discourage cut-through traffic, developing strategies in conjunction with the neighborhood at large.VZ SE R On-going PW $$ Grants, General Fund
A4.6f
Reclassify roadways under the City’s functional classification so that they better complement their surrounding land use context and provide the street space to better serve future bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users. VZ SE R Short-term PW, PCD $ Grants, General Fund

Part D: Implementation 239
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P4.7 Provide a network of complete streets that are safe and accessible for all transportation modes and users, including those with impaired mobility, with a system of multimodal and context-appropriate roadways that support a shift to alternative travel modes and a reduction in VMT..

A4.7a
Enhance safety at current rail at-grade crossings, including those for Metrolink and the future Gold Line alignment, through improve signage, striping, and signage to increase visibility for all roadway users. VZ SE R On-going
PW, PD
$$ General Fund, Grants
LA Metro, Metrolink
A4.7b
Explore opportunities to provide grade-separated bicycle and pedestrian crossings at locations where railroad tracks serve as a barrier to direct walking and bicycling connectivity, such as residential streets cut off by railroad tracks. VZ SE R
Long-term
PW, PD
$$$ General Fund, Grants
Consultant
A4.7c Regularly review multimodal crash statistics along key corridors and at major intersections to inform roadway safety improvements. VZ SE R On-going PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
PCD
A4.7d
As the future Gold Line routing and station plans are finalized, work with LA Metro to ensure safe pedestrian access, minimize disruptions to local circulation, and conflicts with other modes. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
PD, LA Metro
A4.7e Encourage Caltrans to provide safe pedestrian crossings and other facilities at freeway ramps.VZ SE R On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
Caltrans
A4.7f Require new developments to prepare emergency evacuation plans as appropriate.

VZ R On-going
PW
PD, Developer, MFD, $$ General Fund, Grants
MPD
A4.7g
Ensure that the City’s citywide circulation network maintains emergency response access, including along key north-south and east-west corridors. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants

PD, MFD, MPD
A4.7h Monitor and implement improvements as needed for safe walking and bicycling access to schools. VZ SE R On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants

MBL, PD
A4.7i Utilize educational strategies to improve awareness of safe walking, biking, and driving habits.VZ SE R On-going
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
PD
P4.8 Ensure the City’s transportation network and planning efforts incorporate new transportation technologies while also preparing for the needs of potential future technologies and modes.

A4.8a Incorporate micromobility services such as bicycle- and scooter-share into first/ last mile improvements. VZ SE R Short-term PW, MBL, PD $ General Fund, Grants A4.8b
Explore the feasibility of implementing microtransit service between Metrolink, the future Gold Line Greenwood Station, and key destinations and attractors in the city. VZ SE R
On-going
PCD
$$ General Fund, Grants
MBL, PW, LA Metro
A4.8c
Incorporate shared mobility services passenger loading and ecommerce-based commercial loading into curb space planning in high-demand areas such as the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan area. VZ SE R
On-going PW, MBL, PD $ General Fund, Grants
A4.8d Design future parking structures in a flexible manner that allows conversion to other uses in the future. R Mid-term
PW
$$ General Fund, Grants
Metro, MBL
A4.8e Monitor and evaluate the development of new mobility technologies. R On-going PW, MBL, PD $ General Fund, Grants

240 Montebello General Plan

5. Our Healthy Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Built Environment
P5.1 Create and enhance equitable access to spaces that will foster positive interactions and encourage healthy lifestyles.

A5.1a
Create public spaces with seating, art, and play features near shopping and business areas of the City (partner with restaurants to create sidewalk outdoor seating areas to activate the sidewalk). SE R
Mid-Term
PCD
$$ General Fund, Grants
Restaurants, PW
A5.1b Ensure that parks, recreation facilities, and other community services are equitably distributed and accessible throughout the community. SE R On-going RCS
$$ General Fund, Grants
PD
A5.1c
Partner with the Montebello School District to provide joint-use facilities and/ or seek agreements and joint ventures with private entities to increase physical activity. SE R
On-going
RCS
$ General Fund, Grants
MSD
P5.2 Create a multimodal transportation system that encourages active living and healthy lifestyles in all areas of the City across a broad spectrum of ages, interests, and abilities.

A5.2a
Use recreation programming and community health education to encourage and promote physical activity, healthy eating, and other healthy lifestyle habits. SE R
On-going
CS
$ General Fund, Grants

PD, YMCA
A5.2b
Use the City’s website, newsletter, and social media accounts to promote walking and bicycling including promoting active transportation to events and maintaining a public user-friendly map-based inventory of bike routes and parking facilities. SE R
On-going PAIT, PD $ General Fund, Grants
Access to Healthy Food
P5.3 Improve the neighborhood retail environment.

A5.3a Adopt land use regulations to limit unhealthy food outlet density (such as fast food, liquor, and convenience stores). SE R Short-term PCD $ General Fund, Grants A5.3b
Identify and utilize incentives, grants, and/or programs to encourage: SE R • Restaurants to create a healthier dining experience for customers (ex. highlighting healthy options, offering smaller portions); and • Existing convenience/corner stores to sell fresh foods.

Short-term
PCD
$ General Fund, Grants
Restaurants
A5.3c
Promote healthy lifestyles, activities, and food choices at City facilities and City-organized events by requiring healthy food/beverage options (when food is present) and adopting a healthy food procurement policy including increasing the availability of water. SE R
On-going

PD, RCS
$ General Fund, Grants
YMCA, Restaurants
Noise
P5.4 Minimize noise impacts to ensure that noise does not detract from Montebello’s quality of life.

A5.4a Manage relationship between homes and major noise sources through zoning and environmental review and design measures. SE R On-going PCD
$ General Fund, Grants
Developers
A5.4b
Require development projects to implement mitigation measures, where necessary, to reduce exterior and interior noise levels to meet adopted standards and criteria. Require mixed-use structures to minimize the transfer of noise from commercial uses to residential uses. SE R
On-going
PCD
$ General Fund, Grants
Developers
A5.4c Discourage through traffic in neighborhoods through noise-attenuating roadway materials, and modifications to street design. VZ SE R On-going PD
$ General Fund, Grants
PW
A5.4d
Minimize stationary noise impacts on sensitive receptors, and require control of noise from construction activities, private developments/ residences, landscaping activities, and special events. SE R
On-going
PD
$ General Fund, Grants
Developers Developers
P5.5 Minimize excessive construction-related noise and vibrations.

A5.5a Adopt and implement measures that reduce construction noise and vibrations.

SE R Short-term PCD $ General Fund, Grants
A5.5b
Construction plans submitted to the City shall include construction noise analysis (and vibration analysis where applicable) and identify measures to mitigate excessive noise and vibrations associated with demolition, grading, and construction plans. SE R
On-going PCD $ General Fund, Grants

Part D: Implementation 241

6. Our Safe Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Mental Health
P5.6 Promote opportunities for people to build connections with their peers, neighbors, and the greater community supporting inter-generational and inter‐cultural programs, activities, and events.

A5.6
Engage residents in community conversations and volunteer opportunities so they can find fulfillment in ways that benefit themselves and the community. SE R
On-going
PCD
$ General Funds, Grants

CM, YMCA, RCS
P5.7 Facilitate contact with nature through network of public and private green space.

A5.7a Prioritize new parks in areas underserved by parks and open space. SE R On-going RCS
$$ General Funds, Grants
PD
A5.7b Remove barriers and enhance access to existing parks. SE R On-going RCS
$$ General Funds, Grants
PD
A5.7c Amend development regulations to require new development to provide a range of public and private open spaces. SE R Short-term
RCS
$$ General Funds, Grants
PD
P5.8 Harnesses naturally occurring power of the sun, direction of wind and other climatic effects to maintain consistent indoor temperatures and occupant comfort.

A5.8a Encourage correct orientation of buildings with appropriate fenestration that bring natural light into buildings. SE R On-going
PD
$$ General Funds, Grants
Developer
A5.8b Increase access to the Rio Hondo Channel. SE R Mid-term PD
$$$ General Funds, Grants

RCS, ACE, RMC
A5.8c Support range of transportation options for seniors that allow them to maintain their independence to get around town and stay connected. VZ SE R On-going PD
$$ General Funds, Grants
MBL
Police
P6.1 Promote crime prevention strategies.

A6.1a Continue to support crime prevention and neighborhood watch programs throughout the city. SE R On-going
MPD
$ General Funds
PCD
A6.1b Follow principles for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) to reduce neighborhood crime and violence. SE R On-going MPD
$ General Funds
PCD
A6.1c Reduce opportunities for criminal activity through physical design standards, recreation opportunities, educational programs, and counseling services. SE R On-going MPD
$ General Funds
PCD
A6.1d Incorporate natural surveillance principles and best practices into development codes and review processes. SE R On-going
MPD
$ General Funds
PCD
P6.2 Encourage efforts to improve the image of safety in neighborhoods.

A6.2a Build social relationships within neighborhoods to reduce crime by facilitating community action. SE R On-going MPD $ General Funds
A6.2b Strongly supports community policing efforts. SE R On-going MPD $ General Funds P6.3 Prevent bicycle and pedestrian accidents.

A6.3a
Design local streets to minimize traffic volumes and/or speed, as appropriate, without compromising connectivity for emergency first responders, bicycles, and pedestrians. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$ CIP, ATP, Grants,
General Funds PCD, MPD, MFD, MBL
A6.3b
Use traffic calming tools to assist in implementing complete street principles.

Possible tools include roundabouts, curb extensions, high visibility crosswalks, and separated bicycle infrastructure. VZ SE R
On-going
PW
$$ CIP, ATP, Grants,
General Funds PCD, MPD, MFD, MBL

242 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Fire
P6.4 Provide a high level of fire protection service in the community.

A6.4a Maintain an average fire department response time of less than 3 minutes to emergency calls for service. SE On-going MFD $ General Funds, Grants A6.4b
Continue to secure adequate equipment and attract and retain personnel while collaborating with neighboring jurisdiction and partner agencies to adequately respond to emergencies and incidents in all parts of the City. VZ SE R On-going MFD $$ General Funds, Grants
P6.5 Maintain a current Emergency Operations Plan.

A6.5 Regularly review and update the City’s safety plan every two years. SE R On-going MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
P6.6 Minimize damage and maximize resilience from emergencies.

A6.6a
Consult and collaborate with federal, state, and regional agencies to identify and regulate the disposal and storage of hazardous materials, and prevent the illegal transportation and disposal of hazardous waste. SE R
On-going
MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
A6.6b Collaborate with appropriate agencies to identify and inventory all users and handlers of hazardous materials to proactively mitigate potential impacts. SE R On-going MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
A6.6c
Determine the presence of hazardous materials and/or waste contamination prior to approval of new uses and require that appropriate measures be taken to protect the health and safety of site users and the community. SE R On-going
MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
A6.6d Improve public awareness of best practices for and participation in household hazardous waste management and disposal. SE R On-going
MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
A6.6e
Partner and collaborate with property owners, businesses, and community groups to develop strategies to protect and minimize risks from existing hazardous material sites to existing nearby sensitive uses. SE R On-going
MPD
$ General Funds, Grants
MFD
Climate Vulnerability and Resilience
P6.7 Identify and appraise the geologic and seismic hazards within the community. Reduce the loss of life, damage to property, and the economic and social dislocations resulting from future earthquakes.

A6.7a Continue to update land use standards and development regulations related to the level of seismic hazards as new data and regulations become available. R On-going PCD $ General Funds A6.7b
Require all aspects of the earthquake, fault rupture, liquefaction, and related seismic hazard evaluation process (planning, investigation, analysis, reporting, review, construction, and operations) for new development and redevelopment to be conducted and independently reviewed by qualified professionals. R On-going
PCD
$ General Funds, Grants
Developer
A6.7c
Require new or substantially remodeled development located within areas of liquefaction potential to be properly designed and constructed for to earthquake safety, and require all development (including City-owned facilities) to comply with established seismic safety standards. R
On-going
PCD, Developer
$$ General Funds, Grants

CM, RCS
A6.7d
In the northern portion of the City above the projected location of the Puente Hills Blind Thrust Fault Zone, consider the development of potential Co-Seismic Hazard Management Zones (CSHMZs) for new construction and redevelopment to evaluate the potential impacts of surface movements such as uplift and ground tilting. R
Short-term
PCD
$$ General Funds, Grants
MFD, Developer
Fire Safety
P6.8 Provide protection from wild and urban fire hazards to persons, property, and city assets.

A6.8a
Develop a “City of Montebello Water Master Plan” and upgrade water lines throughout the city to ensure that they provide adequate fire flows necessary for firefighting. R
Short-term

PW, MFD
$$ Grants, General Funds
WP, Consultant
A6.8b
Provide adequate staffing, equipment, technology, training and funding for the Montebello Fire Department to ensure that the department is continually equipped and trained to meet existing and projected service demands and response times. R
On-going MFD $$ Grants, General Funds
A6.8c
Continue to use the development review process to project plans to the Fire Department and other reviewing agencies for fire safety review, including building materials, access, and circulation. R
On-going PCD, MFD $ Grants, General Funds

Part D: Implementation 243
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners A6.8d Inspect all fire hydrants for operational readiness on an annual basis, and repair and/or replace all defective hydrants. R On-going
MFD
$ Grants, General Funds

BD, MPD
A6.8e
Use public funding, where available and practical, to assist private landowners in implementing defensible space and building retrofits to achieve a low-risk condition. R
On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8f
Ensure that all existing and new residential development located in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones have at least two emergency evacuation routes as well as adequate evacuation access (ingress and egress). R
On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8g
Sponsor and support public education programs, such as neighborhood events, the Montebello Fire Department website, social media content, and printed educational materials to promote defensible space standards and emergency evacuation protocols. R
On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8h
Maintain a maximum response time of 5 minutes for fire suppression services.

Require new development to ensure that fire response times and service standards are maintained. R On-going
MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A6.8i Implement fire prevention and suppression programs in areas of high fire hazard areas, including both urban and wildland areas. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8j Maintain adequate fire breaks in areas within and adjacent to areas of high wildfire hazard. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8k Coordinate firefighting efforts with local, state, and federal agencies. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8l Increase the resilience of existing development in high-hazard areas built prior to modern fire safety codes or wildfire hazard mitigation guidance. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8m Maintain adequate fire suppression capability in areas of intensifying urban development, as well as areas where urban uses and open spaces mix. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8n
Continue annual brush inspections and enforce clearance requirements on public and private property within the Wildland Urban Interface and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones, as dictated by CAL FIRE, in accordance with the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Safe Regulations, California Building Standards Code, and Montebello Municipal Code related to ongoing maintenance of vegetation clearance on public and private roads, roadside fuel reduction plan, and defensible space clearances. R
On-going MFD $$ Grants, General Funds
A6.8o
Increase the resilience of new development in the Wildland Urban Interface and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones in compliance with the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Safe Regulations, California Building Standards Code, and Montebello Municipal Code. Require all new development to be served by a water system that meets applicable fire flow requirements. R On-going
MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
BD
A6.8p
Increase the resilience of existing development in the Wildland Urban Interface and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones built prior to modern fire safety codes or wildfire hazard mitigation guidance in compliance with the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Safe Regulations, California Building Standards Code, and Montebello Municipal Code. R
On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8q
Require development of new public facilities, when feasible, to be located outside of and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones to ensure critical infrastructure is fire resilient. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8r
Maintain a maximum response time of 5 minutes for fire suppression services.

Require new development to ensure that fire response times and service standards are maintained. R On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8s
Ensure that re-development after a large fire complies with the requirements for construction in the Wildland Urban Interface and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones. R
On-going MFD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.8t
Ensure that the planning and design of development in and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones minimizes wildfire hazards and includes adequate provisions for vegetation management, emergency vehicle access, and firefighting while also complying with current fire codes. R
On-going
MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
PD

244 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners A6.8u Require fire protection plans for new development in and any other future designated wildfire hazard zones. R On-going MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A6.8v Require visible home and street addressing, and signage across the city. R On-going PD $ Grants, General Funds A6.8x
The Montebello Police and Fire Departments should routinely assess and project future emergency service needs associated with wildland and urban fire hazards.

R
On-going MFD, MPD $ Grants, General Funds
Flood Safety
P6.9 Minimize the risks from flooding and related hazards to persons, property, and city assets.

A6.9a
Cooperate with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other local, state, and federal agencies involved in preparing and implementing flood standards and regulations. R
On-going

PW, MFD
$$ Grants, General Funds

LACFCD, FEMA
A6.9b
Support public education programs on flood protection and emergency preparedness and procedures. Prioritize language appropriate outreach and public education programs for the city’s vulnerable populations as identified by the Healthy Places Index. R
On-going

PW, MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
PAIT
A6.9c
Maintain storm drains to prevent local and stormwater flooding and encourage residents to assist in maintaining those drains that are the responsibility of the homeowner. R
On-going PW $ Grants, General Funds
A6.9d
Whenever feasible, locate new essential public facilities, including health care facilities, emergency shelters, fire stations, emergency command centers, and emergency communications facilities, outside flood hazard and dam inundation zones. R
On-going

RCS, MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
HS
A6.9e
Continue to maintain and upgrade the city-operated flood control system to ensure it can protect existing and planned development. Include evaluations of the system under projected changes in storm frequency and intensity. R On-going PW $ Grants, General Funds
A6.9f
Require that all aspects of the dam failure flood/inundation evaluation process (planning, investigation, analysis, reporting, review, construction, and operations) for new development and redevelopment be conducted and independently reviewed by qualified professionals. R
On-going

PCD, PW
$$ Grants, General Funds
Consultant
A6.9g Request that the Los Angeles County Flood Control District regularly assess all dams upstream from Montebello for earthquake soundness. R On-going PW
$$ Grants, General Funds
LACFCD
Extreme Heat Resilience
P6.10 Minimize potential threats to public health and safety from extreme heat events.

