McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Paul Little
Monday, November 24, 2025 12:12 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse; cityclerk
Rivas, Jessica; Cole, Rick; Jones, Justin; Paige, Jennifer; Marquez, Miguel North Lake Avenue Specific Plan Revision
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Hello.
Thank you for taking into account my opinions, experience and perspective as you move forward in planning for the future of Lake Avenue north of the 210 Freeway.
I am writing this as a private citizen and resident living four blocks east of North Lake Avenue.
My experience with North Lake Avenue dates back decades. I served on the first North Lake Avenue Specific Plan Working Group and was the city council member for District 2 during the initial approval and the second ite ratio n/upd ate of the specific plan. I have lived four blocks from Lake Avenue and half a block south of Washington Boulevard for 39 years now.
To date, all the planning and effort to create a walkable, pedestrian-oriented street have failed.
Another plan to create a walkable, bikeable, pedestrian friendly North Lake Avenue will also fail.
Maybe it is time recognize the realities of North Lake Avenue and build on what is successful there.
First,in all these discussions, the real stakeholders along Lake Avenue - the businesses and their owners and managers, along with commercial property owners - have not been part of these (or any previous) discussions. Without the input of these important members of the North Lake Avenue community, you will simply be putting together a plan and forcing it on unknowing (and likely unwilling) commercial interests.
Let's face facts.
North Lake is not, and never will be, a pedestrian friendly street. It is too hot, too unfriendly to pedestrians and too steep. Yes, there are areas that could be enhanced to attract walking customers to local merchants, most notably the Lake and Washington intersection. However, no matter what the amenities, merchants or services offered, the adjacent neighbors only very occasionally walk to businesses at that intersection. In all the times I have been to La Caravans for dinner I have never seen a neighbor there, despite it being a truly terrific and unique local restaurant. Likewise Kathleen's and Cabrera's. Other businesses along Lake Avenue are patronized predominantly by those in cars. Many areas are simply not attractive to walkers because of the heat, grade of the street, general degradation of the buildings or type of businesses located there. But mostly, neighbors will not walk to Lake Avenue, not matter what is done to try to make it Item 17
1 I just noticed that Desylados restaurant just north of Orange Grove has closed, too.
There are successful businesses on Lake Avenue that are a destination for customers - customer in cars. You should capitalize on those, encourage them in their prosperity and success and incorporate their needs into your plan. just look at who is investing in North Lake Avenue.
Those are predominantly the drive-thru and auto oriented uses. Drive-thru and take-out restaurants such as McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and others have invested millions in building, remodeling and expanding because it makes financial sense to put money into a successful business. Can you think of any successful retail stores along Lake Avenue? I can only think of a handful: Auto Zone and O'Reilly Auto Parts, 7-Eleven, the pet store (none of which are pedestrian oriented or destinations for walkers).
Maybe your effort would have some success if you incorporated those business owners' into the discussion and used their suggestions to help shape your plans.
What would really enhance the business opportunities along Lake Avenue is customers who may actually want to patronize businesses there, if you allow for more housing along North Lake Avenue, you will provide customers that potential entrepreneurs may see as customers, prompting them to open nearby. There are lots along Lake (or very nearby) that would be ideal for multi-family apartment buildings or condos.
North Lake is also not bicycle friendly and no amount of wishful thinking or improvements, short of flattening the street, will make it attract bike riders. Doing expensive improvements to try to make Lake Avenue a bicycle friendly street will not increase bike ridership there. (Please, before investing in any improvements, can we look at what has been installed and evaluate that for effectiveness? Are bike riders actually using the greenway/bikeway on North Marengo, for example?)
Some improvements would be very welcome. Shade trees and other things that will cool the street for those of us who do walk it (or at least portions of it with my dog at least once a week). Maybe some murals on the building walls? (Something to engage the imagination.)
I do appreciate the attention to housing and the opportunities to create housing. That will bring customers to the area - a positive outcome. Are we planning for enough?
Thank you,
Paul Little
Pasadena, CA
2 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Amy Deavoll
Monday, November 24, 2025 4:48 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
julianna; 'Annette Yasin'; 'Garth Garretf; 'Randolph Meredyth-Drake'; 'Mike Schaffer'; 'Melissa Schaffer'; 'Evan Sutton'; 'robert ditzler'; 'Bonnie Seglowich' November 24th City Council Agenda Item #17: Continued Public Hearing: NLSP Some people who received this message don't often get email fromi. Learn why this is important [ l ] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. For more information about the Phish Alert Button view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak regarding the NLSP agenda item #17.
I have two requests:
Question 1:
Per Attachment B, my neighbors on the west side of North Mentor have concerns about the Zoning and and Use" shown in Chapter 4 on page 63_which the segment in the "NL-MU-C" zoning district.
We request the stretch of Lake from Claremont to Washington to be designated as an "NL-MU- N" zoning district to protect our historic neighborhood.
This specific stretch should correspond with Mixed-Use Neighborhood (not Mixed-Use Core) per Attachment F, #8 recommended General Plan and Zoning Code Amendments:
"Update the land use designation for parcels southeast of Washington Boulevard and North Lake Avenue from Medium Mixed-Use (0-87 du/ac and 0-2.25 FAR) to Low Mixed-Use (0-32 du/ac and 0-
1.0 FAR)."
Question 2:
Per Attachment F, under the General Plan Amendments, I agree with #8 described on page 2 (shown in Figure 2 on page 4) to:
"Update the land use designation for parcels southeast of Washington Boulevard and North Lake Avenue from Medium Mixed-Use (0-87 du/ac and 0-2.25 FAR) to Low Mixed-Use (0-32 du/ac and 0-1.0 FAR)." Likewise, the Zoning Code Amendments on page 5 features Table 1, which proposes new zoning to existing zoning - specifically, the existing "RM-12" to "NL-MU-N" 111/24/2025
Item 17
TQble f. Existing and RecommendBd Zoning Districts ft
ZoningDist^^^^^^
ExistingCL-SP-1 b
CL-SP.Ie
RM-48
CL-SP-1b
CL-SP-1d
CL"SP-1e
CO-SP-1a
CO-SP-lc
RM-12
RM-16
RM-32
os
ProposedNL-MU-CNL-MU-Nos
However, Figure 3 shown on page 6 shows Lake from Claremont to Washington as dark blue as "NL- MU-C"
2 Figure 3. R^commencfed Zoning Disirscts for Psrcefs in the Proposed HLSP IIZABrTN
MOWARD
MOWANO
UtDeKA
>•BIOdaANDt
I J
3•s
s3
0 ai 11 z
0 2
<j
0 s
CURtWONT
•0
u
6EWIOCRE
PEBKIN5M.V
WASWMGTON
M«
NL-MU-C
NL-MU'N
NL.RM.48
NL-RM-32
NL-RS.6
os
PS
BBI-L
Per the previous pages, shouldn't this segment be redefined as "NL-MU-N" and shown in the purple color?
Thank you so much,
Amy Deavoll
3