1 RECONNECTING
PASADENA
Reconnecting Pasadena Vision Plan
City Council
March 30, 2026
2 Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary & Introduction
2. Context
3. Restorative Justice
4. Physical Reconnection
5. Human Connections
6. Resiliency + Sustainability Concepts
7. Implementation + Next Steps
8. Appendix
3 WHAT IS A VISION
PLAN?
Helps the City determine the
best way to
• relink communities
separated for over 50 years
and,
• serves as a guiding
document for subsequent
planning and entitlement
processes.
5 SIX ORGANIZING CONCEPTS
PHYSICAL RECONNECTION
The Project relinks communities from
east to west and north to south.
How can local and regional circulation changes
transform a freeway into a neighborhood?
PLACE CREATION
The Project is designed around places.
How can the Project Area add to Pasadena’s
inventory of well-loved places?
COMMUNITY COHESION
The Project complements sociability &
fosters human connection.
How can new land uses programs complement and
connect with adjacent neighborhoods and
contribute to a welcoming environment?
COMMUNITY REPAIR, HEALTH &
WELL-BEING
The Project provides a path to restorative
investments.
How can the Project repair the past, elevate equity and improve the lives of future generations?
ECONOMIC VITALITY
The Project attracts & expands opportunity.
How can the Project be a net contributor to the City’s tax base? How can the Project enable local business
participation in construction and delivery over time?
SUSTAINABILITY, CLIMATE & RESILIENCY
The Project is a proactive contributor to the local
ecosystem.
What is the collective impact of the Project’s Area
redevelopment?
How can the Project improve City resilience?
2 CONTEXT
• Where is the Study Area?
• How did the City access this land?
• Public Process & Engagement
• Planning Context
• Scale
• Land Use Opportunities
Explore the 710 Project Area’s
history and planning.
Approximately 50
acres including nearly
17 acres of roadways
and bridges
1966 - 1974
SR 710 CONSTRUCTION
1964-1976-1999
MILESTONES IN COMMUNITY RESISTANCE
CALTRANS CORRIDOR STUDY TO FILL GAP
2017
CITY COUNCIL OPPOSES TUNNEL
PROMPTING DEFUNDING
2022
RELINQUISHMENT-SB 7 & AB 9
“RETURN TO USEFUL PURPOSES"
1959-1970S
LAND ACQUISITION
DECADES IN THE
MAKING
1966 - 1974
SR 710 CONSTRUCTION
1964-1976-1999
MILESTONES IN COMMUNITY RESISTANCE
CALTRANS CORRIDOR STUDY TO FILL GAP
2017
CITY COUNCIL OPPOSES TUNNEL
PROMPTING DEFUNDING
2022
RELINQUISHMENT-SB 7 & AB 9
“RETURN TO USEFUL PURPOSES"
1959-1970S
LAND ACQUISITION
DECADES IN THE
MAKING
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FRAMEWORK
PASADENA HISTORIC PROJECT
STATE /REGIONAL HOUSING &
AFFORDABILITY GOALS & MORE
SOLUTIONS IN
TODAYS CONTEXT
11 RELINK APPROXIMATELY
10 CITY BLOCKS
Fair Oaks Ave.
Del Mar Blvd
Colorado Blvd.
Walnut St.
Marengo Ave.
Madison Ave.
Los Robles Ave.
12 FLEXIBLE LAND USES - POLICY ALIGNMENTS, PUBLIC INTEREST & ECONOMICS
3 RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE
• Defining Restorative Justice and how it
might be applied over the life of the
project
• Sharing concepts of Restorative Planning
and Process Tools
• Identifying restorative outcomes and
delivery strategies for Council
consideration
LEARNING FROM THE PASADENA HISTORIC PROJECT
HOW MANY BUSINESSES
AND HOMES WERE
DISPLACED?
PERSONAL STORIES TITLE RESEARCH
15 RESTORATIVE JUSTICE DEFINITION
Pasadena-Focused: Restorative Justice is a dynamic
process which takes action to repair direct and indirect harms caused by the proposed construction of the 710 and the construction of the 210 freeways and their broader impact in Pasadena.
It will identify, publicly inform, officially acknowledge, respond to, and remedy these injustices through open and responsive engagement with the disproportionately impacted communities. This will ensure the development of community-driven solutions, including non-repetition of harm, integrated through the vision plan design elements for City Council’s consideration.
Advisory Group
Recommended
Defintiion
16 DESIGNFEASIBILITY & FINANCE VISION PLAN CONSTRUCT OPERATE & MAINTAIN Site history, past
harm, define impacted and
displaced communities.