A6.10a
Promote and expand the use of drought-tolerant green infrastructure, street trees, and landscaped areas, as part of cooling strategies in public and private spaces and promote the addition of shade structures in public spaces. R On-going
PD
$ Grants, General Funds

PW, MBL
A6.10b
Continue to provide access to cooling centers during extreme heat events, prioritizing outreach to vulnerable populations such as seniors and under-resourced individuals who do not have air conditioning. R
On-going
RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
YMCA, Library
A6.10c Expand public outreach and warning systems to increase preparedness for extreme heat events. R On-going PAIT $ Grants, General Funds A6.10d Explore opportunities to incorporate cool pavement practices into new streetscape or urban design. R On-going PD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A6.10e Promote the use of cool roofs to reduce the urban heat island effect. R On-going BD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer

Part D: Implementation 245
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Geology and Soil Hazards
P6.11 Minimize the risks of geotechnical hazards to persons, property, and city assets.

A6.11a
Encourage development in low hazards areas and implement actions that minimize changes to the natural topography and drainages. Protect public safety and reduce potential property damage due to geologic and soil hazards by using proper design and construction techniques. R
On-going
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds

MFD, PW
A6.11b
Require that all aspects of the geotechnical and engineering geology evaluation process (planning, investigation, analysis, reporting, review, construction, and operations) for new development and redevelopment be conducted and independently reviewed by qualified professionals. R On-going
PW
$ Grants, General Funds
MFD
A6.11c Regulate development in Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones consistent with levels of acceptable risk. R On-going
BD
$ Grants, General Funds
MFD
A6.11d
Prioritize that siting of new critical use facilities be based on comprehensive geotechnical evaluation and consideration of seismic and other geotechnical hazards. R
On-going
BD
$ Grants, General Funds
MFD
Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
P6.12 Take necessary steps to establish and maintain the City’s capability to respond promptly and effectively to emergencies.

A6.12a
Review service levels regularly and adjust service accordingly to meet the demands of continued growth in population, development, tourism, and other factors which could change the needs for emergency services. R On-going MFD, MPD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.12b
Establish designated emergency response and evacuation routes throughout the city, for each climate hazard (e.g., flooding, fire, etc.), focusing on the most vulnerable populations including seniors and geographically isolated individuals. R Short-term

MFD, MPD
$ Grants, General Funds
RM
A6.12c
Regularly update and maintain emergency preparedness and evacuation plans; create public information/education programs to enable coordinated response, recovery, and mitigation efforts by the city and other governmental agencies. R On-going

MFD, MPD
$ Grants, General Funds
RM
A6.12d Foster cooperation with neighboring cities and agencies to enhance mutual aid opportunities following natural hazard events. R On-going MFD, MPD $ Grants, General Funds A6.12e Ensure operational readiness of the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

R On-going
RM
$ Grants, General Funds

MFD, MPD
A6.12f Adopt, monitor, and maintain service delivery objectives based on national time standards for all fire, rescue and emergency response services. R Short-term

MFD, MPD
$ Grants, General Funds
RM
A6.12g
Coordinate with other area jurisdictions and local community groups and businesses to execute a variety of exercises to test operational and emergency plans and identify potential deficiencies in services that may occur during a disaster. R Short-term

RM, MFD, MPD
$ Grants, General Funds
FEMA
A6.12h
Address any deficiencies identified during emergency operations testing exercises by amending the City’s Emergency Operations Plan accordingly. Continue to update the City’s Emergency Operations Plan every five years. R Short-term RM, MFD, MPD $ Grants, General Funds
A6.12i
Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years and evaluate the mitigation plan annually to determine the effectiveness of programs and to reflect changes in land development or programs that may affect mitigation priorities. R Short-term
MFD
$ Grants, General Funds

MPD, PD
A6.12j
Develop and support a network of resilience hubs to facilitate health, food, medical, and emergency services, especially to vulnerable populations during climate hazards such as extreme heat events, flooding, and poor air quality events. R Short-term

MPD, PD
$ Grants, General Funds

RCS, HS
A6.12k
Evaluate critical facilities to assess the feasibility of retrofitting to increase long-term resilience to climate change hazards including extreme heat, extreme precipitation events, and wildfire. R
Short-term
RM, CM
$ Grants, General Funds

PW, RCS, MFD

246 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Disaster Recovery
P6.13 Plan for efficient and rapid recovery from disasters.

A6.13a
Develop and implement plans based off emergency operations testing exercises to conduct orderly and efficient reconstruction of Montebello following a major disaster. R
Short-term

MFD, RM, CM
$ Grants, General Funds

MPD, PW, PCD
A6.13b Ensure that disaster recovery efforts involving the disposal of materials adhere to federal, state and city regulations. R On-going PW, MFD $ Grants, General Funds A6.13c
To the extent possible, ensure that appropriate and effective action is taken to safeguard life and property during and immediately after emergencies, and assist in returning their lives and businesses to normal following a major event. R On-going

MPD, MFD
$ Grants, General Funds
CM, BD
A6.13d Ensure transparency and access to language appropriate public information throughout the disaster recovery process. R On-going
PAIT
$ Grants, General Funds
CM

7. Our Active Community
Access
P7.1 Expand park inventory to strive for the standard of 5 acres per 1000 residents.

A7.1a Amend development code to require new development to provide its fair share of public and private open spaces. SE R Immediate
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A7.1b Provide parks, open spaces, and trails at Montbello Hills. SE R Short-term Developer
$ Grants, General Funds
PCD
A7.1c Provide parks, open spaces, and trails along the Edison Easement. SE R Mid-term RCS
$ Grants, General Funds

PD, SCE
A7.1d Increase access to the Rio Hondo trail. SE R Short-term RCS, PD, RMC, ACE $ Grants, General Funds A7.1e
Collaborate with the school district to facilitate access and community use of school grounds when school is closed. Develop a joint use agreement with the school district to ensure the partnership is equitable. SE R On-going MUSD, RCS, PD $ Grants, General Funds
P7.2 Ensure the maximum distance between residents’ homes and the nearest public park is 1/2 mile.

A7.2
Expand the overall parks and recreation system through repurposing public land like excess street-space, partnering with other organizations like Montebello School District, churches, and similar institutional uses for access and joint use of open space and facilities, and use other creative means to help address service gaps in available open spaces. SE R
Mid-term
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds

MUSD, RI
P7.3 Promote, expand, and protect a green infrastructure that links the natural habitat.

A7.3a Prepare a citywide Green Infrastructure Framework. VZ SE R Short-term PW
$$ Grants, General Funds
PD, RCS, Consultant
A7.3b Use parks as functional landscapes that perform green stormwater infrastructure and flood mitigation roles to enhance resiliency, recreational use, and beauty. R Short-term RCS, PD, PW $ Grants, General Funds A7.3c Encourage simple, small, and low-cost demonstration green infrastructure projects both in the public and private realm. VZ SE R Short-term

PD, PW, RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A7.3d Include an urban trails signage program that connects corridors and trails within the City to other regional trails. VZ SE R Short-term
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds

PCD, RMC, ACE, SGV

Part D: Implementation 247
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P7.4 Identify and remove barriers to access parks. Encourage walking and biking as preferred way to get to and from parks.

A7.4a Increase the number of entrances to existing parks to expand the number of residents within walking distance of a park. VZ SE R On-going RCS $ Grants, General Funds A7.4b Proactively plan entrances and access points for new parks to ensure the greatest number of residents are within walking distance.VZ SE R On-going RCS $ Grants, General Funds A7.4c Prioritize new access or entry points near existing mobility networks, including sidewalks, bike routes, trails, and transit. VZ SE R On-going PD, PW
$$ Grants, General Funds
MBL
P7.5 Make parks safer.

A7.5a
Design parks to be in the line of sight of adjacent land uses and activities to ensure visibility. The frontages of the buildings should have active edges such as front doors, windows, and storefronts. SE R
On-going
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds
PD
A7.5b Lighting should direct movement between destinations. VZ SE R On-going Businesses, Developer $ Grants, General Funds A7.5c Increase presence of security officers in parks of concern. SE R On-going RCS $ Grants, General Funds Facilities and Amenities
P7.6 Address deferred maintenance of citywide park system.

A7.6a Prioritize maintenance items that need immediate repair. Evaluate the list annually to create priorities to be addressed. SE R Short-term PW
$$ Grants, General Funds
CM
A7.6b Consider outsourcing service repairs as needed to meet the demand for deferred maintenance. SE R Short-term PW $$ Grants, General Funds P7.7 Explore adding indoor facilities, recreation, teen, and Senior Centers.

A7.7a Find underutilized areas within the key growth areas of the City for additional indoor facilities, recreation, teen and senior centers. SE R Short-term EDD $ Grants, General Funds A7.7b Study the feasibility of adding a recreation facility on the western edge of town.

SE R Mid-term
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds
Consultant
P7.8 Develop flexible use areas that can be used for multiple events and activities.

A7.8a Assess the feasibility of creating a multi-use field at Reggie Rodriguez and Grant Rea Parks. SE R Mid-term
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds
Consultant
A7.8b Identify areas for multi-use fields. SE R Short-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds P7.9 Provide diverse programs and events.

A7.9a Install outdoor fitness and exercise equipment in programmable spaces in neighborhood parks. SE R Short-term RCS $$ Grants, General Funds A7.9b Increase and enhance programs for individuals with disabilities. Consider programmatic ADA inclusion requirements. SE Short-term RCS $$ Grants, General Funds A7.9c Offer organized walking programs for seniors and families in safe environments.

VZ SE R Short-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds
A7.9d Offer additional enrichment classes for Seniors, using contract or volunteer instructors to maintain affordability. SE R Short-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds A7.9e Offer special events in neighborhood parks that reinforces its unique sense of place and community. SE R Short-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds A7.9f
Develop partnerships with environmental advocacy groups, schools, and educators to offer environmental education programs and camps in local parks and open spaces. SE R
Mid-term
RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
MUSD

248 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P7.10 Provide multi-purpose courts to accommodate trends and more variety in court sports.

A7.10
Identify existing courts that can be converted to multi-purpose courts. Prioritize multi-purpose courts in areas where level of service is lacking. Add multi-purpose courts including line striping for sports that are growing in demand. SE R Mid-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds
P7.11 Communicate recreation opportunities to city residents.

A7.11 Develop a marketing plan that includes outreach, pricing, promotion, program mix and social media. SE R Mid-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds Capacity
P7.12 Strive for financial resiliency to provide, maintain, & operate parks & recreational programs into an uncertain future.

A7.12a Reevaluate user fees for services to ensure it covers staffing, maintenance, and upkeep. SE R Mid-term
RCS
$$ Grants, General Funds
Consultant
A7.12b Assure that the City’s Park Impact Fee Ordinance is kept current and reflects the appropriate impact fee for residential development. R Mid-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds A7.12c
Consider expanding volunteer opportunities such as Adopt-a-Park, Teen Internships, Neighborhood Cleanups, Habitat Restoration, Youth Sports Coaches and Officials, etc. to enhance volunteer efforts in the City. SE R Long-term
RCS
$ Grants, General Funds

YMCA, MUSD
P7.13 Create and promote opportunities to participate/ volunteer in the expansion/maintenance/operations of parks, recreation, events, projects & programs.

A7.13a
Use the City website and MyMontebello app to promote special events and allow public to report any graffiti, or street, sidewalk, light, tree problem, or issues at parks. SE R
On-going
PAIT
$ Grants, General Funds

PW, RCS
A7.13b Create a parks map with safe walking path to parks, with mileage information.

VZ SE R Mid-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds
P7.14 Continue to partner with other recreation service providers to develop programs and services to meet changing demand and trends.

A7.14 Coordinate with local recreation providers to reduce duplication of services. R On-going RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
YMCA
P7.15 Explore creative or alternative funding opportunities for programs & capital projects.

A7.15a
Explore establishing a Community Foundation or “Friends of Montebello Parks” organization for the purpose of soliciting park land donations; applying for private grants the City cannot apply for on its own; and for fundraising to acquire park land and open space. R
Mid-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds
A7.15b Explore naming rights, sponsorships and asset management opportunities to create ongoing revenue for maintenance and operations of existing facilities. R Long-term RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
CM
A7.15c
Explore contracts with private business to provide and operate some of the recreational activities which would be financed, constructed, and operated by the private sector with additional compensation paid to the City. R Long-term
EDD
$ Grants, General Funds

MCC, RCS
A7.15d
Explore inter-local agreements between two or more local units of government and/or between a local unit of government and a non-profit organization for the joint usage/development of sports fields, regional parks, or other facilities. R Mid-term
RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
Non-profit Organizations

Part D: Implementation 249

8. Our Creative Community
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Creative Prosperity
P8.1 Increase awareness of the importance of the creative community.

A8.1a Communicate with a unified voice to decision makers about impact of creative businesses on the economy. SE R On-going EDD $ Grants, General Funds A8.1b Brand and market Montebello’s Creative Sector. SE R On-going CM
$ Grants, General Funds

EDD, PAIT
P8.2 Leverage maker economy to grow creative workforce, training, housing, and jobs.

A8.2a
Map and convene the existing community of makers, connecting entrepreneurs to small business supports, investing in incubators and accelerators, and helping low-income entrepreneurs access capital. SE R
On-going
EDD
$ Grants, General Funds
MCC
A8.2b
Drive demand for locally made and manufactured products through “Made Local” and regional brand campaigns, and by creating new business-to-business procurement. SE R
On-going
EDD
$ Grants, General Funds
Businesses
A8.2c
Provide access to affordable and safe production spaces for makers and manufacturers by identifying micro-retail opportunities in existing buildings and new construction. SE R
On-going
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A8.2d Continue to explore development of artists’ live/work spaces, including as part of a mixed-use development in downtown area and along the corridors. SE R On-going PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
P8.3 Expand artistic space, activities and programs in non-traditional venues.

A8.3a Facilitate the temporary & opportunistic use of vacant or underutilized spaces & venues for creative purposes. SE R On-going
EDD
$ Grants, General Funds
MCC
A8.3b Explore use of public buildings such as City Hall, Senior Center, Youth Center, Library, and School buildings for arts activation and promotion. R On-going RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
Library, YMCA, MUSD
A8.3c Expand arts programs, activation, and promotion of local creative events at transit stops, and on buses and trains in partnership with transit agencies. SE R On-going RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
MBL
Creative Placemaking
P8.4 Weave arts and culture into the fabric of the City.

A8.4a Infuse arts, culture, and creativity into neighborhoods, trails, bike paths, streets, parks, and other transit modes. SE R On-going EDD $ Grants, General Funds A8.4b
Ignite public spaces with arts and culture-driven information and media, at gateway locations, Downtown, Civic Center, and along the Rio Hondo Channel.

SE R
Short-term EDD $ Grants, General Funds
P8.5 Make Montebello’s arts, cultural, heritage, and natural attractions visible & accessible to tourists & local audiences.

A8.5a Partner with media outlets (print, radio, online) to maximize existing resources while expanding coverage of arts and cultural endeavors. SE R Short-term PAIT
$ Grants, General Funds

DWN, MN
A8.5b Develop a cultural resource map & directory. SE R Mid-term PCD, RCS $ Grants, General Funds A8.5c Leverage the transit stops to promote attractions/events. SE R Long-term MBL
$ Grants, General Funds
PCD
P8.6 Develop an iconic cultural event.

A8.6 Identify the event promoter with the most promise to serve this role. SE R Mid-term CM, PAIT $ Grants, General Funds

250 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Education for Creativity
P8.7 Engage students and youth in the creative community beyond the classroom.

A8.7a Create citywide art programs for the youth. SE R Mid-term RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
EDD
A8.7b Collaborate with local partners to support art education. SE R Mid-term RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
Businesses
P8.8 Increase partnerships between higher education, cultural organizations and arts entrepreneurs.

A8.8
Host periodic networking events for art educators to identify assets, shared goals, opportunities to scale and share results; and implement collaborative projects.

SE R
Mid-term RCS $ Grants, General Funds
Cultural Equity
P8.9 Enhance public understanding, appreciation, & respect for all cultures, achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion.

A8.9
Create strategic partnerships among artists, activists, businesses, and policymakers to discuss and activate arts and culture roles in strengthening communities.

SE R
Short-term
EDD
$ Grants, General Funds
RCS
P8.10 Expand equity-focused arts and culture investments across public agencies, through budget appropriations, and targeted allocations to artists of color, and cultural institutions serving communities of color and low-income areas.

A8.10a
Include artists of color and cultural representatives on boards, commissions, and other agencies to reflect demographics and interests of their communities, and to inform projects in their neighborhoods. SE R
On-going PCD $ Grants, General Funds
A8.10b Support purchases from artists and cultural groups of color. SE R On-going EDD $ Grants, General Funds P8.11 Increase access to arts and culture in under-resourced neighborhoods.

A8.11a
Maximize use of all city facilities and assets to bring arts programs and cultural activities to each neighborhood, including parks, recreation centers, libraries, and other facilities. SE R
On-going RCD $ Grants, General Funds
A8.11b Recognize and celebrate artistic and creative professionals who live in these neighborhoods. SE R On-going CM $ Grants, General Funds A8.11c Foster use of available and appropriate facilities for studio and living spaces for artists. SE R On-going EDD $ Grants, General Funds
Historic Preservation
P8.12 Create a useful portal to historical information and preservation resources on the City’s web site.

