A letter to Pasadena’s City Council and the Redistricting Task Force.

Despite the holidays, December was a very active and productive month for the DPNA, and we’ve hit the ground running in 2012. The executive team has an exciting meeting planned for Thursday, January 19 that will bring members up to speed on all our progress, and create an ACTION PLAN for the month of February and beyond.

We are expecting quite a few new members  at the meeting, and encourage everyone to actively mention the DPNA to your neighbors, homeowners associations, and friends, and invite them to come to the meeting.

Details:

Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 PM

Pasadena Presbyterian Church, the Gamble Room (the central parlor that faces the courtyard between the older education wing and the new auditorium) Corner of Madison & Colorado.

585 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena CA 91101

For questions, call 626-539-3762 or email DPNAlist@gmail.com

See you there!

Pasadena real estate will continue to hold value if the city continues support for higher-density mixed-use developments with good transit and pedestrian connections.

A recent op-ed piece in the New York Times by Christopher B. Leinberger explains why Pasadena housing values have not suffered as greatly as “fringe suburbs” (the drive-till-you-qualify tract home suburbs in the Inland Empire and outer LA county):  Pasadena’s density and walkability is increasingly more desirable.

In the late 1990s, high-end outer suburbs contained most of the expensive housing in the United States, as measured by price per square foot . . . Today, the most expensive housing is in the high-density, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods of the center city and inner suburbs.

. . . Simply put, there has been a profound structural shift — a reversal of what took place in the 1950s, when drivable suburbs boomed and flourished as center cities emptied and withered.

This increased demand for high-density, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods is the result of a demographic shift in 2 generations, he explains:

1. The Baby Boomers–who are gradually becoming empty-nesters–are downsizing from larger homes.

2. The Millennials–who are just starting to leave the nest–have been raised on sitcoms in urban settings (Seinfeld, Friends, Sex in the City vs. the Boomers’ Leave it to Beaver, The Brady Bunch, etc.) and therefore consider city life to be an attractive norm. Also, Millennials are marrying and producing children at lower rates than previous generations, and need less space for smaller households.

Pasadena, as an inner suburb of Los Angeles with its’ own urban core, has enhanced its’ walkability and therefore desirability by permitting higher-density mixed-use development in Downtown Pasadena, replacing single-story strip malls with multi-story condos/apartments that have retail or commercial uses on the ground floor.  By placing these developments next to the Gold Line, and by making the Downtown Neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly, a Downtown resident is less dependent upon a car to fulfill daily needs.  That’s an increasingly attractive option that is in short supply nationwide.

Pasadena should support this trend with a General Plan that allows greater density within the Downtown’s Central District, a General Plan that does not stifle development with severe height restrictions but rather encourages function and design that engages pedestrians. Keeping in mind that Pasadena’s allure also is due to its many beautiful older building and historic character, Pasadena should demand that new development be equally high-quality and/or respectful of historic landmarks. And, Pasadena should invest in more pedestrian-friendly improvements, such as a streetcar system that would extend the walking range of residents and make parking easier for visitors.

Read the New York Times article here: The Death of the Fringe Suburb, November 25, 2011 by Christopher B. Leinberger

For a much more in-depth analysis, see: The Next Real Estate Boom, The Brookings Institution, November 2010.

Please join us!

We will be enjoying a little holiday cheer and also discussing strategies for the coming year.

Most importantly, we plan to set a regular reoccurring meeting schedule (such as 2nd Tuesday of each month, 3rd Monday, etc). If you cannot make the Dec 6th meeting, please email DPNAlist@gmail.com with suggestions and known conflicts.

Other items for possible discussion may include:
- General Plan strategy, in light of the recent presentation by Christopher Leinberger.
- Political Strategy – Encouraging proactive leadership among current council members and future candidates.
- Streetcar in Downtown Pasadena.
- Marketing a focus on the economic impacts of the General Plan.
- Monitoring city planning & other goings-on.

The meeting will be at Pat R.’s home in Old Pasadena. Please RSVP to DPNAlist@gmail.com in order to obtain the exact address.

Hope to see you all there.

For more about Placemaking: Project for Public Spaces

About Christopher B. Leinberger:

A leading thinker in Urban Planning. Visiting Fellow at Brookings Institute; Noted author; and Voted one of the “Top 100 Urban Thinkers”.
From his website:

The building of the built environment (real estate and the infrastructure that supports real estate) is in the middle of a structural change.

