Locals Call For Plan to Protect Cyclists, Pedestrians on North Fair Oaks Avenue

Local residents are calling for plans to make North Fair Oaks Avenue safer from Washington Boulevard north to the City’s border.

“Please implement safety measures in my neighborhood,” said T.J. Knight in correspondence to the Planning Commission. “I have lived 1/4 mile from North Fair Oaks for 25 years, during which time this street has not been safe. Pedestrians and cyclists are people. People have died and will continue to die on North Fair Oaks due to motor vehicle traffic until your committee takes decisive action to improve safety.”

The Planning Commission held a study session on Wednesday to review and discuss the preliminary update to the Fair Oaks Orange Grove (FOOG) Specific Plan.

The FOOG Specific Plan, originally adopted in 2002, covers key areas of Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard, including the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Montana Street, as well as Robinson Park and several important community assets.

The update is part of Pasadena’s ongoing “Our Pasadena — Putting the Plan in Motion” program, which aims to establish clear regulations and standards across the city’s eight planning areas.

The Our Pasadena initiative has already led to the adoption of five other specific plans, including the Lincoln Avenue, East Colorado, South Fair Oaks, Central District, and Lamanda Park specific plans since its inception in 2018.

North Lake Avenue is currently being revised, and East Pasadena will be addressed by the end of the year.

According to Active SGV, a group of residents, public health activists, and community leaders that came together in 2010 to address unmet and critical public health needs in the region, The North Fair Oaks Avenue corridor in Northwest Pasadena is dangerous for people to navigate by foot, bike, or other active forms of mobility.

The group claims that in a six month period 65 car crashes occurred along the corridor and seven community members have been killed on North Fair Oaks Avenue since 2021.

The group did not specify when the 65 accidents occurred.

“For the betterment of our community, this project must address the safety issues concerning pedestrians and other local businesses that may be negatively impacted,” said Linh Tran.

The FOOG area is characterized by a mix of residential, commercial, research and development, and institutional uses, including churches, small businesses, and convalescent homes. It is also known for its high bus ridership and proximity to several parks and community centers.

The specific plan update envisions a pedestrian-oriented environment that fosters a mix of housing, retail, and services. The plan divides the area into four subzones: La Pintoresca, Robinson Park District, East Orange Grove, and West Orange Grove, each with distinct characteristics and development goals.

Key themes from community input include a desire for lower-scale development along Fair Oaks Avenue, especially north of Washington Boulevard, as well as new housing options, including affordable units.

The updated plan also emphasizes enhancing Robinson Park as a recreational hub and promoting economic development through light industrial and creative office spaces.

Several community groups, including the Arroyo Group and landscape architecture students from CalPoly Pomona, have contributed vision plans that propose increasing housing density, prioritizing green spaces and tree canopy improvements.

“Fair Oaks is frightening to bike on and not particularly fun to walk on either, making the street more sane would allow me to bike there and feel more comfortable taking Pasadena transit buses,” said Andrew Cobb.

City staff anticipate presenting a draft proposal for review this summer.