Areas of focus and develop
Restorative Justice
Framework.
Goals, commitments
& aspirations.
Health and wellness, public
realm, access, and affordable
housing.
City Council consideration of
the Vision Plan.
Feasibility, staffing,
& resources and financial
planning in support of RJ.
Restorative Justice is
incorporated as policy priority
and targets are refined.
The City of Pasadena initiates
a public body to review
technical findings
Agreements and partnerships
with the State (Caltrans) and
Region (Metro) to refine
planning, costs, and design
strategies.
Streetscape, sustainability
& public realm design
guidance, create the
regulatory framework for
preferred concept.
Architectural design for
identified phases.
Private sector
requirements to achieve
targets e.g. community
benefits, affordable units,
sustainability, and special
uses and/or programs.
Initiate construction for
public infrastructure, and
private projects in multiple
phases, beginning with
enabling projects
Conduct on going
management, programing
and activation,
educational opportunities
and curriculum
development.
HOW TO INTEGRATE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ALONG THE PATH TO PROJECT DELIVERY 17 710 ADVISORY GROUP RESTORATIVE JUSTICE 10 “ELEMENTS” • The need to acknowledge past wrongs and the history related to the construction of the freeway. • Process and Policy: How the 710 Vision Plan and subsequent processes are conducted, including various means to ensure community-driven, equitable outcomes. • Future Physical Design: recommendations that define preferred physical solutions for the Project Area, e.g. memorials, public spaces and other features. • Future Programming: Recommendations for project uses and approaches, with a focus on affordable housing, community-based programs and targeted investments for impacted and/or displaced communities.
4 PHYSICAL
RECONNECTION
• What Is Here Today?
• Transportation Goals
• What we studied - conceptual roadway
networks & analysis findings
• Managing Change
1. BUILD MULTIMODAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO
RECONNECT
2. RIGHT-SIZE REGIONAL TO LOCAL CONNECTIONS
3. REDUCE REGIONAL THROUGHPUT
4. DESIGN FOR SAFETY
4 ENABLE FUTURE TRANSIT
5. BE FLEXIBLE
6. USE LOCAL MULTIMODAL CIRCULATION
NETWORK TO CREATE PLACE
7. COMMIT TO A PROJECT-DRIVEN TRIP
REDUCTION GOAL
MAINTAIN TODAY’S LEVEL
OR LESS OF NORTH TO
SOUTH TRAVEL –
(GOAL/ RECOMMENDATI
ON BY ADVISORY GROUP) INCLUDE DESIGN
TREATMENTS THAT
BALANCE BETWEEN
RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL LAND USES
TO REDUCE PEAK TRAVEL
(HELPS MITIGATE
CONGESTION)
1. Adds measures to slow traffic entering the
study area, new two-way intersection
leading into stub and south of Walnut
2. Converts St. John Ave and Pasadena Ave to
two-way streets, with slower, controlled
traffic movement, stop signs lights, and
bicycle lanes.
3. Includes new connecting vehicular street at
Valley St.
4. Includes a comfortable walking link at the
center of the site from Union to Del Mar Ave.
5. Assumes the existing bridges can be
adapted and narrowed as necessary
1 2
3 4
5 1
CIRCULATION FRAMEWORK TESTS
GARDENS AND TERRACES
less intervention
21 1. Introduces a roundabout to smooth traffic
flow into and out of the area from I-210 and
SR-134. Vehicles enter the Project Area at
Holly Street.
2. St. John Ave and Pasadena Ave are two-
way streets. St. John may be able to be
designed for reduced traffic
3. A NEW boulevard travels from north to south
at street level on the west side.
4. Valley Street AND Bellevue Dr. are new
vehicular connections (more connections)
5. Holly St. offers another link between City
Hall, Memorial Park LRT station, and the west
side.
1 2
3 4
5 CIRCULATION FRAMEWORK TESTS
BOULEVARDS AND PASEOS
more intervention
22 ENABLES NEW LOCAL STREETS TO
BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO
PASADENA'S CIRCULATION
PATTERN
23 ENABLES LOCAL STREETS & PASEOS
DESIGNED FOR WALKING AND LIVING
24 ENABLES CONNECTING STREET IMPROVEMENTS (MAPLE)
25 MANAGING CHANGE WITH PARTNERS
•
Project Area
Change
•
City Scale
Change
•
Regional Scale
Change
5 HUMAN
CONNECTION
• Design Principles
• Three Neighborhoods
• Vision Concepts
• Public Realm Strategy
• A Visual Catalogue of Special Places
27 Urban Edge
moves West
City
Hall
Gateway @
FRWY
• New Local
Connections
• Green/soft edge
(buffer)
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Extend Pasadena’s Urban Edge West
28 THREE NEIGHBORHOODS
DELMAR TO CALIFORNIA
CENTRAL
COLORADO CIVC
MIX OF USES (RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL)
APPROX 3.5 MILLION GROSS SQUARE FEET
10 NEW CITY BLOCKS
REBUILD NEW STREETS AND BUILDINGS
29 BUILD UP BUILD DOWN
Option B2 Option B3
T
T
North
Middle
South
30 BUILDING ON WHAT’S HERE
BOULEVARD AND PASEOS
GARDENS AND TERRACES
Pasadena Ave.
