Board Of Zoning Appeals To Weigh Appeals Over All Saints Safe Parking Program

A plan to establish a safe parking program at All Saints Church in Pasadena has drawn multiple appeals as the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals prepares to review the matter this week.

The church, located at the southwest corner of East Walnut Street and North Euclid Avenue, is seeking approval of a Minor Conditional Use Permit that would allow up to 25 vehicles belonging to unhoused individuals and families to park overnight on its northern parcel.

Planning staff has recommended the Board uphold a city hearing officer’s earlier approval and adopt an environmental exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The application, submitted in March by Erica Tamblyn on behalf of All Saints, comes under the framework of an ordinance passed by the City Council in 2023.

That ordinance amended Pasadena’s Zoning Code to implement safe parking as a permitted use for religious facilities, colleges, and transportation terminals with approval of a Minor Conditional Use Permit.

The All Saints property consists of three contiguous parcels under single ownership. The northern lots are developed with surface parking, while the southern parcel contains the sanctuary buildings, a courtyard, and related facilities. The proposed program would be limited to the northern parcel.

The hearing officer’s June decision approving the permit drew three separate appeals.

The Maryland Homeowners Association, represented by Silvio Nardoni of Archimedes Law Group, LLP, argued that the parking lot does not qualify as a religious facility and therefore cannot host Safe Parking.

“If All Saints rented one of the screens at the Regal Cinema for the purpose of showing religious films, that would not convert the property into a ‘religious facility,’” said Nardoni. “Likewise, filing an application for a conditional use permit cannot convert the subject property into a religious facility. And the designation of the property as a religious facility is crucial for granting the conditional use permit, because operating safe parking programs is not a permitted use for commercial property.”

The group contends the lot operates primarily as a commercial parking area and is not accessory to worship.

They also raised concerns about past issues at the site, including loitering, drug use, and unsanitary conditions, warning the program would harm neighborhood health and safety.

City staff countered that the parcels together qualify as a religious facility site under zoning definitions and that safe parking is a permitted accessory activity with a Minor Conditional Use Permit. They cited existing church uses of the parking lot for volunteers, evening programs, and weekend services.

Staff also recommended conditions such as a state-certified on-site security guard, strict participant registration, litter control, and restrictions on outdoor activity.

The officer upheld staff’s view, finding the program as conditioned would not be detrimental to neighborhood safety and included adequate safeguards such as a hotline for community concerns and a designated program representative.

ARE-Pasadena No. 5, LLC represented by Park and Velayos, LLP, also filed an appeal raising separate objections.

Tamblyn filed its own appeal seeking modifications to the conditions of approval.

The Board of Zoning Appeals will review all three appeals, the staff analysis, and the hearing officer’s addendum at its Sept. 25 meeting.

Staff continues to recommend the Board uphold the hearing officer’s decision and approve the program with conditions.

If approved, the program would align Pasadena’s zoning code with recent policy changes designed to expand services for the unhoused while balancing neighborhood concerns.

Sept. 25, 6:30 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers, Room S249, 100 North Garfield Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101 . Agenda may be viewed at the City’s website at:
www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/board-of-zoning-appeals/.