The previous mid-20th century structural change converted real estate development into a modular, formula-driven industry, based upon access and parking of automobiles and trucks; I refer to it as “drivable sub-urbanism”.

The real estate industry responded to the market demand of the day and yielded many benefits. Yet we now know that it actually narrowed consumer options, consumed land at 6-8 times population growth and produced “could be anywhere” places, based upon the “19 standard product types”. These drivable sub-urban formulas are re-enforced by the financing of much of commercial real estate which has turned what for thousands of years was a 40-year asset class into a product with a 7-10 year life.

There are many unintended social, economic, health and environmental consequences resulting from how America has been developing its built environment over the past two generations. These consequences include, among others:

• dependency on a car/truck-only transportation system which is putting excessive financial pressure on household budgets
• social segregation and secession of elites,
• dependency of about 1/3rd of the population who do not drive,
• subsidized public and private infrastructure for drivable sub-urban development that is increasingly expensive to build and maintain,
• lack of unintentional daily exercise which has partially contributed to the obesity epidemic,
• indirect impact on American foreign policy which is skewed toward securing sources of foreign oil from countries increasingly hostile to the US,
• economic exposure to increasing oil prices as the potential of “peak oil” approaches and
• over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, the major contributor toward climate change.

Over the past 15 years, many consumers have been demanding different options to the “one-size-fits-all” drivable sub-urbanism. While single-family homes on large lots and strip commercial will be a significant part of the market demand for decades to come, there are many segments of the population that want something different; what I refer to as “walkable urbanism”. This is where most daily needs can be met within walking or rail transit distance. These alternatives include downtown and suburban downtown revitalization, New Urbanism, transit-oriented development, green field mixed-use development (“lifestyle centers”), regional mall redevelopment, among others.

Progressive public policy responses that allow for and promote this kind of development include smart growth, strategy and management of walkable urban places, impact fees that “level the planning field”, affordable & workforce housing development and creating “blueprint plans”, for the economic development and transportation future of metropolitan areas.

The Pasadena Symphony performed a free special concert, “Music Under the Stars,” in front of City Hall. Featuring music from Broadway musicals, along with performances by other local musicians and choirs, and a family festival with food trucks providing the munchies, residents stretched out in their lawn chairs and enjoyed the music under the clear night sky.

The Robinson brothers also enjoyed "Music Under the Stars," performed by the Pasadena Symphony in front of City Hall. During the concert, the expression on their faces was much less stony! Er, iron-y! Hah!

A few blocks away, in the gorgeous and acoustically excellent Ambassador Auditorium, the orchestra of the Colburn School of Music opened its concert season with Mussorgsky’s much–loved “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

Pasadena's Ambassador Auditorium, home of HRock Church, the Pasadena Symphony, and the Colburn Orchestra

Although not as well-known as, for example, Julliard or the Eastman School of Music, Downtown Los Angeles’ Colburn School provides similar elite music instruction to competitive young musicians. This year, the Colburn School chose the Ambassador Auditorium as its preferred venue, and its orchestra will perform its entire season at the Ambassador.

A Full House: The orchestra of the Colburn School of Music performs inside the Ambassador Auditorium

Obviously, word has spread of these excellent free concerts, because on Saturday night all tickets were sold out, and the “rush” line of people hoping to snag a no–show seat was at least 50 people deep.

Those lucky enough to get in were well rewarded. The student musicians dug into their parts enthusiastically. I was especially struck by how rich and solid the string section sounded, playing together with perfect intonation and rhythm, the upper strings strongly supported by the lower strings.

Joseph Brown revealed a wonderful new timbre that I had never heard before in his trumpet solos, Christopher Bartz coaxed a magnificently blended orchestral sound out of his alto saxophone, and Francesca dePasquale, the soloist for Dvorak’s Violin Concerto, performed on the 1st part of the program, was virtuosic.

The point is, for a city of only 140,000 people, Pasadena enjoys an extraordinarily high number of artistic and cultural events, and it’s a reason that residents frequently cite when talking about why they love their city. Indeed, one of Pasadena’s Seven Guiding Principles is: “Pasadena will be promoted as a cultural, scientific, corporate, entertainment, and educational center for the region.”