St. John St.
California Blvd.
Pedestrian/bikeway.
Union St.
St. John St.
Union St.
Pasadena Ave.
Del Mar Blvd.Del Mar Blvd.
New Boulevard
Linear Park
California Blvd.
32 BOULEVARD AND PASEOS
• Maximizes connectivity with new north-south boulevard • Creates a publicly programmable space and park along west. • Offers new east west vehicular connections at Valley and Bellevue, many east-west bike and pedestrian connections at street level.
• Integrated public spaces throughout
33 COLORADO CIVIC AREA
34 COLORADO CIVIC AREA
Urban Piazza
35 CENTRAL AREA
36 CENTRAL AREA
Linear Park
37 DEL MAR TO CALIFORNIA
38 DEL MAR TO CALIFORNIA
Sequoyah School
PUBLIC REALM STRATEGY
Everyday Landscape Typologies Lifeways Landscape Typologies 40 A VISUAL CATALOGUE OF SPECIAL PLACES
Live, Art, Learning
6 RESILIENCY +
SUSTAINABILITY
• Once-in-a-generation Opportunity
• Sustainability Framework
• Net Zero Feasibility
• Water Circularity & Resilient Water
Systems
• Climate, Health, And Wellness
• Leveraging Third-party Rating Systems
42 ONCE -IN-A-GENERATION OPPORTUNITY
7 IMPLEMENTATION +
NEXT STEPS
• Feasibility At The Concept Stage
• Next Steps
44 INFRASTRUCTURE
Mobility and utility
infrastructure
Multi modal
improvements
Sustainable water
features
Clean
energy/renewables,
district and buildings
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
Attracting economic
and environmentally
superior partners
Embed flexibility in a
dynamic marketplace
Value alignment with
public goals for
affordability or other
programs?
BRINGING THE IDEAS TOGETHER: NEXT STEPS
Will require public investment (city, region, state sources) – working to clarify and set in place tools (e.g. Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District). Also working to understand tax proceeds generated by the project upon completion.
45 Overview of Primary Development Finance Tools
Infrastructure
Funding &
Financing
Tools
Tax
Increment
Financing
(TIF)
Special Tax /
Assessment
Districts
(e.g., CFD)
General Fund
Financings (I-
Bank, GO
Bonds, Lease
Revenue
Bonds, TIFIA)
Grants
Impact Fees,
State Budget
Surplus,
Other
FINANCE TOOLS TO EXPLORE
46 NEXT STEPS – ENTITLEMENTS, DESIGN AND PHASING
BUILDINGS DEVELOPED IN
CONCERT WITH
ROADWAYS,
STORMWATER AND
STREETS
PHASING AND LAND USE
REFINEMENTS ARE A NEXT
STEP
47 PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS
8 APPENDICES
• Restorative Justice Framework
• Restorative Justice 710 Advisory Group
Recommendations
• Transportation Analysis Findings
• Sustainability And Net Zero Feasibility
• Caltrans Stormwater Basin Sizing
• Preliminary Economic Analysis
• Historic Projects
49 STUDY MODEL
50 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Possible next step is a Specific Plan (CA Gov. Code 65451) -- Built from the Vision Document managed by the Planning Department
“The existing and proposed land uses, including open space; 2) the proposed infrastructure (transportation, utilities, etc.) needed to support those land uses; 3) standards and criteria for development and resource conservation; and 4) an implementation program with regulations, projects, and financing.”
SPECIFIC PLAN
Consultant Selection.
Chapters on land uses,
the public and private
realm, infrastructure,
design, implementation, etc.
Public Process.
CEQA/
NEPA
Environmental Review.
Evaluate impacts on traffic,
air quality, noise, GHGs,
utiliies, public services, etc.
Public process.
FINANCING IMPLEMENTATION
51 52
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ELEMENTS
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60 RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ELEMENTS