Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 1 City Council Hearing
ATTACHMENT C
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC FEEDBACK
Prior to the preparation of the proposed Fair Oaks Orange Grove (FOOG) Specific Plan, the Planning and Community Development Department staff and consultants held the following community meetings/events:
• Three citywide open houses to introduce and solicit feedback on the Specific Plan Update Program and the General Plan vision on each of the eight planning areas, including the FOOG area.
(150 participants)
o Open House 1 (March 8, 2018 – Jackie Robinson Community Center) o Open House 2 (March 15, 2018 – Pasadena Senior Center) o Open House 3 (March 29, 2018 – Victory Park Recreation Center) Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 2 City Council Hearing
• Youth Summit (October 19, 2019) – Staff hosted a Youth Summit to engage and introduce young residents in the City of Pasadena to the planning process. Using multimedia tools and interactive activities including a virtual reality station, large floor map activity, and video, the youth summit was designed to educate students about city planning and allow participants to share their unique perspective on what they think will make Pasadena a better place now and in the future. The summit format was designed to inform participants about the eight Specific Plan updates, including FOOG, and illustrate the types of development and improvements being discussed.
Participants were encouraged to provide input through an interactive mapping activity and storytelling station where they could record their stories and experiences on video.
(31 high school student participants + 8 Youth Ambassador participants) Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 3 City Council Hearing
• Five plan-specific events to present and solicit community feedback on the FOOG update:
o Round 1 Plan Workshop (July 12, 2018) – The objective of the workshop was to solicit community feedback on the general plan vision, desired land uses, and urban form for the plan area. In an icebreaker activity, participants mapped out where they live, work, and play and wrote three words for the future of the plan are. Following a presentation where staff provided an overview of the Our Pasadena program and background on FOOG, participants were broken into small group discussions to share their experiences living, working, and/or visiting the area, as well provide feedback on specific facilitated topics such as housing types, streetscape and public amenities, mobility, and parking. Workshop materials and summary of community feedback can be found on the program’s website, https://www.ourpasadena.org/FOOG-Round1-Materials
(Over 50 participants)
Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 4 City Council Hearing
o Round 2 Plan Workshop (April 11, 2019) – The Planning & Community Development Department hosted a second community workshop on the FOOG area to present preliminary land use and urban form concepts that considered several factors, including community feedback received since the first workshop. Input received helped refine these concepts and guide the drafting of goals, policies, and development standards. In an opening icebreaker activity, participants were able to reaffirm what we heard so far from the community by placing stickers next to those comments. Staff gave a presentation covering background information on the program, an overview of the existing Specific Plan area, emerging themes and draft vision, and preliminary concepts. Lastly, participants broke out into small groups to discuss the preliminary concepts. Each table reported back to the larger group with a summary of the main points. Materials and summary of community feedback can be found on the program’s website, https://www.ourpasadena.org/FOOG-Round2-Materials
(35 participants)
o Community Walking Tour (July 20, 2019) – The Planning & Community Development Department hosted an interactive walking tour of the FOOG area. Tour participants were asked about their thoughts on mixed-use development, opportunities to improve the walking environment, parking accessibility, existing and future uses, and their overall pedestrian experience. Participants wrote comments on walking tour worksheets/guides Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 5 City Council Hearing
as they walked along Orange Grove Boulevard and then north up Fair Oaks Avenue. At the end of the tour, participants identified specific locations on large maps with image cards depicting desired uses. Summary of community feedback can be found on the program’s website,
https://www.ourpasadena.org/FOOG-WalkingTour--Summary
(Over 35 participants)
o Round 3 Virtual Open House (September 2020) – The objective of the open house was to solicit community feedback on the refined plan vision and preliminary draft development, design, and public realm standards and guidelines. Through an introductory presentation and a series of informational boards, participants were able to navigate the virtual room and review the materials and provide feedback during the pandemic. Materials can be found on the program’s website, https://www.ourpasadena.org/virtualopenhouse (358 unique pageviews and 733 total page views.)
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• Two plan-specific public hearings to present and solicit community feedback on the FOOG update:
o Northwest Commission Meeting (April 13, 2021) – Staff presented on the background of the plan, discussed community engagement events that have taken place, and what feedback was received, sidewalk standards and preliminary development standards.
https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/5519?view_id=35&redirect=true o Design Commission Meeting (May 18, 2021) – Staff presented an information item to the Design Commission on the FOOG update to give the Commission an opportunity to review and provide feedback on the refined plan vision and preliminary development, design, and public realm standards that were presented during the Round 3 outreach. The audio recording can be found online:
https://pasadena.granicus.com/player/clip/5578?view_id=35&redirect=true Throughout the outreach process, participants shared a wide range of input, which has been summarized in the following recurring themes:
• Lower-scale character along Fair Oaks Avenue, north or Washington Boulevard, with a mix of housing, commercial, and supportive services, while encouraging uses that better serve the surrounding residents.
• Reinforce the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard as a key focal point of commercial activity that offers a variety of goods and services along with housing options to foster a stronger sense of place. • Enhance Robinson Park as a center of recreational activity with light industrial uses and creative offices that provide future employment opportunities.
Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 7 City Council Hearing
• Provide various new housing opportunities in the East Orange Grove Corridor, including affordable housing.
• Allow building heights that support new development while providing appropriate transitions adjacent to single-family residential neighborhoods. • Enhance the aesthetics and design of new development through strengthened design and development standards.
• Incorporate active ground-floor uses and design treatments along Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard that support a more vibrant street atmosphere and better connect surrounding neighborhoods. • Recognize the importance of the area’s historic and cultural resources and utilize them to strengthen the district’s distinct identity.