A8.12a
Enhance the City’s existing web page entitled “The History of Montebello” with additional information about the developmental, architectural, and cultural history of Montebello, particularly in the period after its 1920 incorporation. R Short-term PAIT $ Grants, General Funds
A8.12b
Provide links to local history resources like the Montebello Historical Society, and historic preservation resources like those of the Los Angeles Conservancy, the California State Office of Historic Preservation, and the National Park Service. R
Short-term PAIT $ Grants, General Funds
P8.13 Make information related to the City’s historic built environment available on multiple platforms and in varied formats.

A8.13a
Utilize the City’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to promote awareness of local history and highlight sites or topics of local historical significance. R
Short-term
PAIT
$ Grants, General Funds
PCD
A8.13b Promote local knowledge and tourism by developing walking tours of Montebello. R Mid-term PAIT
$ Grants, General Funds
PCD
A8.13c Create a curriculum available to local public and private elementary schools based on local architecture and history. R Long-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds

Part D: Implementation 251
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners P8.14 Promote the importance of integrating new development with the existing building stock, particularly within the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area.

A8.14a
Develop design standards that encourage architectural continuity for infill development within the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area through size, massing, scale, materials, and other relevant factors. SE R Immediate
PD
$$ Grants, General Funds
Developer, Consultant
A8.14b Address issues of continuity and compatibility of typology, massing, design, etc. in future Specific Plans. R On-going
PD
$$ Grants, General Funds
Developer, Consultant
P8.15 Develop a policy framework for evaluating the potential significance of older properties within City limits.

A8.15
Require a Phase I Environmental Assessment when a demolition permit application is submitted for properties that are greater than 50 years of age, to assess preliminary historic eligibility. R
On-going PD $ Grants, General Funds
P8.16 Develop historic context statement(s) to guide future historic resource survey efforts.

A8.16a
Prepare a focused historic context statement for the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area, using the Historic Context Report prepared for the General Plan Update as a foundation. R
Immediate PD $ Grants, General Funds
A8.16b Prepare a citywide historic context statement for Montebello. R Immediate PD $ Grants, General Funds P8.17 Identify potential historical resources within City limits.

A8.17a
Conduct a focused historic resources survey of the Downtown Montebello Specific Plan Area to identify potential historical resources within the City’s historic downtown core. R
Short-term
PCD
$$ Grants, General Funds
Consultant, PAIT
A8.17b Expand survey efforts to other areas of the City as resources permit. R Short-term PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
PAIT
P8.18 Engage community members and stakeholders when identifying potential historical resources.

A8.18
Encourage public participation in the identification of historical resources by maintaining a web page dedicated to local history, and soliciting input from the Montebello Historical Society and other local stakeholders about buildings, sites, and other elements of the City’s built environment that are of interest. SE R Short-term
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
MHS
P8.19 Identify and protect Montebello’s paleontological resources.

A8.19
A Qualified Professional Paleontologist shall be retained by the project applicant to conduct a paleontological resources analysis prior to the beginning of projects involving ground disturbance in geologic units with high paleontological sensitivity to determine whether there is a potential for significant impacts to paleontological resources. Paleontological resources analyses shall be reviewed, approved, and enforced by the City of Montebello. SE R
On-going
PD
$ Developer, General
Funds
Qualified Paleontologist,
Developer
P8.20 Develop policies and procedures enabling the protection of local historical resources.

A8.20a
Adopt a historic preservation ordinance that enables the designation of local sites as historic, listing of these sites on a local register of historical resources, and provision of a level of protection through design review. R Short-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds
A8.20b
Establish a Historic Preservation Commission whose purview includes the designation of local landmarks and the review of proposed changes to historic properties. R
Short-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds
A8.20c
Provide opportunities for regular training and discussion of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and other historic preservation topics for City staff and Commissioners. R
Short-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds
P8.21 Encourage and promote the designation of local historical resources.

A8.21 Implement incentive program(s) to encourage the preservation and maintenance of historical resources. R Short-term PCD $ Grants, General Funds

252 Montebello General Plan
Policies/Actions Timeframe
Responsible Party Lead Cost Funding Source Other Partners Public Art
P8.21 Develop a Public Arts Program.

A8.21a Develop standards to consistently apply the “Percent for Public Art” policy to municipal capital projects. R Short-term
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
RCS
A8.21b Develop standards to consistently apply “Percent for Public Art” policy for private development. R Short-term
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds
Developer
A8.21c Pool public art funds to produce new works in underserved areas of the city. SE R
Short-term PCD $ Art Funds, Grants
A8.21d Protect public art works city-wide through proactive maintenance. R On-going PCD, PW $ Grants, General Funds P8.22 Promote education and interactive components to increase understanding of public art and their contribution to Montebello.

A8.22a Build a digital library of artist videos that tell the story of the pieces and makes the work more accessible. R Mid-term
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds

MCC, PAIT
A8.22b
Activate public art through community-focused educational and interpretive programming. R
Mid-term

PCD, RCS
$ Grants, General Funds
YMCA
P8.23 Integrate public art into the development review & capital improvement program.

A8.23 Identify public art opportunities and engage artists as early as possible in all projects. R On-going PCD $ Grants, General Funds
Capacity and Leadership
P8.24 Ensure that Montebello’s cultural organizations have the necessary resources to succeed.

A8.24a Promote volunteer opportunities in the creative sector through an Arts and Culture e-newsletter. R On-going
PCD
$ Grants, General Funds

RCS, PAIT
A8.24b Encourage & facilitate placement of artists on City Advisory Boards, Commissions, and other leadership bodies. R On-going PCD $ Grants, General Funds A8.24c
Actively search for and apply for new funding opportunities such as grants, corporate sponsorship, etc. SE R
On-going PCD $ Grants, General Funds

Part D: Implementation 253
ACE Army Corps of Engineers
BD Building Department
CE Code Enforcement
CM City Manager
DWN Daily Whittier News
PCD Planning and Community Development
MCC Montebello Chamber of Commerce
EDD Economic Development Division
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FO Food Organizations
HD Health Department
HS Health Services
LAEOWDD County LA Department of Economic Opportunity
Workforce Development Division
LACFCD Los Angeles County Flood Control District
MBL Montebello Bus Lines
MFD Montebello Fire Department
MHS Montebello Historic Society
MSD Montebello School District
PAIT Public Affairs and Information Technology
MPD Montebello Police Department
MUSD Montebello Unified School District
MN Montebello News
PD Planning Division
PW Public Works
RCS Parks and Community Services
RI Religious Institutions
RM Risk Manager
RMC Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality Management District
SD LA County Sanitation District
WP Water Purveyors

254 Montebello General Plan
Lists
Figures
Figure Page #
A.1. Taxable value. 20
A.2 Sources of revenues, City of Montebello. 21
A.3 Sources of general fund revenues and how money is spent. 21 A.4 Productivity model showing property tax and sales tax per acre.
21 A.5 Montebello’s value per acre. 23
A6 Existing roadway classification map. 27
A7 Existing Parking Conditions. 28
A8 Existing Goods Movement. 28
A9 Montebello Bus Lines and Connecting Transit Providers. 29 A10 Weekday system ridership. 30
A11 Existing bike and trail map. 32
A12 Community survey. 36
A13 Community survey results. 36
B1 Key concept map. 41
B2 Green infrastructure map. 44
B3 Proposed Adobe Sanchez entrance along Lincoln Avenue. 45 B4 Proposed sculpture park that links Downtown to the Rio Hondo Channel.
45 B5 Sections through the Rio Hondo Channel. 45
B6 Illustrative master plan. 48
B7 Existing value per acre. 49
B8 Proposed value per acre. 49
B9 Downtown illustrative master plan. 50
B10 Active mobility plan. 54
B11 Phased public-private development plan. 56
C1.1 Community survey (natural community). 62
C1.2 Green infrastructure map. 64
C2.1 Community survey (prosperous community). 74
C2.2 Economic context. 75
C2.3 Population growth index. 75
C2.4 Job earnings. 76
C2.5 Historic unemployment trends in LA County. 76
C2.6 Historic in-place employment. 76
C2.7 Montebello change in employment. 76
C2.8 Renter-occupied units in the City. 77
C2.9 Retail by type, and retail rent and vacancy. 78
C2.10 Office by type, and office rent and vacancy. 78
C2.11 Hotel average daily rate and occupancy. 79
C2.12 Industrial by type, rent, and vacancy. 79
C3.1 Historic growth pattern. 86
C3.2 Areas of stability and reinvestment map. 87
C3.3 Green infrastructure concept map. 87
C3.4 Areas of reinvestment map. 87
Figure Page #
C3.5 Illustrative master plan. 88
C3.6 Land use map. 89
C3.7 Projected growth location and amount. 100
C3.8 Housing Element update process. 101
C3.9 Montebello Schools 104
C3.10 Montebello-Commerce YMCA Youth and Government
Program.
104
C3.11 LA County storm drain facilities within City of
Montebello
106
C3.12 Montebello flood zones. 106
C3.13 Existing sewer facilities 107
C3.14 Water service providers. 109
C4.1 Regional transit connections. 120
C4.2 Parking strategies. 122
C4.3 Greenwood Avenue at Washington Boulevard. 125
C4.4 Montebello Boulevard between Beverly Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue.
125
C4.5 Whittier Boulevard -- Montebello Boulevard to Bluff Road
126
C4.6 Whittier Boulevard -- Garfield Avenue to Montebello Boulevard.
126
C4.7 Washington Boulevard. 127
C4.8 Beverly Boulevard at Wilcox Avenue. 128
C4.9 Beverly Boulevard at Montebello Boulevard. 129
C4.10 Garfield Avenue -- North of Whittier Boulevard. 130 C4.11 Greenwood Avenue -- South of Washington Boulevard. 130 C4.12 Lincoln Avenue. 131
C4.13 Roadway classifications. 132
C4.14 Local truck route network 133
C5.1 Physical activity, access to open space, obesity, and diabetes.
138
C5.2 Tobacco use. 138
C5.3 Mental health. 139
C5.4 The California Healthy Places Index. 139
C5.5 Typical noise level. 146
C5.6 Example of daytime outdoor noise levels. 148
C5.7 Existing noise contours map. 152
C5.8 Future noise contours map. 152
C5.9 Education scores. 153
C5.10 Concentration of low to moderate income housing. 154 C5.11 Health care access. 155
C6.1 Police department organization chart. 162
C6.2 2022 YTD crime stats. 162
C6.3 Fire department organization chart. 166
C6.4 Calls for service 167
C6.5 Montebello fire stration locations and service areas 167

List of Figures and Tables 255
Tables
Figure Page #
C6.6 Residential lots with single exit route. 168
C6.7 Evacuation routes. 169
C6.8 Whittier Narrows Dam failure inundation map. 172
C6.9 Montebello Brownfield Overlay District. 173
C6.10 Montebello Wildland-Urban Interface. 175
C6.11 Floodzones. 176
C7.1 Range of public and private park and open space types.. 188 C7.2 Existing parks and open spaces map. 191
C7.3 Park shed map. 197
C7.4 Parks and recreational services community survey results. 198 C8.1 Montebello’s creative expression. 210
C8.2 Montebello’s creative assets. 211
Table Page #
A.1. Total assessed value in 2021. 20
A.2 Taxable value per acre, city comparison. 20
A.3 Roadway classifications. 26
A.4 Classifications and curb-to-curb dimensions for major roadways.
26 A5 Typical curb-to-curb cross-sections of the city’s key corridors and other major and secondary roadways.
27 A6 Minimum parking requirements. 28
A7 TDM requirements. 28
A8 Existing transit services. 31
A9 Citywide pedestrian facility conditions. 33
A10 General Plan chapters. 39
C1.1 Scales of green infrastructure. 63
C3.1 General plan capacity table 99
C3.2 Projected growth by land use categories (place types) 99 C3.4 LACFCD Storm Drain Connections to the Rio Hondo
Channel.
105
C3.5 Water sysstem summary. 109
C4.1 Parking strategies. 122
C5.1 Environmental Protection Agency noise guidelines. 149 C5.2 Federal Highway Administration noise criteria. 149 C5.3 Land use/noise compatibility matrix. 151
C5.4 Income distribution. 154
C5.5 Public Assistance Programs. 154
C5.6 Poverty status in past 12 months. 154
C6.1 Critical facilities vulnerable to hazards. 178
C7.1 Range of public and private park and open space types 189 C7.2 Existing parks and open spaces. 194

Montebello

BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
APRIL 2024

MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Bicycle Master Plan
Prepared for:

City of Montebello
1600 West Beverly Boulevard
Montebello, CA 90640
Prepared by:

Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
750 The City Drive, Suite 410
Orange, CA 92868
Project Manager:

Michael Sahimi
Senior Planner
April 2024

MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Contents
Executive Summary / 01
Plan Vision and Goals / 04
Bicycling in Montebello Today / 06
Community Engagement / 10
Recommended Bicycle Network / 13
Recommended Programs and Policies / 16
Funding and Implementation / 19
Introduction / 22
Project Background / 24
Relationship to Other Plans and Policies / 25
Vision and Goals / 31
Bicycling in Montebello Today / 33
Mode Share and Demographics / 35
Bicycling Activity Levels and Patterns / 36
Key Destinations / 41
Existing Bicycle Network / 44
Existing Programs / 52
Barriers to Bicycling / 53
Community Engagement / 58
Overview / 60
Online Survey Feedback / 65
Recommended Bicycle Network / 69
Recommended Bicycle Improvements / 71
Priority Projects / 84
Recommended Programs and Policies / 90
Key Topic Areas / 95
Funding and Implementation / 115
Funding Sources / 117
Implementation Time frames / 124
Performance Measures / 128

MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
List of Figures
Figure 1: Existing Bicycle Network / 08
Figure 2: Other Planned Bikeways / 09
Figure 3: Recommended Bicycle Network / 12
Figure 4: Priority Bicycle Network / 14
Figure 5: June 2023 Bicycle Count Locations / 40
Figure 6: Key Destinations / 43
Figure 7: Existing Bicycle Network / 48
Figure 8: Other Planned Bikeways / 51
Figure 9: Bicyclist-Involved Crashes (2015-2019) / 56
Figure 10: Online Survey Responses / 66
Figure 11: Recommended Bicycle Network / 79
Figure 12: Key Intersections for Improvements / 81
Figure 13: Priority Bicycle Network / 88
List of Tables
Table 1: Priority Project Information / 15
Table 2: Local Bicycle Commuting and Vehicle Ownership Statistics / 35 Table 3: June 2023 Bicycle Counts / 37
Table 4: Prioritization Metrics / 85
Table 5: Priority Project Information / 89
Table 6: Recommended Programs and Policies / 92
Table 7: Implementation Factors / 124
Table 8: Montebello BMP Performance Measures / 128

MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Appendices
Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
Appendix B: Existing and Baseline Conditions Report
Appendix C: Community Engagement Plan and Materials
Appendix D: Community and Stakeholder Engagement Phase 1 Summary Memo
Appendix E: Project Vision, Goals, and Actions Memo
Appendix F: Bicycle-Oriented Wayfinding, Parking, and E-Bikes Memo Appendix G: Recommended Bikeways, Programs, and Policies Memos Appendix H: Individual Recommended Bikeway Maps
Appendix I: Project Prioritization Methodology and Results Appendix J: Priority Project User, VMT Reduction, and GHG Reduction Estimates
Appendix K: Example Cross-Sections and Concepts

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY
01

2 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

3 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Executive Summary
The City of Montebello Bicycle Master Plan
(BMP) establishes the City’s vision and
comprehensive approach to improving bicycling
in Montebello. This document lays out the steps
for the City to promote and enhance bicycling
in Montebello for its residents, workers, and
visitors of all ages and abilities.

This BMP serves to improve bicycling
throughout Montebello by aiding in the
development of a connected citywide bicycle
network, improving nonmotorized access to
important destinations, increasing connectivity
across barriers and conflict points, providing
bicycling connectivity to public transit, and
enhancing safety and comfort for people of
all ages and abilities who want to bicycle in the
city. Whether riding home from school or to the
Rio Hondo River Trail, bicycling has the potential
to be a significant component of how people
travel in Montebello.

As a comprehensive action plan, the Montebello
BMP identifies projects, programs, and policies
intended to encourage bicycling throughout
the city. This BMP identifies facility needs
that will enhance the safety and comfort of
bicycling for every resident, employee, and
visitor of Montebello. This executive summary
provides an overview of key BMP content
and recommendations and can serve as a
standalone document.

This BMP is organized into
the following chapters:
● Introduction: Provides the project
background, relationship to other
plans and policies, and describes the
BMP vision, goals, and objectives.
● Bicycling in Montebello Today: Details
existing conditions in Montebello, including
mode share, demographics, bicycling
activity levels, important destinations,
existing facilities, existing programs,
and barriers to bicycling in the city.
● Community Engagement: Summarizes
the community engagement process and
feedback received through workshops,
stakeholder meetings, and an online survey.
● Recommended Bicycle Network:

Discusses the recommended
bikeways, key intersections, bicycle
parking locations, bicycle wayfinding
locations, and priority projects.
● Recommended Programs and
Policies: Summarizes recommended
programs and policies to improve
conditions and encourage bicycling,
with additional information and
references for key topic areas.
● Funding and Implementation: Provides
an overview of potential funding
sources, identifies implementation
timelines, and includes recommended
performance measures for tracking
and evaluating progress toward
plan implementation over time.

4 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Plan Vision and Goals
The City of Montebello BMP is guided by the following vision: The City of Montebello will increase bicycling by being a place where people of all ages and abilities can conveniently bicycle to local and regional destinations. The City will provide safe, accessible bicycle facilities and supporting amenities to create a more welcoming, encouraging environment for bicyclists, cultivating a culture of bicycling as part of the City’s identity. The goals and objectives to achieve this vision follow.

ACCESSIBILITY
Provide comfortable, direct, and
convenient bicycle facilities for users of
all ages and abilities.

