Pasadena Planning Commission Considers Renewal of Planned Development Plan

The Pasadena Planning Commission is convening a public hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 23, to deliberate over a recommendation to renew the Planned Development Plan for Planned Development-35 (Colorado-Hill) in east Pasadena. 

Properties covered by the Planned Development are located at 1347-1355 East Colorado Blvd. and 39 North Hill Avenue (composing the north parcel) and 1336 East Colorado Blvd. (the south parcel); they were initially approved for development under PD-35 by the City Council on Sept. 12, 2016, a report by the Planning Department showed. 

The area is within walking distance from Pasadena City College. 

The Department of Planning and Community Development is recommending the renewal after evaluating a request from J&K Plus Investments LLC, the applicant for the Planned Development, to extend the plan until March 29, 2025. 

The Planning Department’s report said the original development plans encompassed a 375-room hotel and ground-floor commercial uses for the north parcel, and provisions for mixed-use projects on the south parcel, with room for student housing, residential units, or lodging (hotel) use. 

The south parcel will see development of a four-story building featuring roughly 49 residential units above 40,916 square feet of ground-floor retail space and subterranean parking, according to plans submitted in 2016. 

The Planned Development covering this area initially took effect on March 29, 2017, with provisions saying that the plan would expire two years after if no building permit was obtained. J&K Plus Investments LLC requested a renewal in 2019 which was granted. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to another extension up to March 29, 2023.

The Planning Department said J&K Plus Investments has completed the design review phases, and the project is now in the final stages of obtaining building permits. The recommendation to renew indicates that no changes to the approved project or conditions have been proposed. 

Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and can be viewed online at www.pasadenamedia.org.  

Members of the public may participate by submitting a speaker card online at www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/public-comment. Public comments are limited to three minutes each.