If we consider orchestras alone, Pasadena is home to the following: the Pasadena Symphony, the Pasadena Pops, the Colburn School, Muse/ique, the Pasadena Community Orchestra, the Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra, the Crown City Symphony, the Lake Avenue Chamber Orchestra, the Caltech–Occidental Symphony Orchestra, and the Southwest Chamber Music ensemble.

At an average of 50 musicians per orchestra, that’s 140,000 / (50×10) = 1 musician per 280 residents!

That’s a silly statistic, of course, but still impressive and kind of fun. Santa Monica and Long Beach would stack up similarly, I suspect. But Pasadena has the advantage of close proximity and reliably quick access to Downtown LA, the true cultural center of Southern California, via the Gold Line and its own effectively private freeway, the 110.

A number of factors contribute to Pasadena’s cultural richness, not the least of which is the socioeconomic makeup and educational attainment of its populace. But also important are population density* and community engagement*, which we often discuss on this blog.

As the arts are of interest to a minority of people, it takes a critical mass (quantity) of local (proximity) supporters to fund and attend events. Quantity ÷ Proximity = Density.

Community engagement is that ephemeral measurement of a people’s social attitudes towards one another, and the propensity of those people to act upon those feelings.  Do a city’s people care about what goes on in their city? Do they bother to get to know their neighbors? To be friendly? To join local causes? Show up to meetings? Drop by each others’ houses? Host parties? Participate in local sports? Volunteer at a church or school? Read the local newspaper? Smile at passers-by?  Vote?  Get involved with a neighborhood association? <ahem> 

Those are activities and habits that do not occur naturally on their own, in a vacuum, but which must be cultivated and maintained, and which depend on collective participation by everybody.  Pasadena has historically done well in this regard; we have been joiners and doers, and that’s why the arts are alive in Pasadena.

Let’s keep it that way!

* For further reading on the importance of density & efficiency in cities, I recommend Richard Florida’s article in the Atlantic Monthly: “The Rise of the Social City.”  On community engagement, the seminal work is Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam.

Downtown Pasadena is split into FOUR council districts.

Pasadena is geographically divided into seven districts, with one council member for each. The 2010 census forces Pasadena to re-draw the lines for each district.

The DPNA is interested in how Downtown Pasadena is represented.  Currently, our neighborhood is split into FOUR Districts. This raises a number of questions that will be worth considering in the months ahead:

1. Do our elected representatives and city staff recognize Downtown Pasadena as a distinct neighborhood?
2. Are there distinct sub-neighborhoods within Downtown Pasadena that would justify current or alternative boundary lines?
3. If not, is there a compelling governmental interest that justifies splitting the Downtown Pasadena neighborhood?
4. How does the distinction between residents of single-family dwellings vs. residents of  multi-family dwellings (apartments/condos) factor into the boundary lines? How should it?
5. Are there relevant demographic and lifestyle characteristics of Downtown Residents that are substantially different from other Pasadena residents?  Do Downtown Residents, who live in high-density apartments and condos, have different values and needs compared to low-density suburban residents?
6. If so, do the current boundaries unfairly dilute the voting power of Downtown Residents?

The current council appointed a special redistricting commission, who will meet twice a month, discuss, and then recommend new boundary lines for the City Council districts.  We hope the commission will consider and address the above questions. Join us as we attend the commission meetings and participate in conversation.

Access meeting schedules and more information at: www.cityofpasadena.net/cityclerk/redistricting

Downtown Pasadena--shown in red. Click the image to explore an interactive Google map

The DPNA will be attending Chris Holden’s annual block party on Jackson Street this Saturday, August 6th, from 11am to 3pm. Stop by our table and say hi!

[Update Aug 7: the event was a success! Pasadena residents of all our neighborhoods are so friendly. A special shout-out to the Orange Heights Association, whose neighborhood was the site of the party.
Pictures from the event are below.]

DPNA's table on Jackson Street

Jonathan & Diane answered questions from residents.

Classic cars and a "dragon" slide were a big draw for families.

Pasadena City Council District 3

Chris Holden is the Pasadena City Councilperson for District 3, which includes the part of Downtown Pasadena that is north of Colorado Blvd and west of Lake Ave. Chris has served District 3 for 21 years, and recently announced his candidacy for California State Assembly. The son of former Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden, Chris served as Pasadena’s mayor from May 1997 to May 1999. Chris Holden hopes to replace current Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who has reached his term limit and is running for US Congress.

