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CITY OF PASADENA
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 - 5:00 P.M.
MEETING
OPENING
ROLL CALL:
Staff:
PUBLIC COMMENT
NEW BUSINESS
Chair Hampton called the meeting of the Economic Development and Technology Committee to order at 5:08 p.m.
CouncilmemberTyron Hampton, Chair
Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas
Councilmember Steve Madison (Absent)
Councitmember Jason Lyon (Absent)
David Klug, Director of Economic Development
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager
Manuel Carmona, Director of Public Health
Elizabeth Taylor, Program Coordinator II
Dion O'Connell, Assistant City Attorney
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary
The following individuals expressed concerns with vacant properties in the City and/or provided comments regarding implementation of vacancy tax to support local economic activities:
Bert Newton, representing Making hlousing and Community Happen Donna Sider, representing Pasadena Mennonite Church
Joshua Bautista, representing Making Housing and Community Happen
David Baer, representing Making Housing and Community Happen Stephen Hill, representing Making Housing and Community Happen Anthony Manousos, representing Making Housing and Community Happen, advocated for implementing a transfer tax to raise revenue for affordable housing.
Jill Shook, representing Making Housing and Community Happen, urged the Committee to agendidize consideration of a transfer tax similar to the Measure United to House Los Angeles (ULA).
FEASIBILITY STUDY ON INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE
Chair Hampton announced that this item will not be considered and will be agendized at a future Committee meeting.
INFORMATION ONLY MEHKO (MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHEN OPERATIONS) Manuel Carmona, Director of Public Health, presented a Powerpoint presentation on the item, including providing information on MEHKO's background and summary of small-scale restaurants operating in a home program, potential benefits and challenges of the program, role of City Departments, unpermitted home restaurant complaints, cost of additional City services, feasibility study, and proposed next steps; and responded to questions.
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In response to Vice Mayor Rivas' inquiry regarding selling food on private property, Elizabeth Taylor, Program Coordinator II, clarified that outdoor grilling would be permitted, however most of the food preparation must occur inside the residence.
The following individuals spoke in support of the MEHKO proposed program and/or provided other related comments on the matter:
Roger Overstreet, Pasadena resident
Richard Gomeztrejo, Monrovia resident
Patrick Haugen, Pasadena resident
Lauren Wolfer, representing COOK Alliance
Chair Hampton expressed support for creating additional opportunities for residents to build businesses through the MEHKO program.
Following discussion, Vice Mayor Rivas and Chair Hampton spoke in support of staff researching other municipalities with MEHKO programs, collecting data and return to the Committee with a proposed MEHKO pilot program.
Following discussion, on the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
UPDATE ON RECONNECTING PASAENA 710 MASTER PLAN
PROCESS
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager and Vaughan Davies, Principal at Perkins Eastman (City consultant), provided introductory comments, and Susan Ambrosini, Principal from AECOM (City consultant), presented a Powerpoint presentation on the 710 Master Plan preliminary economic analysis, including providing information on the summary of key findings, development options and program, with all responding to questions.
In response to Vice Mayor's inquiry related to the rental housing units, Hunter Gillespie, Project Manager from AECOM, provided information on the baseline model, and responded to questions.
Following discussion, on the order of Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE BY DAVID A. KLUG,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
David Klug, Economic Development Director, summarized the staff memo as part of his oral presentation, including providing information on business developments, conferences and workforce development, technology startups and Science, and real estate; and responded to questions.
Vice Mayor Rivas and Chair Hampton thanked staff for their hard work. 02 09/16/2025
^ } APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
ADJOURNMENT:
ATTEST:
^z
Following a brief discussion, on the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
It was moved by Vice Mayor Rivas, seconded by Chair Hampton, to approve the minutes of August 19, 2025, as submitted. (Motion unanimously approved) (Absent: Councilmembers Madison, Lyon) On the order of the Chair, the meeting of the Economic Development and Technology,Committee was adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
Council/n&pdber Tyron Hampton, Chair
Economic Development and Technology Committee
Betty Gao
Recording Secretary
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