Providing comfortable and convenient bicycle
facilities that offer direct pathways to important
destinations can allow bicyclists of all ages
and abilities to access local and regional
destinations within and outside the city. This can
help increase the number of bicycle trips taken
for work, school, recreation, and shopping.
● Provide bicycle facilities to and from
important local and regional destinations
and coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions
and other agencies to ensure bikeway
connectivity and consistency.
● Improve access to the Rio Hondo River
Trail by improving trail access points,
positioning wayfinding signage between
the trail and important destinations
in Montebello and providing bicycle
facilities to and from the trail.
● Improve bicycling connectivity to
existing and planned transit stations.
● Implement short-term and quick-build
solutions at key locations until more
permanent solutions are implemented.
● Supplement the provision of bikeways
at important destinations with other
bicycle-oriented amenities.
● Provide or encourage the provision
of secure and convenient bicycle
parking at important destinations.
● Design low-stress separated
facilities and bicycle boulevards that
acknowledge the needs of bicyclists of all
ages and abilities.

SAFETY
Improve safety and the perception of
safety for bicyclists.

Creating a network of safe bicycle facilities
can help reduce the frequency and severity
of bicycle-involved crashes and injuries while
also encouraging people to bicycle. In addition,
facilities should address the perceived lack of
safety bicyclists may feel along some corridors
or under certain conditions. Methods to address
safety can include infrastructure, enforcement,
and education.
● Develop a bicycling network that consists
of low-stress bikeways that meet the needs
of bicyclists of all ages and abilities.
● Improve bicyclists’ perception of safety when
using Montebello’s circulation network with
protected bicycle facilities where feasible.
● Implement designs that reduce conflicts
between bicycles and other modes
such as automobiles, pedestrians,
and transit vehicles along roads, at
intersections, and at local destinations.

5 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Work with local agencies and organizations
to implement safety education
programs and campaigns for bicyclists,
drivers, and other street users.
● Partner with law enforcement
to equitably enforce safety laws
for all road users, with an aim
of discouraging vehicle speeding.

ENCOURAGEMENT
Encourage people to bicycle, increase
the visibility of bicycling in the city, and
cultivate a culture of bicycling.

Creating an environment that welcomes and
encourages people to bicycle can help shift
trips away from private automobiles. It can also
help foster a sense of local identity, increase
the visibility of bicycling in the city, and ingrain
bicycling as part of Montebello’s culture. In
addition to education campaigns, physical
design modifications can help achieve this goal
and put bicycling at the forefront of the city’s
identity.
● Implement a system of bicycle wayfinding
that can direct bicyclists to destinations
while also increasing awareness of
bicycling as a viable mode in Montebello.
● Partner with local agencies and
organizations to host workshops and events
to encourage bicycling, such as bicycle
repair workshops and open street events.
● Utilize the City’s resources (such as social
media channels) to promote bicycling.

Source: LA Streetsblog/Joe Linton

6 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Bicycling in Montebello
Today
Establishing the baseline bicycling conditions
in Montebello informed the recommendations
developed for the BMP. Baseline conditions were
documented based on new data collection, as
well as site visits across the city.

EXISTING MODE SHARE
According to the US Census, approximately

0.2% of Montebello resident workers commute
to work via bicycle. This is lower than the
countywide average and lower than the nearby
cities of Bell Gardens and Monterey Park;
however, bicycle commuting in Montebello is
higher than the nearby cities of Commerce,
Downey, and Pico Rivera. In addition, 7% of
households in Montebello do not own a car
and depend on other modes of transportation
(such as bicycling, walking, or taking transit) to
reach their destinations. In comparison, 8.6% of
households countywide do not own a car.

EXISTING BICYCLE NETWORK
Bikeways are generally categorized into the
following types:
● Bike path: Also known as a Class 1
bicycle facility, shared path, or multiuse
path, a bike path is a paved right-ofway for bicycle travel that is completely separate from any street or highway
(e.g., along a creek or channel).
● Bike lane: Also known as a Class 2
bicycle facility, a bike lane is a striped and
stenciled lane for one-way bicycle travel
on a street or highway. This facility could
include a buffered space between the
bike lane and vehicle lane (referred to as
a buffered bike lane) and the bike lane
could be adjacent to on-street parking.
● Bike route: Also known as a Class 3 bicycle
facility, a bike route is a signed route
along a street where the bicyclist shares
the right-of-way with motor vehicles. This
facility can also be augmented using
shared-lane markings (also known as
sharrows). An enhanced bike route, known
as a bike boulevard, can include traffic
calming treatments to slow down vehicles.
● Separated bike lane: Also known as a
Class 4 bicycle facility, a cycle track, or a
protected bike lane, this is a bikeway for
the exclusive use of bicycles including a
separation between the bikeway and the
through vehicular traffic. The separation
may include, but is not limited to, grade
separation, flexible posts, inflexible physical
barriers, or on-street parking. A separated
bike lane can be one-way or two-way.

Existing bicycle facilities within Montebello are
shown in Figure 1. There are a limited number
of bikeways in and around the city currently,
and the network is generally disconnected.

For example, bicycle facilities may end at
an intersection. This lack of connectivity can
discourage people from bicycling. Additionally,
there are no established bicycle connections to
the Rio Hondo River Trail or to bicycle facilities
in neighboring cities, which are also shown in
Figure 1.

Other planned bikeways within and around
the city of Montebello are shown in Figure 2.

These bikeways have been proposed and are
being implemented as part of planning efforts
separate from this BMP. However, they are
being included in the BMP’s assumed baseline
conditions to be consistent with these efforts
and to ensure that the BMP’s proposed bikeway
network fits seamlessly into other planned
improvements in the city.

7 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

EXISTING BARRIERS TO BICYCLING
Based on the data collection effort, site visits,
and community engagement, existing barriers
to bicycling in Montebello or barriers to
implementing bikeway projects consist of the
following:
● A history of bicyclist-involved
collisions along major roadways;
● Lack of bicycle facilities or supportive
infrastructure for bicycling;
● Lack of connectivity between
bicycle facilities;
● Uncomfortable, vehicle-oriented streets
with high speeds and volumes;
● Lack of transit accessibility via bicycle;
● Railroad tracks and lack of convenient
or comfortable crossing locations;
● Presence of vehicle parking (including
street parking and retail parking lots);
● Hilly topography;
● Freeway ramps; and
● Lack of bicycling culture and visibility.

8 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Figure 1. EXISTING BICYCLE NETWORK
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

9 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Figure 2. OTHER PLANNED BIKEWAYS
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

10 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Pop-up booth: The City of Montebello
hosted the Downtown Street Fest on
Saturday, July 29, 2023. The City’s Planning
and Community Development booth
included information about the City’s BMP.

The purpose of the booth was to inform
the public of an upcoming community
workshop and the BMP’s ongoing online
survey. English and Spanish flyers were
handed out which included information
about both the workshop and the survey.
● Community workshops: Two community
workshops were held at key project
milestones. The purpose of the first
workshop was for the City to introduce
the project, obtain feedback on existing
conditions, and receive input on the types
of infrastructure and programmatic
improvements that should be included in the
plan. The purpose of the second workshop
was to present the preliminary infrastructure
recommendations to the community, to
ensure that the plan’s recommendations
addressed the community’s needs both in
terms of locations as well as facility types.

Community Engagement
Community outreach was a vital part of the
BMP development process to ensure the plan
identifies community needs and provides
useful and implementable recommendations
that the community supports. Comprehensive
community input included a multifaceted
outreach effort to learn more about
transportation habits in Montebello, establish
route preferences, and ascertain levels of
comfort with different facility types and
location-specific treatments.

Five different community outreach strategies
were used to engage with the public and
relevant stakeholders:
● Partner agency meeting: A focused
meeting with partner agencies was held to
obtain their input on key issues to address
as part of this BMP. Participants included
the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans), Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (LA Metro),
Montebello Bus Lines, Montebello Unified
School District, Montebello Fire Department,
and Montebello Traffic Commission.

Project Initiation
APR-MAY 2023
Inventory &
Analysis
MAY-JUL 2023
Recommendations
and Plan
Development
AUG-DEC 2023
Write and
Approve Plan
DEC 2023-FEB 2024 COMPLETION
MAR 2024
Community
Meetings
Outreach and Engagement
JUL 2023-FEB 2024

11 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Website and social media outreach:

Throughout the BMP development process,
the City of Montebello hosted information
about the project on a dedicated project
webpage on the City’s website. In addition
to the project website, the City’s social
media accounts were used to share bilingual
project flyers announcing workshops and
the project survey. To supplement the
online outreach, the City sent emails to
interested individuals and local groups.
● Online survey and map: An online survey
was posted on the City’s website and
social media accounts to allow community
members to provide information on
their experience biking in Montebello,
important biking destinations, and
other information that would help in the
development of the BMP. In addition to
the survey questions, respondents were
able to use an online map to provide
additional location-specific comments.

There were several common comments through
the workshops and survey:
● Improve access to local retail centers,
Downtown Montebello, parks, schools,
existing and future transit stations,
and the Rio Hondo River Trail.
● Implement bicycle improvements on
streets such as Beverly Boulevard,
Whittier Boulevard, Montebello
Boulevard/Greenwood Avenue, Lincoln
Avenue, Garfield Avenue, Bluff Road,
and Washington Boulevard.
● Barriers to bicycling in the city include
drivers speeding, slip lanes at intersections,
and steep inclines in northern Montebello.
● Implement traffic circles and other
traffic calming improvements to
reduce driver speeds and discourage
cut-through vehicle traffic.
● Other needs include intersection and
crossing improvements, bicycle-oriented
wayfinding signage, bicycle parking,
and programs such as bicycle repair
classes, open street events, community
rides, and safety education to encourage
bicycling and increase its visibility.

Image Source: Streetsblog/Joe Linton

12 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Figure 3. RECOMMENDED BICYCLE NETWORK
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
l
!
l
!
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
l
! Proposed New Trail
Connection
Requires Coordination with LA
Metro
Long-Term City Buildout
Improvement
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

13 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Recommended Bicycle
Network
Based on the findings of the existing conditions
analysis, as well as feedback obtained through
the community engagement process, the BMP
provides a recommended network of bicycle
facilities. The recommended bikeway network
is shown in Figure 3 and detailed in this section.

This network includes a focus on providing bike
routes and bike boulevards on low-volume, lowspeed roadways, as well as separated and/or buffered bike lanes on major streets to create
a connected network that serves people living
across the city. The recommended bicycle
network establishes a set of bicycle facilities to
serve both experienced and less-experienced
bicyclists.

The BMP also highlights key intersections for
bicycling in the city, recognizing that designing
bikeways with appropriate intersection
treatments to reduce conflicts and increase user
comfort is essential to developing a low-stress,
safe network of bikeway facilities. Applicable
intersection treatments in the city consist of five
types:
● Facility transition
● Rail crossing
● Freeway ramp crossing
● Slip lane or channelized turn
● Minor-street stop-controlled intersection
The BMP also identifies land uses that are
candidates for additional or upgraded
bicycle parking and wayfinding signage.

Land uses include schools, parks, community
and recreation centers, retail centers and
establishments, the Rio Hondo River Trail, transit
stations, and civic uses such as the Montebello
Regional Library.

PRIORITY PROJECTS
To identify the projects that would most help to
improve safety, meet bicycling demand, expand
access, and connect activity centers, the
recommended projects were prioritized using
a prioritization framework that aligned with
the BMP’s goals and developed based on the
technical analysis and community engagement.

The evaluation was conducted using 13 criteria
under the following categories:
● Connectivity
● Bicyclist comfort and safety
● Multimodal operations
● Other (access for disadvantaged
communities, implementation and
right-of-way acquisition, and crossjurisdictional and -agency coordination) Of the 21 distinct projects making up the
recommended bikeway network, 11 were
designated as priority projects based on this
prioritization process. The priority projects are
mapped in Figure 4. As part of the prioritization
process, additional information was prepared
for each of the 11 priority projects for use by
the City to obtain funding to implement the
priority network (for example, included in state
active transportation grant applications). The
priority projects, estimated average weekday
daily users, annual vehicle miles traveled
(VMT) reductions, total greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions reductions, and planning-level
construction cost estimates are provided in
Table 1.

14 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Figure 4. PRIORITY BICYCLE NETWORK
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
l
!
l
!
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
l
! Proposed New Trail
Connection
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

15 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Table 1. PRIORITY PROJECT INFORMATION
Project
Type(s) of
improvements
Average
weekday
daily
users
Average
annual
VMT
reduced
Lifetime
GHG
emission
reduction
Construction
cost
estimate
Poplar Avenue/Bluff
Road bike boulevard
Bike boulevard
(with traffic calming
improvements)
150 users 77,000 miles 31 MTCO2e $633,000
Mines Avenue/Beach
Street/Vail Avenue/
Flotilla Street loop
Buffered bike lanes,
bike lanes, bike
route, and bike path
connection
140 users 74,000 miles 29 MTCO2e $934,000
Maple Avenue bike
boulevard
Bike boulevard
(with traffic calming
improvements)
200 users 105,000 miles 42 MTCO2e $420,000
Lincoln Avenue
bike lanes and bike
boulevard
Separated bike
lanes and bike
boulevard (with
traffic calming
improvements)
500 users 258,000 miles 103 MTCO2e $2,228,000
Olympic Boulevard/
Roosevelt Avenue bike
lanes and bike route
Buffered bike lanes
and bike route
490 users 252,000 miles 101 MTCO2e $488,000
Beverly Boulevard bike
lanes
Separated bike
lanes and buffered
bike lanes
1,730 users 888,000 miles 354 MTCO2e $3,939,000
Whittier Boulevard
bike lanes, route, and
path
Separated bike
lanes, bike route,
and bike path
connection
1,310 users 675,000 miles 269 MTCO2e $2,482,000
Avenida De La Merced
bike lanes gap closure
Bike lanes 360 users 184,000 miles 74 MTCO2e $30,000
Montebello Boulevard/
Greenwood Avenue
bike lanes
Separated bike
lanes, buffered bike
lanes, and bike lanes
860 users 442,000 miles 176 MTCO2e $4,325,000
Rea Drive Bike lanes Bike lanes 80 users 39,000 miles 16 MTCO2e $73,000 Wilcox Avenue bike
lanes
Buffered bike lanes
and bike lanes
620 users 317,000 miles 126 MTCO2e $649,000

16 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Recommended Programs
and Policies
In addition to recommended infrastructure
improvements, the BMP includes programs,
policies, and strategies that the City can
employ to improve bicycling conditions.

These are outlined the following pages. The
recommendations are divided into the following
categories, each of which consists of several
topic areas:
● Infrastructure and operations
● Planning and evaluation
● Funding
● Implementation
● Education and enforcement

INFRASTRUCTURE & OPERATIONS
Bicycle facility and roadway
design
● Follow national and statewide best design
practices (such as those documented by
National Association of City Transportation
Officials [NACTO]) when designing and
implementing dedicated and shared
bicycle facilities on City streets.
● Follow national and statewide best practices
for designing comfortable and convenient
crossing facilities and intersections for
bicyclists, including when implementing bike
routes at unsignalized arterial crossings.
● Implement traffic calming strategies
along residential streets to discourage
speeding and cut-through traffic, both
as part of bike routes and boulevards
and as standalone improvements.
● Continue to monitor research and
guidance pertaining to electric bikes
(e-bikes) and incorporate their needs when
designing bicycle facilities in the city.
● Consult the Montebello Fire Department
when designing bicycle facilities, traffic
calming, and other roadway treatments to
maintain access for emergency vehicles
and limit effects on response times.

Bicycle-supportive amenities
● Update the City Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) and parking
ordinances for new development projects
and increase bicycle parking requirements
to reflect changes in short and long-term
bicycle parking needs for various land uses.
● Continue to provide sufficient and welldesigned bicycle parking at City properties using the most up-to-date design practices..
● Encourage establishments in the city to
provide convenient and accessible bicycle
parking; partner with retail establishments
to provide convenient bicycle parking
on adjacent City rights-of-way.
● Continue to monitor research and guidance
pertaining to e-bike parking and charging
and incorporating their needs into the City’s
bicycle parking and municipal requirements.
● Develop and implement a citywide bicycle
wayfinding program to guide bicyclists
to important destinations, and update
or expand bicycle wayfinding as new
bicycle facilities are implemented.
● Implement bicycle hubs at important
destinations such as Downtown
Montebello, with bicycle-supportive
amenities such as well-lit bicycle
parking and bicycle repair stations.

17 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

PLANNING & EVALUATION
Roadway network planning
● Include BMP bicycle facilities and
other bicycle improvements in street
rehabilitation and modification
projects, such as resurfacing,
restriping, or lane reconfigurations.
● Utilize metrics such as bicyclist safety
and similar performance measures
for transportation projects rather
than solely vehicular capacity and
operations metrics, per the City’s
Transportation Study Guidelines.
● Regularly review ongoing and planned
bicycle projects to ensure they contribute
to developing a citywide network that
comfortably serves bicyclists of all ages
and abilities as well as Montebello’s
disadvantaged communities.

Data collection & monitoring
● Conduct an inventory of bicycle parking
at City-owned properties and at
destinations such as retail centers, which
would be updated regularly and mapped
on the City’s website; monitor usage of
bicycle parking at city properties.
● Conduct monitoring and reporting of
bicycling levels and bicycle project
implementation every other year.
● Monitor and periodically report
bicycle collisions and trends in the
city; conduct periodic roadway safety
assessments of locations with growing
traffic and bicycle volumes.

Community participation
and input
● Consult the community through surveys
and community meetings at least
every other year to obtain their input
on ongoing BMP implementation and
bicycling conditions; use City events and
social media as additional opportunities
to further gather community input.