Chris Holden

Pasadena City Councilman Chris Holden

Disagreement about Growth. Pasadena’s General Plan will guide public policy regarding Land Use and Mobility until the year 2035. The city asked residents what was important to them, and they responded. In general, Pasadena residents agree about the qualities that they love, and the problems that exist. However, there is considerable disagreement about the effects and the desirability of recent and future growth in Downtown Pasadena.

Pasadena General Plan Workshop - June 28 at the Community Education Center in East Pasadena

As citizens who live our everyday lives in Downtown Pasadena, members of the Downtown Pasadena Neighborhood Association believe that well–managed growth is desirable, and that Pasadena’s Downtown should be an exciting urban core that welcomes new residents and businesses. We believe that density––i.e. tall buildings that are closely spaced––and the mixing of commercial and residential uses are appropriate and necessary in Downtown Pasadena.

Without continual renewal, decline is inevitable.

Walkability. Pasadena has made great strides in the last 20 years. The Gold Line was built, Old Pasadena was restored to its former glory, economic conditions improved, and new condo and apartment buildings (many with retail shops on the ground floor) were built, bringing an influx of new residents. Many of those new residents were attracted by Pasadena’s walkability––that is, the close proximity of residences and businesses which decreases one’s dependence on a car, and allows one to walk or bike to shops, grocery stores, movie theaters, and other daily destinations.

By definition, walkability requires density; if buildings are too far apart, or if the built environment is unpleasant, walking isn’t an option. Parking lots, empty storefronts, and dilapidated or unkept properties are the enemies of walkability. In addition, walkability depends on the types and quality of businesses within walking distance. Residents of Downtown Pasadena do not walk to each other’s homes, they walk to businesses. If those businesses provide the goods and services that residents desire, and therefore eliminate the need to drive elsewhere, then the quality of life has been maximized. But businesses set up shop based upon demand. More residents can support more and better businesses.

Therefore, the DPNA believes that growth––more residents and more businesses––is desirable. Alternatives B and C provide that growth.

Moreover, the DPNA believes that an anti-growth policy (represented by Alternatives A and D) threatens the existing businesses and quality of life in Downtown Pasadena, because there is competition from neighboring cities, and because a no–growth policy reduces incentive to improve, replace, or even maintain existing buildings.

Competition. Pasadena has historically been a center for business, shopping, arts, and other metropolitan amenities. Residents of the surrounding communities have driven to Pasadena, particularly Downtown Pasadena, to access the goods and services that are unavailable in their own communities. Recently however, Arcadia, Glendale, and even Alhambra have taken note of Pasadena’s success, and have built large mixed-use developments that are undoubtedly drawing shoppers and residents away from Pasadena. Old Pasadena is buzzing, but the Playhouse District has unrealized potential, and South Lake Avenue has many vacancies. Although shopping is not the only important component of a vibrant city, it is is a driver of the other factors that make a city a desirable “destination” community. Pasadena’s status and prestige is being threatened by neighboring cities, and a no–growth policy puts Pasadena at a disadvantage.

Blight. Downtown Pasadena is full of beautiful historic buildings (many of them over six stories), but it also has quite a few non-historic strip malls that are ugly and should be replaced. For example, the Kinko’s/Ortho mattress  building at Lake/Colorado, or the low-slung stucco Pasadena Jewelry Mart at Los Robles/Colorado. (The modern black box office building at 150 E Colorado, across from the AT&T building, is also a major problem, as it kills pedestrian activity between Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District, and should also be redeveloped, even though it is in good condition.) If redevelopment is limited to two stories, rather than four or six stories (which provide more income), then property owners may opt to postpone redevelopment, and they may defer maintenance. Blight is no stranger to Downtown Pasadena, and continued growth is the best way to avoid its return.

Alternative C "Smart Growth" targets high-density development near Downtown Gold Line stations (red bubbles) and creates walkable "mini-villages" with mixed-use development (purple bubbles) along Washington Blvd, and at the Fillmore, Allen, and Madre stations. A series of parks called the "Emerald Necklace" runs through East Pasadena, to be located under the utility lines.

Continual Renewal. In general, although there is much unrealized potential and room for improvement, we still love Pasadena as it is, and if it were to be somehow frozen in time and protected from decline, that would not be such a bad thing. As it is, Pasadena is a success. However, it is impossible to freeze a city without killing it. Without continual renewal, decline is inevitable.

