Maxwell House Conditional Use Permit Review Continued Until September

City officials have postponed the required review of the controversial conditional use permit allowing weddings and other private events at the historic Maxwell House, delaying an evaluation of whether the operation has complied with restrictions imposed after months of neighborhood opposition.

“All interested parties were not available on the original date so it was agreed to reschedule it to September 2nd,” said Lisa Derderian, spokesperson for the city.

The Maxwell House at 55 S. Grand Ave. became the center of a lengthy public battle last year as residents challenged the nonprofit’s proposal to host weddings and other private events on the historic city-owned property.

The nonprofit has been hosting more than 40 events per year for 15 years without proper permits.

After hours of public testimony, the Pasadena City Council voted 5-1 on April 7, 2025, to approve a modified conditional use permit for the Western Justice Center, including a condition that called for a review.

According to a city notice, the Western Justice Center is required to file an application for a Hearing Officer review within six months from the date of the first event under the CUP. The purpose of the review is to assess the effectiveness and compliance with the conditions of approval.

The compliance now is scheduled for Sept. 2. The review is designed to assess whether the Western Justice Center has complied with operating conditions after hosting events under the permit, including limits on the number of events, earlier closing times and measures intended to reduce noise and neighborhood impacts.

In 2025, the City Council rejected a proposal allowing up to 21 annual events and instead limited the venue to 18 events per year, with the possibility of increasing that number after the required six-month review.

Councilmembers also shortened operating hours, requiring events to end by 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 p.m. on Sundays, and ordered the nonprofit to establish a formal complaint process with daytime and after-hours contact information for nearby residents.

The conditional use permit also prohibits events on major holiday weekends and requires a second performance review after 12 months.

Neighborhood opponents argued the wedding venue brought commercial activity into a single-family residential neighborhood, citing noise, parking problems and difficulty getting city officials to respond to complaints during events.

The Western Justice Center countered that revenue from weddings is essential to maintaining the historic Maxwell House and warned the organization could face an estimated $200,000 annual deficit without the income.