FUNDING
Grant funding
● Continue to monitor federal, state,
and regional funding opportunities
to augment local funds to implement
recommended BMP bicycle facilities;
monitor LA Metro, Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG),
Caltrans, and federal grant funding
requirements and opportunities for
grant assistance and actively pursue
grant funding from these agencies.
● Pursue grant funding from SCAG, LA
Metro, and other organizations (such
as the Metro Open Streets Grant
Program) for carrying out open street
events and demonstration projects.
● Maintain competitiveness for LA Metro
grant assistance and funding and build
off of the City’s Complete Streets-oriented
General Plan by formally adopting a
Complete Streets Policy or Ordinance.

Sustainable funding sources
● Include BMP projects as part of the City’s
Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

18 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

IMPLEMENTATION
Quick-build and interim facilities
● Carry out quick-build network
implementation projects and interim bicycle
facilities to build out a low-stress bicycle
network using lower-cost installation options.
● Implement quick-build traffic calming
improvements such as traffic circles on
residential streets to reduce bicyclist level
of stress and discourage speeding and
cut-through traffic, including as part of this
BMP’s recommended bike boulevards.
● Initiate bicycle facility demonstration
projects at City events to increase
public awareness of how facilities
can improve bicycling conditions.

Inter-agency coordination
● Collaborate with the County of Los Angeles
and the Cities of Commerce, Monterey
Park, and Pico Rivera to ensure that bicycle
facilities are consistent and transition
seamlessly across jurisdictional boundaries.
● Collaborate with Caltrans on implementing
bicycle facilities along SR-60 ramps
and over- and underpasses.
● Collaborate with Montebello Bus Lines,
LA Metro, and Metrolink on bicycle
improvements to and from transit
stops and stations in the city.
● Participate in LA Metro’s first/last
mile planning efforts for the future L
Line station and encourage LA Metro
to incorporate a bicycle facility into
Washington Boulevard designs.
● Explore partnerships with San Gabriel
Valley Council Governments (SGVCOG), LA
Metro, and adjacent jurisdictions to bring a
convenient bikeshare network to the region.

EDUCATION & ENFORCEMENT
Safety and awareness
● Implement a citywide safety education
campaign using social and physical
media (such as safety campaign
materials developed by SCAG)
targeting both drivers and bicyclists.
● Partner with Montebello Unified School
District to develop and implement
school safety campaigns and activities
such as walking school buses, and to
develop a Safe Routes to School Plan.
● Partner with community-based
organizations to host activities such as open
street events and community bicycle rides.
● Partner with local and regional
community-based organizations to host
bicycle safety classes, bicycle repair
classes, and other similar events.

Equitable enforcement
● Collaborate with Montebello Police
Department on targeted enforcement
and the use of automated technologies to
discourage vehicle speeding on City streets.
● Deprioritize enforcement of bicycling
and walking infractions, and update
the City’s Municipal Code to allow
bicycling on the sidewalk.
● Develop a citywide e-bike ordinance that
outlines how e-bikes can safely navigate
the City’s transportation network.

19 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Funding and
Implementation
To support the implementation of the proposed
bicycle network and programs, the BMP
provides an overview of potential funding
sources, identifies implementation timelines, and
includes recommended performance measures
for tracking and evaluating progress toward
plan implementation over time.

FUNDING SOURCES
Most funding for the improvements
recommended in the BMP are likely to come
from federal, state, and regional grant
programs. These grant programs are often
competitive and will require the City to compete
against other municipalities for funding.

Relevant funding sources are listed below.

FEDERAL SOURCES
● Congestion Management &
Air Quality (CMAQ)
● Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
● Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant
● Infrastructure Jobs and
Investment Act (IIJA)

STATE SOURCES
● Senate Bill 1
● Highway Safety Improvement
Program (HSIP)
● Regional Early Action Planning
(REAP 2.0) Grants
● Active Transportation Program (ATP) Grants
● Sustainable Transportation
Planning Grant Program
● State-Local Partnership Program (LPP)
● Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities (AHSC) Program
● Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) Grants
● State Highway Operation and
Protection Program (SHOPP)
● State Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP)
● Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
● Transformative Climate
Communities (TCC) Program
● Environmental Enhancement and
Mitigation (EEM) Grant Program
● Urban Greening Grant Program
● Environmental Justice (EJ)
Small Grants Program

REGIONAL & COUNTY SOURCES
● Transportation Development
Act (TDA) Article 3
● SCAG Sustainable Communities Program
● Los Angeles Metro Open
Streets Grant Funding
● Los Angeles Metro Local Return Program

20 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
NEAR-TERM (5-YEAR)

IMPLEMENTATION
The near-term implementation plan consists of
the following projects, which is a subset of the
priority projects that in addition to achieving
City objectives, are also implementable within
the next five years, contingent upon funding
availability. These are projects that do not
require modifications to vehicle throughput and/
or parking, thus less likely to require additional
studies and outreach; these projects also would
not require significant coordination with other
agencies:
● Poplar Avenue/Bluff Road bike boulevard
● Maple Avenue bike boulevard
● Avenida De La Merced bike
lanes gap closure
● Montebello Boulevard/Greenwood Avenue
bike lanes (conversion of existing bike lanes
and buffered bike lanes north of Avenida
De La Merced to separated bike lanes)
● Rea Drive bike lanes
● Wilcox Avenue bike lanes (bike lanes
south of Beverly Boulevard)
In addition, as the Metro L Line extension is
expected to be operational by 2035, the City
should work with LA Metro to incorporate
bicycle facilities into the designs for Washington
Boulevard.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES
The BMP includes performance measures which the City can track to evaluate progress toward plan implementation over time while being tied back to BMP goals. Recommended performance measures organized under the BMP goals are shown below
Accessibility
Performance Measure Measurements
Bicycle network completion • Miles of off-street bike paths installed. • Miles of bike lanes installed.
• Miles of buffered bike lanes installed.
• Miles of bike routes installed.
• Miles of bike boulevards installed.
• Miles of separated bike lanes installed.

Bicycle-supportive amenities • Number of bicycle racks installed in the city (including both public and private property).
• Number of bicycle-oriented wayfinding signs installed.

Transportation-disadvantaged population
served
• Percent of disadvantaged population (based on
census tracts) within 1/2 mile of an on- or off-street
bicycle facility.

Amount of people that can bicycle to transit • Percent of population within a 2-mile bicycling distance to a transit stop.

Implementation • Dollars of grant funding received for bicycling planning, design, construction, and/or programs.

21 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Safety
Performance Measure Measurements
Number of fatal or serious injury crashes involving a
bicyclist
• Number of fatal or serious injuries of people bicycling over five-year period.

Number of bicycling-related citations • Number of common traffic violations that affect people bicycling. These include failure to yield to
pedestrians or bicyclists, speeding, turning, driving
under the influence, driving distracted, running a red
light or sign, and passing a bicyclist too slowly.

Traffic calming • Number of traffic calming treatments installed (either as part of a bicycle project or standalone traffic
calming treatment).

Encouragement
Performance Measure Measurements
Number of bicyclists • Bicycle commute mode share (American Community Survey five-year estimates).
• Bicycle volumes at key locations in the city
User perceptions • On-site or citywide user surveys that assess user comfort and perception on bicycle network.

Number of outreach events held • Number of outreach and encouragement events held.

Social media engagement • Number of bicycle- and safety-related social media posts published.

INTRODUCTION
02

23 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source: ODOT

24 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Introduction
The City of Montebello BMP establishes the
City’s vision and comprehensive approach
to improving bicycling in Montebello. This
document lays out the steps for the City to
promote and enhance bicycling in Montebello
for its residents, workers, and visitors of all ages
and abilities.

This BMP serves to improve bicycling
throughout Montebello by aiding in the
developing of a connected citywide bicycle
network, improving nonmotorized access to
important destinations, increasing connectivity
across barriers and conflict points, providing
bicycling connectivity to transit, and enhancing
safety and comfort for people of all ages and
abilities who want and need to bicycle in the
city. Whether riding home from school or to the
Rio Hondo River Trail, bicycling has the potential
to be a significant component of how people
travel in Montebello.

As a comprehensive action plan, the Montebello
BMP identifies projects, programs, and policies
intended to encourage bicycling throughout the
city. This BMP identifies facility needs that will
enhance the safety and comfort of bicycling
for every resident, employee, and visitor of
Montebello.

Project Background
The City of Montebello developed this BMP to
identify bicyclist needs across the city, develop
a set of goals and actions to address those
needs, and create a bikeway network that
provides safe and comfortable facilities to
encourage bicycling in the city. At this time, the
bikeway network within Montebello is limited
to approximately five (two-way) miles of bike
lanes and buffered bike lanes along segments
of Montebello Boulevard, Avenida de la Merced,
Paramount Boulevard, and Market Place Drive.

The regional Rio Hondo River Trail runs along
the City’s eastern limits, with several access
points connecting to local streets. Despite the
limited number of current bicycle facilities, the
city’s relatively flat topography south of Beverly
Boulevard, its network of interconnected
arterial and local streets, and its various local
attractions provide opportunities to create a
rich bikeway network throughout the city.

The City of Montebello has an estimated
population of 62,640 covering approximately

8.37 square miles. It is located within the
boundaries of both the Gateway Cities
Council of Governments (GCCOG) and the
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
(SGVCOG). Montebello is bordered by the
cities of Commerce, Monterey Park, Pico
Rivera, and Rosemead, as well as portions of
unincorporated Los Angeles County. Interstate
5 (I-5) serves as the city’s southern border, and
California State Route 6o (SR-60) forms part of
the city’s northern border. The City’s roadway
network generally consists of a network of
arterial roadways, connected by a grid of local
residential streets.

Information regarding the City’s existing
transportation conditions and patterns is
provided in Section 3: Bicycling in Montebello
Today.

25 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Relationship to Other Plans And Policies
This BMP considers and strives to work in conjunction with recent and ongoing local and regional mobility efforts. Relevant bicycle-related policies and plans include those published by the City of Montebello, SGVCOG, GCCOG, and LA Metro, as well as state and federal regulations and plans as summarized below.
which support the ATSP’s countywide active
transportation network and support first/last
mile access to transit stations.

GCCOG Strategic Transportation Plan
Active Transportation Element (2016)
The GCCOG Strategic Transportation Plan
(STP) is intended to coordinate transportation
infrastructure among member agencies,
neighboring jurisdictions, and other regional
agencies. The STP is the first strategic
multimodal assessment of all planned and
proposed improvements within the Gateway
Cities. The STP’s active transportation
element is meant to manage the regional
active transportation network, provide more
transportation options, and improve quality of
life by making bicycling and walking safer and
easier.

LOCAL AND REGIONAL
Montebello Bike Lane
Feasibility Study (2013)
The City of Montebello Bike Lane Feasibility
Study evaluated the feasibility of installing
various bicycle facilities on major roadways in
the city. The study evaluated various roadways
to identify candidate routes and the types of
facilities most appropriate for each roadway.

Sixteen roadways were selected for evaluation,
of which 10 were identified as being feasible for
bicycle improvements. The study recommended
that the City consider programming these
improvements for implementation so as to
create a more complete bicycle network of
existing and future facilities. The opportunities
identified in the Bike Lane Feasibility Study were
key starting points in developing the BMP’s
proposed bicycle network.

LA Metro Active Transportation
Strategic Plan (2016)
The LA Metro Active Transportation Strategic
Plan (ATSP), published in April 2016, aims to
enhance access to transit stations and develop
a regional network for people who choose to
take transit, walk, and/or bicycle. It serves as a
roadmap for local cities and other stakeholders
to identify improvements to implement in
their communities. The ATSP includes a
recommended countywide active transportation
network consisting of the regional active
transportation network and first/last mile active
transportation improvements to over 650 major
transit station areas in Los Angeles County.

This BMP provides bikeway improvements

26 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
The STP active transportation element
envisions the development of a comprehensive
regional bikeway system and provides
recommendations for 55 significant bicycle
projects. The significant bikeway projects
that pass through Montebello are along the
following corridors: Beverly Boulevard, Garfield
Avenue, Flotilla Street, Lincoln Avenue, Mines
Avenue, Montebello Boulevard, Montebello
Way, Slauson Avenue, Telegraph Road,
and Whittier Boulevard. This BMP includes
bikeway improvements that further the
recommendations from the GCCOG.

SGVCOG Regional Active
Transportation Plan and
Greenway Network Study (2019)
The SGVCOG Regional Active Transportation
Plan (ATP) and Greenway Network Study offers
recommendations for cities in the region aimed
at constructing an inclusive and comfortable
network of bikeway facilities. The plan focuses
on creating “8 to 80” facilities that cater to the
safety and comfort of bicyclists of all ages.

The study notes that while bike lanes placed
alongside vehicle lanes have proven effective in
enhancing safety, they often fail to attract the
“interested but concerned” riders (people willing
to bicycle if high-quality bicycle infrastructure is
in place). These facilities, particularly on highspeed roads, tend to be predominantly used by adult males. As a result, the plan suggests
implementing bike lanes as interim measures
or on streets with lower vehicle speeds and
volumes.

The study notes that Montebello presents
numerous opportunities to establish an active
transportation network and offer more options
to road users with minimal disruptions to
existing travel or parking lanes. The study
includes recommended bicycle improvements
for Montebello that fall into three categories:
early action projects, long-term tier 1 projects,
and long-term tier 2 projects. The opportunities
identified in the SGVCOG study served as a
key input in shaping the recommendations
ultimately detailed in this BMP.

Montebello Parks Master Plan (2021)
The Montebello Parks Master Plan provides
an assessment of Montebello’s parks and
playgrounds system, considering future
growth in the community. The plan is intended

27 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
to provide a realistic view of the City’s parks
and facilities as they exist now and as they
could evolve in the future. The findings of the
Parks Master Plan helped shape the BMP’s
assessment of the need for bicycle facilities to
connect to open spaces and parks throughout
the city.

Montebello Safe Travel Plan (2022)
The City of Montebello Safe Travel Plan explores
ways to address safety needs for drivers,
bicyclists, and pedestrians on Montebello’s
roadways. The plan includes a review of data
to evaluate crash history, crash types and
locations, and provides recommendations
for improvements. The plan also includes
emphasis areas for the City to explore, such
as a focus on reducing vehicle conflicts with
pedestrians and bicyclists. The Safe Travel
Plan recommendations include bicycle-centric
measures, such as installing bicycle boxes, road
diets and buffered bike lanes, and conducting
public awareness campaigns to increase driver
awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety
laws. The plan also includes a goal of reducing
annual bicyclist-involved collisions from 24 per
year to fewer than 12 per year in 2030 (50%
reduction).

Montebello General Plan (2024)
The Montebello General Plan is the primary
planning document for Montebello and serves
to guide development in the city. The plan’s
“Our Accessible Community” section provides
the policy framework for the regulation and
development of transportation systems,
balancing the demands of the various
transportation modes operating in the city.

The General Plan’s goals and policies related
to bicycling generally strive to facilitate the
implementation of bicycle facilities across the
city and encourage bicycling as an alternative
to driving. Specifically, the development of this
BMP supports the following General Plan policy
and actions:
● Policy 4.1: Support and promote walking,
biking, and other nonvehicular modes as
an alternative to driving within Montebello.
● Action 4.1a: Prepare and adopt
an active transportation plan
(ATP) with bicycle and pedestrian
improvements built upon the San
Gabriel Valley Council of Government
(SGVCOG) recommendations.
● Action 4.1b: Balance the provision of onstreet bike lanes and regional bikeways along arterial roads with on-street bike
routes/boulevards and local-serving
bikeways along residential streets.
● Action 4.1c: Coordinate with adjacent
jurisdictions to ensure that the
City’s bikeways are connected and
consistent with existing and planned
bikeways at the City limits.
● Action 4.1d: Facilitate non-motorized
connectivity to key destinations in the
city through bicycle- and pedestrianoriented wayfinding signage. ● Action 4.1e: Improve access to the
Rio Hondo River Trail by opening
additional access points and positioning
wayfinding between the trail and
key destinations in Montebello.
● Action 4.1f: Require new development
projects to provide adequate bicycle and
pedestrian access, plus the provision
of safe and secure bicycle parking.
● Action 4.1g: Enhance the pedestrian
and bicycle experience in the Downtown
Specific Plan area and other key
destinations through amenities
such as wide sidewalks, low-stress
bikeways, landscaping, pedestrianoriented lighting, high-visibility crosswalks, and other improvements.

28 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Action 4.1h: Establish citywide mode split
and VMT targets as a means to reduce
traffic congestion, support healthy
communities, and improve accessibility
by transit-dependent populations.

Downtown Montebello
Specific Plan (2024)
The Downtown Montebello Specific Plan
presents a vision for the future of Downtown
Montebello that is based on community values,
knowledge, and ideas. The plan has a vision of
downtown streets that enhance pedestrian and
bicyclist safety. The plan proposes bikeways
along Whittier Boulevard, Montebello Boulevard,
and Bluff Road to help bicyclists travel to and
from the area. The bikeway recommendations
from the Downtown Specific Plan have been
folded into and are reflected in this BMP. The
development of this BMP supports the following
Downtown Specific Plan policies:
● Policy 1.4: Downtown Montebello envisions
safe streets designed for people. A network
of safe and slow speeds in the downtown
area will serve pedestrians, transit users,
and cyclists, while allowing vehicular access.
● Policy 2.7: Improve transit service and
similar modes to make downtown
travel accessible and comfortable for
people of all ages and abilities.
● Policy 2.7: Connect Whittier Boulevard
to the Rio Hondo Channel.