Pasadena’s continued success, therefore, depends on continuing, not stopping, the growth of the last 20 years in order to maintain its position as a regional Metropolitan City Center.

Other Concerns

Besides walkability and urban vitality, the DPNA believes that options B “Economic Vitality” and C “Smart Growth” best support the other concerns that Pasadena residents identified.

On a citywide basis, Alternative C "Smart Growth" Results in: 1. The most housing. 2. The greatest population increase. 3. The most Net Revenue to the City General Fund. 4. The best environment results. 5. The second best travel times.

Traffic Congestion. Traffic, the scourge of Greater Los Angeles, was often cited as a frustration during the General Plan outreach effort. Although some have blamed an increase in traffic on new residential development downtown, statistics show that Downtown residents are more likely to walk, bike, and use public transit, and therefore they generate less traffic then suburban dwellers. Ultimately, traffic congestion is a regional issue–conditions in Santa Monica and Burbank affect conditions in Pasadena–and the regional solution lies in providing alternatives to driving, and in decreasing the overall miles traveled. We all need to work, shop, and conduct our daily activities closer to home. Alternative C “Smart Growth” in particular achieves this goal, which is demonstrated in the statistics showing the number of “Residents Near a Gold Line Station” and the “Vehicle Miles Traveled.” Alternative C also has the second best result in terms of “Travel Time in PM Peak Hour,” which is suprisingly better than might be expected given the large increases in population, housing, and net revenues of Alternative C.

Affordable Housing. The most efficient way to make housing affordable for all is to increase the supply of housing. The more housing units that are available for sale, the lower the price. Increasing density and locating housing in lower-demand neighborhoods will also improve affordability.

Although Alternative C offers the best result city-wide, in the Central District, it is Alternative B "Economic Vitality" that provides: 1. More Housing 2. Less Vehicle Miles Traveled 3. Better Environmental Results

Historic Architecture and Preservation. Our ability to protect the city’s historic resources is not predicated on blocking future development. Preserving Pasadena’s beautiful old buildings and encouraging new landmark buildings are two separate objectives that can comfortably co-exist, but a “no growth” stance severely undermines the future viability of Pasadena.

Sustainability. Density, walkability, and decreased driving leads to lower emissions of greenhouse gases. In addition, the world supply of oil and other fossils fuels is running dry. As gas prices continue to rise, and as water continues to be rationed, the suburban model that constitutes much of Southern California will no longer be practical, and consumers will desire dense, urban, human-sized communities that require less energy for transportation. Pasadena is just such a place, and downtown Pasadena under alternatives B and C is particularly well suited and optimized for human happiness that is independent of the automobile.

Inclusiveness. Some have objected that the sustainability statistics show results on a per capita basis, and have suggested the no-growth alternative as a way of shoving population growth off onto other cities, and thereby limiting increases in greenhouse gases and traffic. This “Country Club” attitude is not only selfish, but it risks the loss of State and Federal funding which is tied to such measures. It’s not a viable option.

Bottom line: Pasadena is best served with a mix of “Smart Growth” solutions (B and C) that protect our unique cultural legacy, ensure healthy economic vitality, and promote walkability and sustainability.

Based on online voting, a single plan will be developed and presented to the city council. Please complete the online survey to register your support for a pro-growth General Plan.  The online survey is available at http://www.cityofpasadena.net/generalplan/ and is open until July 8th.  SURVEY EXTENDED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, JULY 13th.

Many Downtown residents appreciate the growth and revitalization that have occurred in the past 20 years in Downtown Pasadena.  They enjoy the amenities, the businesses and services within walking distance, and the activity and excitement of living in a desirable urban neighborhood.  A General Plan which attempts to cap growth Downtown may reverse this progress and will ultimately stunt vitality, walkability, tax revenue, and livability in Downtown Pasadena. 

Please join us for a regular meeting of the Downtown Pasadena Neighborhood Association, as we gather to discuss the General Plan, and other topics related to our mission: to make Downtown Pasadena a better place to live.

Wednesday, June 15th, 6:30pm

Meeting Location: Pasadena Presbyterian Church, The Gamble Lounge. 585 E Colorado Blvd. (Madison Ave & Colorado)

For more information, email: DPNAlist@gmail.com