Additionally, last year, staff received feedback from the Arroyo Group and Making Housing & Community Happen, and landscape architecture students from CalPoly Pomona. The following points highlight key themes:
• Support for density further south toward the 210-freeway, with a recommendation to increase density up to 48 dwelling units per acre in the northern portion of the plan area;
• Encourage work/Live and artist communities [any specific areas]; • Support clean-tech uses [any specific areas];
• Allow multi-family structures to be built on church properties in order to preserve the history and heritage, while supplying more housing opportunities; • Provide opportunities for youth-serving attractions;
• Prioritize public realm improvements, including traffic calming measures, additional crosswalks, bike lanes, and landscaped medians; and • Plant more trees and add landscaping to help create better tree canopy and reduce extreme heat impacts.
Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 8 City Council Hearing
Planning Commission Study Session (March 12, 2025)
At the March 2025 Study Session, Staff provided the Planning Commission and the public an opportunity to give comments on topics such as the plan area, vision, and subarea concepts. Over 70 participants attended the meeting. The following highlights comments that were received from the public:
• Increase density to 48 du/ac to encourage affordable housing on Fair Oaks Ave, north of Washington Blvd
• Support multi-family housing on religious facilities
• Rename “La Pintoresca” to “The Legacy District: Historic Black Main Street” Subarea
• Emphasized bringing back a “Black Main Street”
• Provide safer streets for people – pedestrians, bicyclists & cars • Provide more street trees and public art
Planning Commission was generally in support of the public comments discussed and requested staff consider the physical feasibility and appropriateness of increasing residential density to 48 du/ac on Fair Oaks Ave, north of Washington Blvd.
Planning Commission Study Session (October 22, 2025)
At the October 2025 Study Session, Staff provided an update to the Planning Commission and the public on background information, vision, goals, and policies, as well as introduced the streets for people approach for the public realm and follow-up discussion on density and potential development standards. Over 30 participants attended the meeting. The following highlights comments that were received from the public:
• Shortened their suggestion to rename “La Pintoresca” to the “Black Legacy District” instead of “The Legacy District: Historic Black Main Street” Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 9 City Council Hearing
• Emphasized bringing back a “Black Main Street”
• Provide safer streets for people – pedestrians, bicyclists and cars • Provide more street trees & public art
• Increase bus frequencies in the area
• Increase density to 48 du/ac on Fair Oaks Avenue, north of Washington Boulevard
• Increase density to 48 du/ac at the southeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Washington Boulevard
The Planning Commission was generally in support of the public comments discussed.
Planning Commission Hearing (April 22, 2026)
At the April 2026 Hearing, Planning Staff presented the proposed FOOG Specific Plan.
The Planning Commission received public comments, discussed the proposed plan, and provided additional recommendations for City Council to consider. Over 50 participants attended the meeting. The following highlights comments that were received from the public:
• Supportive of the “Black Legacy District” name change • Supportive of increased housing density
• Implement medians for continued road safety
• More green infrastructure for cooling the area
• Create economic incentives for local businesses
• Allow for woodworking uses in the area
• Provide better bus shelters with shading
• Make existing storefronts more appealing and pedestrian oriented Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 10 City Council Hearing
• Supportive of decorative crosswalks in the near term
Commissioner recommendations are the following:
• Change the timeframe for Implementation Action PA-4 (Pedestrian Oriented Art in Public Realm) from Medium-term (5-10 years) to Near-term (0-5 years); • Change the timeframe for Implementation Action IMS-10 (Decorative Crosswalk) from Medium-term (5-10 years) to Near-term (0-5 years) and include the intersection of Penn Street and Fair Oaks Avenue on the list of potential decorative crosswalks;
• Revise Implementation Action PA-7 (Business Association Formation) to include restorative justice and economic development language;
• Revise Implementation Action IMS-6 (SRTP Bus Improvements) to include bus shelters and other infrastructure that enhance the streetscape for the transit rider; • Change the permit requirement for the ‘Industry, Restricted, Small-Scale’ land use category from a Minor Conditional Use Permit to a by-right use throughout the plan area;
• Change the residential density from 32 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) to 48 du/ac for the southeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Washington Boulevard; • Include pedestrian-oriented standards and/or guidelines to address storefronts in the FOOG Specific Plan, and
• Reconsider the varied roof line provision that allows up to 30 percent of a building’s footprint to exceed the height limit by 12 feet.
Northwest Commission Information Session (November 13, 2025) At the November 2025 Information Session, Staff provided an update to the Northwest Commission and the public on background information, vision, goals, and policies, as well Recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan Update Attachment C: Public Outreach Process and Feedback Page 11 City Council Hearing
as development standards and the public realm. Approximately 12 participants attended the meeting. The following highlights comments received from the public:
• Rename “Legacy District” to the “Black Legacy District” Subarea • Emphasis on bringing back a “Black Main Street”
• Pleased to see increase in housing density to 48 du/ac on Fair Oaks Avenue, north of Washington Boulevard
• Provide safer streets for people – pedestrians, bicyclists & cars • Provide more street trees & public art
• Increase bus frequencies in the area
• Create medians between center turning lanes on Fair Oaks Avenue Residents, property owners, and other interested parties were notified of upcoming events, community meetings and hearings via postcard mailers sent to all properties within the current and proposed FOOG area boundaries as well as within a 500-foot radius of the boundaries to ensure that the greater community surrounding the FOOG area was notified. Residents were also informed of upcoming events by signing up for email notifications and by interacting with the OurPasadena webpage and social media.
Additionally, information about the Specific Plan Update program was provided through Council District newsletters, flyers sent through the Pasadena Unified School District, Pasadena Education Network, and articles in Pasadena Now.