Montebello First Mile/Last
Mile Master Plan (Ongoing)
The City is preparing its First Mile/Last
Mile (FMLM) Master Plan. The purpose of
this plan is to help improve pedestrian and
bicycle connections to and from transit stops
in the city. As part of this effort, the City is
developing policy recommendations and
identifying five treatment areas for first/
last mile improvements. The policies and
recommendations detailed in the FMLM
Master Plan will be furthered by the bicycle
infrastructure and program recommendations
detailed in this BMP.

LA Metro Eastside Transit
Corridor Phase 2 (Ongoing)
The extension of the Metro L Line in Los Angeles
is ongoing and is currently being evaluated
by LA Metro. The proposed expansion aims to
extend the current endpoint in East Los Angeles
and reach Whittier, covering approximately
nine miles. The extension would pass through
several cities, including Commerce, Montebello,
Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier, as
well as the unincorporated communities of East
Los Angeles and West Whittier - Los Nietos. The
extension would traverse densely populated,
low-income communities that heavily rely on
public transportation, and it would also serve
significant activity centers along the way.

29 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
The L Line would travel along Washington
Boulevard within Montebello, with a station
anticipated at the intersection of Greenwood
Avenue and Washington Boulevard. The
route is anticipated to be at-grade and aerial
west of the station, and at-grade east of the
station. Currently, LA Metro has not included a
planned bikeway along Washington Boulevard
as part of its conceptual designs. To support
access to this planned station, this BMP
includes considerations for facilities that would
allow bicyclists to conveniently travel to the
Greenwood Avenue and Washington Boulevard
intersection.

Southern California Association
of Governments Connect
SoCal 2024 (Ongoing)
The Southern California Association of
Governments (SCAG) has a regional
transportation plan (RTP) and sustainable
communities strategy (SCS), also known as
Connect SoCal, that serves as the overarching
vision for the majority of Southern California
over the next two and a half decades.

Developed in close partnership with the region’s
191 cities, six counties, and tribal governments,
the RTP includes investments in public
transportation, bike paths, and pedestrian
improvements to allow the region to meet and
exceed greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Connect SoCal’s goals include the following,
which are furthered by this BMP:
● Ensure that reliable, accessible, affordable,
and appealing travel options are readily
available, while striving to enhance equity
in the offerings in high-need communities.
● Support planning for people of all
ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
● Improve access to jobs and
educational resources.

STATE
California Bicycle Transportation Act
California Streets and Highways Code section
890-894.2 is known as the California Bicycle
Transportation Act. This legislation, adopted
in 1994, establishes the responsibilities of state
and local agencies regarding bicycle safety,
signage, traffic control, right-of-way, and other
matters related to nonmotorized transportation.

The California Bicycle Transportation Act
establishes minimum efforts in data collection
and planning that local governments must
accomplish to remain compliant with state law.

The legislation seeks “to establish a bicycle
transportation system designed and developed
to achieve the functional commuting needs of
the employee, student, businessperson, and
shopper as the foremost consideration in route
selection, to have the physical safety of the
bicyclist and bicyclist’s property as a major
planning component, and to have the capacity
to accommodate bicyclists of all ages and
skills.”
A city or county government may complete a
bicycle transportation plan pursuant to section
891.2 for their project to be considered by
Caltrans for funding. In cooperation with county
and city governments, Caltrans establishes
minimum safety design criteria for the planning
and construction of bikeways and roadways
where bicycle travel is permitted. Caltrans
also establishes uniform specifications and
symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control
devices to designate bikeways, regulate traffic,
improve safety and convenience for bicyclists,
and alert pedestrians and motorists of the
presence of bicyclists on bikeways and on
roadways where bicycle travel is permitted.

The BMP establishes Montebello’s plan for a
bicycle transportation system consistent with
the Bicycle Transportation Act and Caltrans
standards.

30 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
California Complete
Street Act of 2008
The California Complete Streets Act of 2008
requires cities and counties to include in
the circulation elements of their general
plans, policies, and programs supporting the
development of a well-balanced, connected,
safe, and convenient multimodal transportation
network. This network should consist of
complete streets, which are designed and
constructed to serve all users of local streets
and highways, regardless of individuals’ age
or ability, or whether they are driving, walking,
bicycling, or taking transit. The network should
allow for all users to travel effectively by
automobile, foot, bicycle, and transit to reach
key destinations within their community and
the larger region. The BMP supports this act by
improving the ease and accessibility of bicycle
facilities and connecting those improvements
with local destinations and travel patterns.

FEDERAL
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA) provides comprehensive rights and
protections to individuals with disabilities.

The goal of the ADA is to assure equality of
opportunity, full participation, independent
living, and economic self-sufficiency. To
implement this goal, the United States Access
Board has created accessibility guidelines for
public rights-of-way. The guidelines address
various issues and accessibility challenges that
are highly relevant to a BMP, including roadway
design practices, slope and terrain issues,
pedestrian access to streets, sidewalks, curb
ramps, street furnishings, pedestrian signals,
parking, and other components of public rightsof-way. The Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines was published in the Federal Register
in 2023; the guidelines will be mandatory after
they are adopted for enforcement by the
Department of Justice and the Department of
Transportation under Title II of the ADA.

Source: LA Streetsblog/Joe Linton

31 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Vision and Goals
Based on input received through the BMP
development process, the City of Montebello
has developed a vision and a set of goals for
the BMP achieve a comprehensive citywide
bikeways network that meets community needs:

The City of Montebello will increase
bicycling by being a place where
people of all ages and abilities can
conveniently bicycle to local and
regional destinations. The City will
provide safe and accessible bicycle
facilities and supporting amenities
to create a more welcoming and
encouraging environment for
bicyclists, cultivating a culture of
bicycling as part of the City’s identity.

The goals and objectives to achieve this vision
are as follows:

GOAL 1: ACCESSIBILITY
Provide comfortable, direct, and
convenient bicycle facilities for users of
all ages and abilities.

Providing comfortable and convenient bicycle
facilities that offer direct pathways to important
destinations can allow bicyclists of all ages
and abilities to access local and regional
destinations within and outside the city. This can
help increase the number of bicycle trips taken
for work, school, recreation, and shopping.
● Provide bicycle facilities to and from
important local and regional and
destinations, and coordinate with adjacent
jurisdictions and other agencies to ensure
bikeway connectivity and consistency.
● Improve access to the Rio Hondo River
Trail by improving trail access points,
positioning wayfinding signage between
the trail and important destinations
in Montebello, and providing bicycle
facilities to and from the trail.
● Improve bicycling connectivity to
existing and planned transit stations.
● Implement short-term and quick-build
solutions at key locations until more
permanent solutions are implemented.
● Supplement the provision of bikeways
at important destinations with other
bicycle-oriented amenities.
● Provide or encourage the provision
of secure and convenient bicycle
parking at important destinations.
● Design low-stress separated facilities and
bike boulevards that acknowledge the
needs of bicyclists of all ages and abilities.

GOAL 2: SAFETY
Improve safety and the perception of
safety for bicyclists.

Creating a network of safe bicycle facilities
can help reduce the frequency and severity
of bicycle-involved crashes and injuries while
also encouraging people to bicycle. In addition,
facilities should address the perceived lack of
safety bicyclists may feel along some corridors
or under certain conditions. Methods to address
safety can include infrastructure, enforcement,
and education.
● Develop a bicycling network that consists
of low-stress bikeways that meet the needs
of bicyclists of all ages and abilities.
● Improve bicyclists’ perception of safety when
using Montebello’s circulation network with
protected bicycle facilities where feasible.

32 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Implement designs that reduce conflicts
between bicycles and other modes
such as automobiles, pedestrians,
and transit vehicles along roads, at
intersections, and at local destinations.
● Work with local agencies and organizations
to implement safety education
programs and campaigns for bicyclists,
drivers, and other street users.
● Partner with law enforcement to equitably
enforce safety laws for all road users, with
an aim of discouraging vehicle speeding.

GOAL 3: ENCOURAGEMENT
Encourage people to bicycle, increase
the visibility of bicycling in the city, and
cultivate a culture of bicycling.

Creating an environment that welcomes and
encourages people to bicycle can help shift
trips away from private automobiles. It can also
help foster a sense of local identity, increase
the visibility of bicycling in the city, and ingrain
bicycling as part of Montebello’s culture. In
addition to educational campaigns, the physical
modifications can help achieve this goal and put
bicycling at the forefront of the city’s identity.
● Implement a system of bicycle wayfinding
that can direct bicyclists to destinations
while also increasing awareness of
bicycling as a viable mode in Montebello.
● Partner with local agencies and
organizations to host workshops and events
to encourage bicycling, such as bicycle
repair workshops and open street events.
● Utilize the City’s resources (such as social
media channels) to promote bicycling.

Image Source: ODOT

BICYCLING IN

MONTEBELLO
TODAY
03

34 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source: Streetsblog/Joe Linton

35 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Bicycling in Montebello Today
This chapter examines the existing bicycling
conditions in Montebello, including travel
patterns, current bicycle facilities and programs,
and barriers to bicycling within the city. This
chapter summarizes work and research
completed to establish the baseline bicycling
conditions in the city, which in turn informed the
recommendations developed for the BMP. The
full existing conditions analysis deliverables are
provided in the appendices.

Mode Share and
Demographics
According to the 2021 US Census American
Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates,
approximately 0.2% of Montebello resident
workers commute to work via bicycle (Table 2).

This is lower than the countywide average and
lower than the nearby cities of Bell Gardens and
Monterey Park; however, bicycle commuting
in Montebello is higher than the nearby cities
of Commerce, Downey, and Pico Rivera. In
addition, 7% of households in Montebello do
not own a car and depend on other modes of
transportation (such as bicycling, walking, or
taking transit) to reach their destinations. In
comparison, 8.6% of households countywide do
not own a car.

TABLE 2. LOCAL BICYCLE COMMUTING

AND VEHICLE OWNERSHIP STATISTICS
Location
Percent
commuting
on bicycle
Households
without
vehicles
City of
Montebello

0.2% 7.0%
Los Angeles
County

0.6% 8.6%
City of Bell
Gardens

0.8% 7.5%
City of
Commerce

0.0% 10.6%
City of Downey 0.2% 4.8%
City of
Monterey Park

0.8% 10.1%
City of Pico
Rivera

0.2% 6.9%
Source: 2019 US Census American
Community Survey 5-year estimate
According to the ACS, while men make
up 54% of the city’s employed population,
approximately 0.4% of male workers take a
bicycle to work while 0.0% (accounting for a
margin of error) of female workers bicycle
to work. This represents a significant gender
imbalance in access and/or willingness to
bicycle in Montebello. Research shows that the
lack of adequate bicycling infrastructure in the
US is one of the largest reasons women choose
not to bicycle, and that they would bicycle more
if the amount of protected bike lanes were
increased.2
In Montebello, 21.7% of the population is under 17
years of age, and 16.3% of the population is over

65. Both age groups represent a population that
may have limited access to a vehicle or limited
mobility.

2. Dill, Jennifer; Goddard, Tara; Monsere, Christopher; and McNeil, Nathan, “Can Protected Bike Lanes Help Close the Gender Gap in Cycling? Lessons from Five Cities” (2014).

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and
Presentations. http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16603

36 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
Disadvantaged communities often face barriers
to accessing safe and efficient transportation
options, and neglecting their needs can
exacerbate existing inequities such as a lack of
access to jobs and education. There are multiple
metrics that can be used to determine if a
community is disadvantaged, based on various
state and federal criteria. These criteria include
median household income, the percentage
of students that qualify for free or reducedprice meals, Disadvantaged Communities as defined by Senate Bill 535, communities that are
less healthy according to California’s Healthy
Places Index, and areas of persistent poverty
and historically disadvantaged communities as
defined by the federal government.

Based on these various definitions, Montebello
residents generally fall under the definition
of disadvantaged. However, the areas that
appear to be frequently highlighted under
multiple metrics are communities living south
of Beverly Boulevard and east of Wilcox
Avenue. This indicates that the City may need to
especially focus on meeting the nonmotorized
transportation needs of these communities.

Bicycling Activity Levels and
Patterns
Bicycling counts provide a baseline
understanding of how people are already
getting around Montebello by bicycle.

Counts help inform the BMP by providing an
understanding of residents’, employees’, and
visitors’ general bicycling patterns and areas of
the city that may require additional focus based
on demand. As part of the SGVCOG Regional
ATP and Greenway Network Study, bicycle
counts were collected throughout the city
during the weekday morning (7:00 a.m. – 9:00
a.m.) and weekday evening (4:00 p.m. – 6:00
p.m.) peak periods. These counts revealed the
following:
53% of riders were on
arterial streets, with 28%
riding on streets with a
posted speed limit of 35
miles per hour.
40% were observed riding
on sidewalks.
5% were observed riding in
the wrong direction and/
or on the wrong side of the
road.
53%
40%
5%

37 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
These counts were supplemented with
additional bicycle counts for this BMP taken at
14 locations across the city, as shown in Figure

5. Bicycle turning movement counts were
collected on a Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00
a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on
a Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. These
bicycle counts are shown in Table 3.

As shown in Table 3:
● Overall, bicycle activity levels across
the city were highest during the
weekday p.m. period, followed by
weekday a.m. and Saturday midday.
● Bicycle activity to and from the Rio
Hondo River Trail was higher at northern
access points compared to the south.
● Key biking routes (based on relative
volumes) include Beverly Boulevard,
Garfield Avenue, Whittier Boulevard,
Mines Avenue, Greenwood Avenue,
and Washington Boulevard.

TABLE 3. JUNE 2023 BICYCLE COUNTS
Location
Thursday
7 a.m.-
9 a.m.

Thursday
4 p.m.-
6 p.m.

Saturday
11 a.m.-
1 p.m. TOTAL
#1 – Beverly Blvd. /
Beverly Terrace /
Rea Dr. / Rio Hondo
Path Entrance
North leg – Rea Dr. 2 6 5 13
West leg – Beverly Blvd. 10 23 22 55
South leg – Beverly Terrace 0 0 0 0
Rio Hondo Path Entrance 4 10 11 25
East leg – Beverly Blvd. 8 29 21 58
TOTAL 24 68 59 151
#2 – Bluff Rd. /
Roosevelt Ave. /
Rio Hondo Path
Entrance
North leg – Bluff Rd. 3 4 2 9
West leg – Roosevelt Ave. 7 3 9 19
South leg – Bluff Rd. 3 4 5 12
East leg – Rio Hondo Path Entrance 7 3 12 22
TOTAL 20 14 28 62
#3 – Bluff Rd. /
Rio Hondo Path
Entrance
North leg – Bluff Rd. 0 3 4 7
South leg – Bluff Rd. 1 2 0 3
East leg – Rio Hondo Path Entrance 1 5 2 8
TOTAL 2 10 6 18

38 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Location
Thursday
7 a.m.-
9 a.m.

Thursday
4 p.m.-
6 p.m.

Saturday
11 a.m.-
1 p.m. TOTAL
#4 – Paramount
Blvd. / Arroyo Dr.

North leg – Paramount Blvd. 3 2 0 5
West leg – Arroyo Dr. 2 2 0 4
South leg – Paramount Blvd. 4 1 0 5
East leg – Arroyo Dr. 1 3 0 4
TOTAL 10 8 0 18
#5 – Paramount
Blvd. / Montebello
Blvd.

North leg – Paramount Blvd. 1 9 0 10
West leg – Montebello Blvd. 2 15 0 17
East leg – Montebello Blvd. 1 6 0 7
TOTAL 4 30 0 34
#6 – Montebello
Blvd. / Ave. De La
Merced
North leg – Montebello Blvd. 4 7 1 12
West leg – Ave. De La Merced 0 0 3 3
South leg – Montebello Blvd. 3 3 1 7
East leg – Ave. De La Merced 5 4 3 12
TOTAL 12 14 8 34
#7 – Wilcox Ave. /
Lincoln Ave.

North leg – Wilcox Ave. 3 5 0 8
West leg – Lincoln Ave. 1 1 2 4
South leg – Wilcox Ave. 4 5 1 10
East leg – Lincoln Ave. 0 1 3 4
TOTAL 8 12 6 26
#8 – Garfield Ave. /
Beverly Blvd.

North leg – Garfield Ave. 8 10 7 25
West leg – Beverly Blvd. 8 8 6 22
South leg – Garfield Ave. 7 11 8 26
East leg – Beverly Blvd. 7 7 5 19
TOTAL 30 36 26 92
#9 – Maple Ave. /
Beverly Blvd.

North leg – Maple Ave. 1 4 1 6
West leg – Beverly Blvd. 6 4 2 12
South leg – Maple Ave. 1 3 1 5
East leg – Beverly Blvd. 6 5 2 13
TOTAL 14 16 6 36

39 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Location
Thursday
7 a.m.-
9 a.m.

Thursday
4 p.m.-
6 p.m.

Saturday
11 a.m.-
1 p.m. TOTAL
#10 – Maple Ave. /
Whittier Blvd.

North leg – Maple Ave. 5 1 0 6
West leg – Whittier Blvd. 16 17 9 42
South leg – Maple Ave. 5 1 0 6
East leg – Whittier Blvd. 16 17 9 42
TOTAL 42 36 18 96
#11 – Montebello
Blvd. / Whittier
Blvd.

North leg – Montebello Blvd. 1 5 4 10
West leg – Whittier Blvd. 11 11 16 38
South leg – Montebello Blvd. 1 9 5 15
East leg – Whittier Blvd. 11 9 17 37
TOTAL 24 34 42 100
#12 – Montebello
Blvd. / Mines Ave.

North leg – Montebello Blvd. 4 4 3 11
West leg – Mines Ave. 4 8 8 20
South leg – Montebello Blvd. 5 6 5 16
East leg – Mines Ave. 5 14 12 31
TOTAL 18 32 28 78
#13 – Metrolink
Access / Flotilla St.

North leg – Metrolink Access 6 4 1 11
West leg – Flotilla St. 7 5 1 13
East leg – Flotilla St. 11 7 2 20
TOTAL 24 16 4 44
#14 – Greenwood
Ave. / Washington
Blvd.

North leg – Greenwood Ave. 10 6 10 26
West leg – Washington Blvd. 7 12 6 25
South leg – Greenwood Ave. 10 6 10 26
East leg – Washington Blvd. 7 12 6 25
TOTAL 34 36 32 102
TOTAL 266 362 263 891

40 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
FIGURE 5. JUNE 2023 BICYCLE COUNT LOCATIONS
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 14
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bicycle Count Locations
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

41 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Key Destinations
The city’s land uses are primarily residential and
industrial, followed by retail. The area of the city
north of the railroad tracks is predominantly
residential, while the area south of the railroad
tracks is generally split between industrial to the
southwest and residential to the southeast.

Important destinations for bicyclists in
Montebello include parks and recreation,
schools, transit stations, retail establishments,
and community and civic uses, as shown in
Figure 6. Safe and convenient connections to
these types of destinations are important to
individuals who are reliant on public transit and
active transportation, including youths, older
adults, people who do not own automobiles,
and people with disabilities. Each destination
type has unique needs shaped by their
surrounding physical environment and the
groups they serve.
● Parks and recreation: Along with
numerous local city parks located in
residential neighborhoods, recreation
destinations include the Montebello
Barnyard Zoo and City-run community
centers. In addition, the Rio Hondo River
Trail borders the city of Montebello to
the east. The path runs from South Gate
to Arcadia. Within Montebello, there are
access points at Lincoln Avenue, Rea Drive,
Beverly Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard,
Roosevelt Avenue, and Bluff Road.
● Schools: There are 15 K-12 schools
in Montebello, including elementary
schools, middle and intermediate
schools, and high schools, as well
as private and charter schools.
● Public transit stations: There is currently
one rail station within the city, the
Montebello/Commerce Metrolink Station.

In addition, there are two rail stations to
the west of the city: the Atlantic Metro L
Line Station (in East Los Angeles) and the
Commerce Metrolink Station (in Commerce).

The future Metro L Line extension will
include a station in Montebello at the
intersection of Greenwood Avenue and
Washington Boulevard. Currently, bus stops
are available at major roadways within
the city, including Garfield Avenue, Beverly
Boulevard, Wilcox Avenue, Montebello
Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard, Mines
Avenue, and Washington Boulevard.
● Retail establishments: Shopping areas
in the city include both large shopping
centers as well as smaller strip malls.

Key retail areas are clustered around
the following intersections: Montebello
Boulevard and Paramount Boulevard;
Montebello Boulevard and Montebello
Town Center; Via Campo and Wilcox
Avenue; Montebello Boulevard and Beverly
Boulevard; and Montebello Boulevard and
Whittier Boulevard (Downtown Montebello).

Except for Downtown Montebello, retail is
generally not street-facing, meaning that
bicyclists and pedestrians must navigate
parking lots to access these establishments.
● Community and civic uses: The City
provides several centers and other gathering
locations for its residents, including
recreation centers, community centers, the
Montebello Civic Center, the Montebello
Library, and the Senior Citizens Center.

42 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

MONTEBELLO/COMMERCE METROLINK STATION

MONTEBELLO REGIONAL LIBRARY

43 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
FIGURE 6: KEY DESTINATIONS
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Schools
Retail
Community/Civic Uses
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Rio Hondo Bike Path
Montebello City Boundary

44 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Existing Bicycle Network
This section discusses existing on-street bikeways, off-street bikeways, and other bicycle facilities within Montebello. This information is based on an infrastructure inventory conducted in the early stages of the plan development process, as well as information from previous studies, data provided by the City, and site visits.

EXISTING BICYCLE FACILITIES
Bikeways are generally categorized into four types, as described and depicted below.

Bike path
Also known as a Class 1 bicycle facility, shared path, or multiuse path, a bike path is a paved rightof-way for bicycle travel that is completely separate from any street or highway (e.g., along a creek or channel).

45 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Bike lane
Also known as a Class 2 bicycle facility, a bike lane is a striped and stenciled lane for one-way bicycle travel on a street or highway. This facility could include a buffered space between the bike lane and vehicle lane (referred to as a buffered bike lane) and the bike lane could be adjacent to onstreet parking.

Bike route
Also known as a Class 3 bicycle facility, a bike route is a signed route along a street where the bicyclist shares the right-of-way with motor vehicles. This facility can also be augmented using shared-lane markings (also known as sharrows). An enhanced bike route, known as a bike boulevard, can include traffic calming treatments to slow down vehicles.

46 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Separated bike lane
Also known as a Class 4 bicycle facility, a cycle track, or a protected bike lane, this is a bikeway for the exclusive use of bicycles including a separation between the bikeway and the through vehicular traffic. The separation may include, but is not limited to, grade separation, flexible posts, inflexible physical barriers, or on-street parking. A separated bike lane can be one-way or two-way.

Existing bicycle facilities within Montebello are shown in Figure 7 and described below:
● The Rio Hondo River Trail, which runs along the Rio Honda Channel and Whittier Narrows Reservoir, is located on the east side of the city and lacks local bikeways that directly connect major roadways and key destination to the trail. There are access points at Lincoln Avenue, Rea Drive, Beverly Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard, Roosevelt Avenue, and Bluff Road. ● There are bike lanes along Montebello Boulevard north of Lincoln Avenue. Painted buffers are included for both directions of bicycle travel between Paramount Boulevard and Jefferson Boulevard, and in the southbound direction between Jefferson Boulevard and Avenida De La Merced.
● There are parking-adjacent bike lanes along Avenida De La Merced between Montebello Boulevard and Sanchez Street.
● There is a northbound bike lane on Paramount Boulevard at the SR-60 westbound ramps, as well as an eastbound bike lane and westbound bike route along Market Place Drive west of the ramps. ● Bike lanes are partially provided within the Montebello/Commerce Metrolink Station, but they do not connect to Flotilla Street.

47 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Currently, there are a limited number of
bikeways in and around the city, and the
network is generally disconnected. For example,
bicycle facilities may end at an intersection. This
lack of connectivity can discourage people from
bicycling. Additionally, there are no established
bicycle connections to the Rio Hondo River Trail
or to bicycle facilities in neighboring cities, which
are also shown in Figure 7.

In addition to bike lanes, paths, and routes,
bicycle parking facilities increase the
convenience of bicycling to local destinations.

Short-term bicycle parking options, such as
bicycle racks, can be found at various important
destinations within the city including the
following City-operated facilities:
● City Hall
● Cathy Hensel Youth Center
● George Hensel Aquatic Center
● Holifield Community Center
While bicycle parking for private (e.g., retail)
establishments is limited, bicycle racks are
provided along the sidewalk on Whittier
Boulevard within Downtown Montebello.

Long-term parking in the form of secure and
covered bicycle lockers is available near the
Atlantic Metro Gold Line Station located just
outside Montebello’s city limits.

Downtown Montebello bicycle rack

48 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
FIGURE 7: EXISTING BICYCLE NETWORK
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

49 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Rio Hondo bike path
Avenida de la Merced bike lanes Montebello Boulevard buffered bike lanes

50 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

OTHER PLANNED BIKEWAY

IMPROVEMENTS
Other planned bikeways within the city of
Montebello are shown in Figure 8. These
bikeways have been proposed and are being
implemented as part of planning efforts
separate from this BMP. However, they are
being included in the BMP’s assumed baseline
conditions to be consistent with these efforts
and to ensure that the BMP’s proposed bikeway
network fits seamlessly into other planned
improvements in the city. The following bikeway
projects have been proposed in the city as part
of other planning efforts:
● Montebello Hills Specific Plan (2015):

The Montebello Hills Specific Plan was
adopted in 2015 to plan for an infill
residential development in northern
Montebello, south of Montebello Boulevard
and southwest of San Gabriel Boulevard,
south of SR-60. The specific plan’s bicycle
circulation plan includes off-street, multiuse
trails and shared collector streets.
● Garfield Avenue & Via Campo bus
turnout lane: Part of the City’s capital
improvement program (CIP), this project
includes a separated bike lane along
Garfield Avenue between Via Campo and
Via San Clemente only in the southbound
direction, with no northbound bike lane.

Anticipated bicycle facilities outside the city are
also shown in Figure 8, based on respective
jurisdictions’ bicycle plans and/or ATPs. As
shown, several bike lanes and bike routes are
proposed on streets that meet Montebello’s
city limits. This BMP strives to recommend a
network of bicycle facilities within Montebello
that provides consistency and comfort for
bicyclists crossing city boundaries.

Image source: ODOT

51 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
FIGURE 8: OTHER PLANNED BIKEWAYS
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Bike Path
Separated Bike Lanes
Buffered Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes
Bike Boulevard
Bike Route
Metrolink Station
Future E Line Station
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

52 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Existing Programs
Existing City programs and policies to
encourage bicycling are described below. These
include existing code requirements and policies
related to bicycling-supportive facilities, such as
bicycle parking.
● Senior efforts: The City of Montebello
Senior Center offers Dial-A-Ride services
to senior residents. The Senior Center
works with the Montebello Bus Line
Transportation Citizen Advisory Committee
to work on passenger advocacy and
senior public transportation safety.
● Crossing guards: The City of Montebello
Police Department, in coordination
with the Montebello Unified School
District, has identified five locations as
areas of need for crossing guards at
various locations citywide. Through a
memorandum of understanding between
the police department and the school
district, the former supplies crossing
guards at the five identified locations
through a service vendor. The latter
supports the initiative through funding ten
percent of the annual cost of services.
● Transportation demand management
(TDM): The City’s Municipal Code includes
TDM requirements for nonresidential
developments, including bicyclerelated requirements as follows:
● Nonresidential developments that
are 25,000 square feet or larger
shall provide an information kiosk
that includes bicycle route and facility
information, including regional and
local bicycle maps, bicycle safety
information, and a listing of facilities
available for bicyclists at the site.
● Nonresidential developments that
are 50,000 square feet or larger shall
provide bicycle racks or other secure
bicycle parking to accommodate four
bicycles per the first 50,000 square
feet of nonresidential development and
one bicycle per each additional fifty
thousand square feet of nonresidential
development. Calculations which
result in a fraction of .5 or higher shall
be rounded up to the nearest whole
number. A bicycle parking facility may
also be a fully enclosed space or locker
accessible only to the owner or operator
of the bicycle, which protects the
bicycle from inclement weather. Specific
facilities and location (e.g., provision
of racks, lockers, or locked room) shall
be to the satisfaction of the City.
● Nonresidential developments that are
100,000 square feet or larger shall
provide safe and convenient access
from the external circulation system
to bicycle parking facilities on site.

53 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Barriers to Bicycling
This section details existing barriers to safe and
comfortable bicycling in Montebello. Barriers
to bicycling can take several forms such as
perceived lack of safety, high vehicle volumes
and speeds, physical barriers, and a lack of
dedicated facilities which reduce opportunities
for direct routes to destinations. These can
create conditions that are unfavorable to
bicycling and can increase a bicyclists’ level of
stress while using those facilities. The barriers
and needs discussed in this section informed
the recommended improvements in this BMP.

BICYCLIST SAFETY
Bicycling-related crash history data in
Montebello was collected for the 5-year
period from 2015 through 2019 as part of the
Montebello Safe Travel Plan, as shown in Figure

9. Note, the Safe Travel Plan examined pre2020 data to account for potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel patterns. Key
safety findings related for bicyclist-involved
crashes are summarized below:
● Bicyclist crashes occurred frequently
along major arterials such as Beverly
Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard, and
at the intersection of Montebello
Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue.
● There was a concentration of crashes
around Montebello City Park, which includes
a paved walkway throughout the park.
● Bicycle-involved crashes were three times
more likely to result in a fatality or severe
injury compared to vehicle-only crashes.
● The most common crash type recorded for
bicycle crashes was broadside crashes.
● Traveling on the wrong side of the
road was one of the most common
primary crash factors reported
for bicyclist-involved crashes.
● The most common age group reported
in these crashes was ages 18 and
under (27%). Compared to drivers,
bicyclists aged 18 to 24 years old were
overrepresented in the data compared to
their share of the total population (21%).

These statistics illustrate some of the conditions
which may discourage people from bicycling
in the city, which can be exacerbated by a
lack of dedicated bicycle facilities that reduce
intermodal conflicts.

PHYSICAL BARRIERS
There are several physical barriers to bicycling
in Montebello. These barriers can hinder
bicycling access to the destinations mentioned
above and should be addressed by bicycle
facilities improvements to support safe and
comfortable travel in the city. Barriers to
bicycling and/or to implementing bicycle
facilities are documented below:
● Lack of bicycle facilities or supportive
infrastructure for bicycling: Given the
lack of facilities, bicyclists must share the
road with vehicles or share sidewalks with
pedestrians to get to destinations within
the city or regional destinations such as the
Rio Hondo River Trail. This is paired with
a lack supportive infrastructure such as
convenient bicycle parking at destinations.
● Lack of connectivity between bicycle
facilities: While there are some bicycle
facilities currently in the city, they are not
part of a connected network. Therefore,
people who wish to ride a bicycle may
not have a consistent, comfortable endto-end trip between their origin and destination. For example, bicyclists traveling
south along Montebello Boulevard must
transition from dedicated bike lanes
to no bicycle facilities (which requires
sharing the road or the sidewalk).

54 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Uncomfortable, vehicle-oriented streets
with high speeds and volumes: The
primary transportation network within
the city consists of arterial roads with an
emphasis on vehicles throughput. Arterial
roads tend to have higher speeds than
local streets and serve tens of thousands
of vehicles per day. These facilities create
stressful conditions which could discourage
bicycling. In addition, some intersections can
be barriers for bicycling, as bicyclists must
traverse multiple lanes of vehicle traffic to
cross the intersection or make a left turn.
● Lack of transit accessibility via bicycle:

Currently, there are no bicycle facilities
connecting people to the Montebello/
Commerce Metrolink Station or train
stations in adjacent cities. In addition,
there are no bicycle facilities connecting
to the site of the future L Line Station.
● Railroad tracks and lack of convenient
or comfortable crossing locations: Two
sets of freight and passage rail tracks
run through the city. The northern set of
tracks, which run parallel to and south
of Olympic Boulevard and serve the
Montebello/Commerce Metrolink Station,
cross the city at-grade and serve as an
east-west barrier across multiple northsouth streets. The southern set of tracks, which run parallel to and south of Sycamore
Street, also crosses the city at-grade and
restricts north-south travel in the portion
of the city south of Greenwood Avenue.
● Presence of vehicle parking: Major retail
centers such as Montebello Plaza and
the Shops at Montebello are surrounded
by parking lots, meaning that bicyclists
must navigate parking spaces and drive
aisles to access retail establishments.

In addition, on-street parking serving
commercial establishments could
serve as a barrier to implementing onstreet bike lanes if there is opposition to reallocating curb-to-curb space.
● Hilly topography: In the northernmost
areas of the city, the topography may serve
as a barrier to bicycling. An example of this
condition is along Montebello Boulevard
north of Lincoln Boulevard. Bicycling
up steep terrain can be uncomfortable
for some bicyclists, especially when a
separation from vehicle lanes is not
provided. While buffers are provided for
the bike lanes along the incline segment,
speeding downhill vehicles may dissuade
people from bicycling along this road.

Topography also affects other roads in this
area of the city such as Lincoln Avenue.
● Freeway ramps: SR-60 runs in the eastwest direction along the city’s northern limits. Bicyclists who wish to access
destinations north of the freeway must
often pass at least one set of freeway
ramps. These ramps can be barriers for
bicyclists to cross, most significantly the
multiple ramps along Paramount Boulevard.

It should be noted that these facilities are
under Caltrans’ jurisdiction, which must
be addressed when planning bicycle
facilities at these locations. In addition,
freeway overpasses (such as those at Vail
Avenue, Wilcox Avenue, Garfield Avenue,
and Findlay Avenue) can be dark, noisy,
and uncomfortable for bicyclists and can
also serve as a constraint to implementing
bike lanes along intersecting arterials.

These physical barriers can discourage people
from bicycling in Montebello, which could
contribute to a lack of bicycling culture and
visibility and further play a part in discouraging
potential new bicyclists.

55 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Montebello Plaza parking lot
Montebello Boulevard incline
Wilcox Avenue underpass

56 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
FIGURE 9: BICYCLIST-INVOLVED CRASHES (2015-2019)
Greenwood Ave
Vail Ave
Garfield Ave
Wilcox Ave
Washington Blvd
Telegraph Rd
Lincoln Ave
Whittier Blvd
Beverly Blvd
Mines Ave
Bluff Rd
Rea Dr
Poplar Ave
Lincoln Ave
Findlay Ave
Avenida de la Merced
Montebello Blvd
Olympic Blvd
I 0 0.5 1 Mile
Fatal Crash
Severe Injury Crash
Other Injury Crash
Rio Hondo Bike Path
Parks and Open Spaces
Montebello City Boundary

57 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source ODOT

COMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT
04

59 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

60 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Community Engagement
Community outreach was a vital part of the BMP development process to ensure the plan identifies community needs and provides useful and implementable recommendations that the community supports. Comprehensive community input included a multifaceted outreach effort to learn more about transportation habits in Montebello, establish route preferences, and ascertain levels of comfort with different facility types and location-specific treatments. This chapter summarizes the BMP’s outreach strategy, including the findings and community feedback.

Overview
The purpose of the community outreach process was to share information about the development of the BMP, solicit feedback from the community, and provide a transparent decision-making process.

Overall, four different community outreach strategies were used to engage with the public and relevant stakeholders: a partner agency meeting, a pop-up booth at Downtown Street Fest, two community workshops, and an online survey and interactive map.

Project Initiation
APR-MAY 2023
Inventory &
Analysis
MAY-JUL 2023
Recommendations
and Plan
Development
AUG-DEC 2023
Write and
Approve Plan
DEC 2023-FEB 2024 COMPLETION
MAR 2024
Community
Meetings
Outreach and Engagement
JUL 2023-FEB 2024

61 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

PARTNER AGENCY MEETING
A focused meeting with partner agencies
was held to obtain their input on key issues
to address as part of this BMP. The following
agencies and groups participated in the
meeting on August 15, 2023:
● Caltrans
● LA Metro
● Montebello Bus Lines
● Montebello Unified School District
● Montebello Fire Department
● Montebello Traffic Commission
Feedback received during this meeting included
the following:
● LA Metro has initiated a first/last mile
plan for the proposed L Line Station at
Greenwood Avenue and Washington
Boulevard, with a half-mile focus area
for pedestrians and a three-mile radius
for bicycle and other wheeled modes.

LA Metro intends to fold in existing local
plans into their station area planning.
● The plan should consider conflict zone
green striping, high visibility crosswalks,
separated bikeways, and raised crosswalks.
● The bicycle plan should explore bicycle
and pedestrian leading traffic signal
intervals at the underpass of the SR60 and at major intersections. ● Slip lanes are an issue for pedestrians
and bicyclists in the city and should
be examined as part of the BMP.
● Driver speeding is a common issue
throughout the city, including on Beverly
Boulevard, Wilcox Avenue, Whittier
Boulevard, and Garfield Avenue.
● The City should develop mobility hubs in
popular areas, near development such
as the golf course, downtown, and Metro
Heights. Mobility hubs would include things
such as bicycle parking and other supportive
amenities such as bicycle repair stations.
● The plan should examine enforcement
and education, including programs
such as walking buses to school.

POP-UP BOOTH
The City of Montebello hosted the Downtown
Street Fest on Saturday, July 29, 2023. The
event offered a day of live bands, food, a beer
garden, artisan and craft vendors, and kids’
zone. Whittier Boulevard between Montebello
Boulevard and 4th Street was closed to vehicle
traffic.

The City’s Planning and Community
Development booth included information about
the City’s BMP. The purpose of the booth was to
inform the public of the upcoming community
workshop on August 10, 2023, as well as the
BMP’s ongoing online survey. English and
Spanish flyers were handed out which included
information about both the workshop and the
survey.

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
Two community workshops were held at
key project milestones (existing conditions
analysis and infrastructure recommendations).

Information regarding each workshop
(including a project flyer) was shared on the
City’s social media channels and distributed to
local groups and other interested parties.

The first community workshop was held on
Thursday, August 10, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. at Holifield Park Community Center.

The purpose of the first workshop was for the
City to introduce the project, obtain feedback
on existing conditions, and receive input on
the types of infrastructure and programs that
should be included in the plan.

62 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Feedback obtained at this first workshop is
summarized below:
● Participants cited perceived driver speeding
issues at multiple locations throughout
the city, including Lincoln Avenue, Beverly
Boulevard, Whitter Boulevard, Hay
Street, and Bluff Road. They supported
installing traffic circles to calm traffic, as
well as discourage cut-through traffic
through residential neighborhoods.
● Participants highlighted corridors that
experienced changes in elevation (such
as Montebello Boulevard) and streets with
high volumes of traffic and high posted
speed limits (such as Beverly Boulevard)
as candidates for vertical separation.
● Direct pathways to key destinations on
major roadways were preferred, as opposed
to indirect routes on residential streets.
● Participants voiced a need for bicycle
access to destinations such as the
Montebello/Commerce Metrolink Station,
Downtown Montebello, the future L
Line Station, middle and high schools,
and the Rio Hondo River Trail.
● Participants wanted to see bicycle facilities
on streets such as Wilcox Avenue, Lincoln
Avenue, Beverly Boulevard, Whittier
Boulevard, Garfield Avenue, Maple Avenue,
Bluff Road, and Greenwood Avenue.
● Other needs that were raised included
intersection improvements, bicycleoriented wayfinding signage, bicycle parking, and programs such as bicycle
repair classes, open street events,
community rides, and safety education.

DOWNTOWN STREET FEST BOOTH

63 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
A second community workshop was held on
Thursday November 9, 2023, from 6:00 p.m.
to 8:00 p.m. at the Montebello Senior Center.

The purpose of this second workshop was
to present the preliminary infrastructure
recommendations to the community, to ensure
that the plan’s recommendations addressed the
community’s needs both in terms of locations
and facility types. Attendees were supportive
of the draft bicycle network that was presented
and helped the project team refine and update
the recommendations along additional roads.

The community input was incorporated and led
to the development of the final recommended
bicycle network that is presented in this BMP.

FIRST COMMUNITY WORKSHOP GROUP DISCUSSION

SECOND COMMUNITY WORKSHOP MAPPING ACTIVITY

64 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL

MEDIA OUTREACH
Throughout the BMP development process, the
City of Montebello hosted information about
the project on a dedicated project webpage on
the City’s website, including information about
the project, a link to the online survey, and
announcements regarding upcoming public
workshops. In addition to the project website,
the City’s social media accounts (Facebook,
Instagram, and X, formerly known as Twitter)
were used to share bilingual project flyers
announcing workshops and the project survey.

To supplement the online outreach, the City
sent emails advertising the online survey and
workshops to a database of individuals who had
expressed interest during the BMP development
process.

ONLINE SURVEY AND MAP
An online survey was posted on the City’s
website and social media accounts to allow
community members to provide information
on their experience bicycling in Montebello, key
bicycling destinations, and other information
that would help in the development of the
BMP. In addition to the survey questions,
respondents were able to use an online map to
provide additional location-specific comments.

The survey was available in both English and
Spanish. In total, 87 people responded to the
survey.

65 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Online Survey Feedback
Feedback was collected throughout the multiple
workshops and meetings and was summarized
in the preceding section. In addition, the
online survey and map provided valuable
insights into the public’s preferences for bicycle
improvements in the city and supplemented the
input collected during the in-person outreach
events. Survey responses are illustrated in
Figure 10 with specific feedback summarized
below:
● Participants were asked which destinations
are challenging to bicycle to and/or
which destinations they wish to access by
bicycling. The most common locations
were general retail and shopping, major
streets, Downtown Montebello, parks,
LA Metro Atlantic Station, BLVD MRKT,
Montebello Town Center/the Shops at
Montebello, the Rio Hondo River Trail,
Mart of Montebello, and City Hall.
● Participants were asked which streets
should be improved with bikeways.

The most common response included
Beverly Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard,
Montebello Boulevard/Greenwood
Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Garfield
Avenue, and Washington Boulevard.

In addition to the survey questions, respondents
were able to use an online map to provide
additional location-specific comments.

Feedback generally aligned with what was
provided through the open survey questions. In
total, 74 comments were provided on the map,
with the most common categories summarized
below:
● Beverly Boulevard should be improved with
a dedicated bicycle facility as it is currently
uncomfortable or unsafe for bicyclists.

This includes providing a better connection
to the Rio Hondo River Trail, Beverly
Hospital, shops and restaurants, City Hall,
and Montebello Library. (12 responses)
● Slip lanes present safety issues
for bicyclists. (6 responses)
● Implement a protected bikeway along
Whitter Boulevard and improve access
to Downtown Montebello. Speed is an
issue and could be addressed through
traffic calming measures. (6 responses)
● Improve access to the Rio Hondo
River Trail via roads such as Beverly
Boulevard, Bluff Road, Maiden Lane,
and Lincoln Avenue. (5 responses)
● Implement a bikeway such as protected
bike lanes along Lincoln Avenue and
improve intersection timing. (5 responses)
● Some speed bumps in the city are
ineffective at slowing vehicles down along
minor streets (for example, on Findlay
Avenue, San Antonio Drive, and Hay
Street), including for discouraging cutthrough traffic. Additional stop signs are needed on Merle Drive. (3 responses)
● Garfield Avenue has high speeds and parked
cars; the City should implement traffic
calming and reduce speeds. (3 responses)
● Implement protected and/or green bike
lanes along Montebello Boulevard as it is
currently unsafe for bicyclists. (3 responses)
● Improve bicycle access to Montebello
Town Center and the Shops at
Montebello (including reduced vehicle
speeds) and increase the number
of bicycle racks. (3 responses)

66 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
87 PEOPLE

RESPONDED TO

THE SURVEY
How
often do
you ride
a bicycle?
11%
35%
27%
14%
13%
Weekly
Daily
Monthly
Never
Several times
per year
How
comfortable
are you riding
a bicycle in
Montebello? 56%
31%
9%
4%
Uncomfortable
Very
comfortable
Somewhat
comfortable
Comfortable
Recreation or exercise
Where would you like to ride a bicycle to?
70 Going to bars or restaurants 51
Visiting friends and family, going to church, or other social trips 60 Errands, shopping, or other caretaking trips 57
Going to school or dropping off kids at school 18
Commuting to or from work 26
Top reasons for not bicycling more frequently
Lack of
bicycle paths
and lanes
Lack of safe and
secure bicycle
parking
I feel unsafe P
FIGURE 10: ONLINE SURVEY RESPONSES

67 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Of the following bicycle facilities, where would you feel safe and comfortable riding a bicycle? Street-adjacent landscape-separated
bike path
Off-street bike path or trail
Parking or post-separated
bike lane
Painted bike lane
Bike route on residential street
65%
52%
52%
19%
15%

68 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

RECOMMENDED

BICYCLE NETWORK
05

70 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN

71 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
Recommended Bicycle
Network
This chapter presents the recommended
citywide bicycle network. This network
represents the City’s vision for bicycling in
Montebello, with new and improved facilities
to create safe and comfortable connections
to key destinations for users of all ages and
abilities. The recommendations in this chapter
were developed based on the findings of the
existing conditions analysis, as well as feedback
obtained through the public outreach process.

Recommended Bicycle
Improvements
Safe and comfortable bikeways in Montebello
can help create an environment that
accommodates bicyclists of all comfort levels.

The recommended network includes a range
of bicycling facilities that provide safe bicycle
connections to neighborhoods and destinations
in Montebello.

RECOMMENDED BIKEWAYS
The recommended bikeway network is shown in
Figure 11 and detailed in this section. Individual
recommended bikeway maps are provided
in Appendix H. This network includes a focus
on providing bike routes and bike boulevards
on low-volume, low-speed roadways, as well
as separated and/or buffered bike lanes on
major streets to create a connected network
that serves people living across the city. The
recommended bicycle network establishes
a set of bicycle facilities to serve both
experienced and less-experienced bicyclists.

This combination of facilities will help the City
construct a bikeways network that connects
neighborhoods and important destinations for
bicyclists of all ages and abilities. This approach
takes advantage of Montebello’s neighborhood
streets running parallel to major roadways
to establish lower stress routes. Connecting
neighborhoods to schools and shopping centers
through parallel low-vehicle-speed routes helps
facilitate commuting and household-supporting
bicycle trips. Such connections also create new
opportunities and linkages for recreational
riding along on-street facilities and for access to
the Rio Hondo River Trail.

On-street bike routes and bike boulevards
(where bicyclists share a travel lane with
vehicles) include vehicle speed management
as an important element of design, since
vehicles and bicyclists share a travel lane.

Along the recommended bike boulevards,
vehicle speed management can be achieved
through physical traffic calming measures,
traffic diversion, advisory signs, and striping, as
well as education and enforcement programs
aimed at managing vehicle speeds. In addition,
bike boulevards should include intersection
treatments at arterial road intersections where
cross-traffic does not stop, such as pedestrian
hybrid beacons (PHB) and rectangular rapid
flashing beacons (RRFB).

For the recommended standard, buffered, and
separated bike lanes, high quality intersection
treatments, such as bicycle boxes or protected
intersections, should be provided at major
streets. Focused improvements such as green
conflict zone markings would also be required
for bicyclists to safely navigate freeway onramps in northern Montebello. While buffered

72 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
bike lanes are recommended along several
corridors and roadway segments in the city
instead of protected bike lanes due to the
presence of closely-spaced driveways and
the desire to maintain consistent bikeway
types along a corridor, the City may choose
to implement separated facilities with low-cost
flexible posts along specific sections if deemed
feasible during final design and implementation.

Note, while this BMP details recommended
roadways, facility types, and facility
features for a complete citywide bicycle
network, additional considerations during
final design and construction may result in
modifications to the bicycle facility types
and features recommended for the streets
along the network. In addition, while the
recommendations laid out in this BMP can
generally be accommodated within existing
City-owned right-of-way, there is the potential
for the City to coordinate with local property
owners to dedicate property. This could be
required to implement or improve bicycle
facilities based on existing public-right-of-way.

Montebello Boulevard and
Greenwood Avenue
Montebello Boulevard travels north-south
through Montebello before becoming
Montebello Way and then Greenwood
Avenue. It provides uninterrupted north-south
connectivity through the city and destinations
outside the city limits. Currently, there are bike
lanes and buffered lanes in both directions
between Lincoln Avenue and Montebello Town
Center. There is also an incline along that
segment of Montebello Boulevard. A bikeway
along this complete corridor would provide
north-south bicycle access through the city
and to destinations such as multiple retail
establishments, the future LA Metro L Line
Station, and recreational areas north of the city.

The recommended facility along this corridor
is to install separated bike lanes between Plaza
Drive and Whittier Boulevard, buffered bike
lanes between Whittier Boulevard and Mines
Avenue, parking-adjacent bike lanes between
Mines Avenue and Washington Boulevard, and
parking-adjacent buffered bike lanes between
Washington Boulevard and Date Street. Specific
segments of the Montebello Boulevard/
Greenwood Avenue corridor are discussed
below. Unless otherwise noted, improvements
can be implemented without affecting vehicle
throughput or parking (e.g., by reducing lane
widths).
● Plaza Drive to Paramount Boulevard:

Install separated bike lanes. This
involves improving the existing bike
lanes with physical separation.
● Paramount Boulevard to Avenida De
La Merced: Install separated bike lanes.

This involves improving the existing
bike lanes and buffered bike lanes with
physical separation and modifying to the
median south of Jefferson Boulevard.
● Avenida De La Merced to Lincoln
Avenue: Install southbound separated
bike lanes, which would involve removing
parking on the west side of the road.

The recommended approach for the
northbound direction is to leave the existing
facility as is (parking-adjacent bike lane).
● Lincoln Avenue to Beverly Boulevard:

Install southbound separated bike lanes. In
the northbound direction, remove parking
between Beverly Boulevard and Victoria
Avenue to install a separated bike lane;
north of Victoria Avenue, retain on-street
parking and install a buffered bike lane.
● Beverly Boulevard to Cleveland
Avenue: Install separated bike lanes. This
involves removing on-street parking.

73 MONTEBELLO BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
● Cleveland Avenue to Whittier Boulevard:

Install separated bike lanes. This
involves removing on-street parking.
● Whittier Boulevard to Mines Avenue:

Install buffered bike lanes.
● Mines Avenue to Washington Boulevard:

Install parking-adjacent bike lanes. This
would require the removal of a vehicle travel
lane and the addition of a center turn lane.
● Washington Boulevard to Elm Street:

Install parking-adjacent buffered bike
lanes. This would require a road diet.

The recommended improvements for
Greenwood Avenue have been developed
within the constraints of existing City-owned
right-of-way along the corridor as well as
existing conditions such as the number and
location of driveways, which affect the type
of bicycle facility that is appropriate. However,
as the City’s long-term General Plan buildout
is undertaken, the nature and characteristics
of Greenwood Avenue can shift. In addition,
there may be opportunities for the City to
coordinate with existing or new property owners
to dedicate property. Therefore, this BMP
recommends separated bike lanes south of
Whittier Boulevard as a long-term improvement
to coincide with the City’s long-term buildout.

Montebello Boulevard
(Southern Segment)
Montebello Boulevard south of Montebello Way
until Sycamore Street provides north-south
access through residential areas. A bicycle
facility on this street would provide alternative
bicycle access to Greenwood Avenue.

The recommended facility for Montebello
Boulevard south of Montebello Way is to
install a bike boulevard, which would include
traffic calming components. In addition to
serving as an alternative route to bicycling
along Greenwood Avenue, implementing a
bike boulevard with traffic calming can help
discourage vehicle speeding and cut-through
traffic through neighborhoods.

Poplar Avenue and Bluff Road
As a single uninterrupted corridor, Poplar
Avenue and Bluff Road provide continuous
north-south access through the city, connecting
destinations such as the Rio Hondo Trail, parks,
Downtown Montebello, and retail. A bikeway
along this complete corridor would provide
north-south bicycle access through the city
and serve as an alternative to the Montebello
Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue corridor.

The recommended facility for the Poplar
Avenue and Bluff Road corridor is to install
a bike boulevard, which would include traffic
calming components. In addition to serving
as an alternative route to bicycling along
Montebello Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue,
implementing a bike boulevard with traffic
calming can help discourage vehicle speeding
and cut-through traffic through the city’s
eastern neighborhoods.

Maple Avenue
Maple Avenue travels between Lincoln
Boulevard and Washington Boulevard and
provides north-south access through the city
and neighborhoods to destinations such as
schools, parks, and retail. A bikeway along
this street would provide alternative access
to bicycling along Montebello Boulevard and
Greenwood Avenue.

The recommended facility for Maple Avenue
is to install a bike boulevard, which would
include traffic calming components. In addition
to serving as an alternative route to bicycling
along Montebello Boulevard and Greenwood
Avenue, implementing a bike boulevard with
traffic calming can help discourage vehicle
speeding along this residential street.