Questions Emerge Over Planning Commission’s Role in Pasadena’s 710 Freeway Land Redevelopment

At a meeting of Pasadena’s Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group on Wednesday, September 18, Members raised concerns about the role of the City’s Planning Commission in redeveloping land from the defunct State Route 710 freeway extension.

The discussion highlighted the complex governance structures involved in the important urban planning project to repurpose 50 acres of land originally slated for the freeway extension.

Advisory Group Members sought clarity on how their work would interface with the Planning Commission’s authority over land use issues in Pasadena.

“My concern is, if we come up with an idea, can the Planning Commission say, ‘No, that’s not really feasible’?” asked Advisory Group Member Jose Luis Correa. “To me, that makes [me] like, what am I doing here?”

Assistant City Manager Brenda Harvey-Williams explained that the Advisory Group’s recommendations would ultimately go to the City Council for approval. The Planning Commission would then become involved in subsequent land use decisions.

“The Planning Commission does weigh in on all land use issues,” Harvey-Williams said. “What will come out of this body will be Perkins Eastman developing eight options, then we’re going to whittle those down to four options and then to two options.”

Perkins Eastman is the consultant group working on the master plan for the project.

Harvey-Williams noted that while various City bodies make recommendations, “The one body who makes the final decision is the body that was elected by all of us, which is the City Council.”

The exchange underscored the intricate process of urban redevelopment involving multiple stakeholders and decision-making bodies.

The Advisory Group, formed by the City Council in 2023, is tasked with gathering community input and providing recommendations for the land’s future use. Its work is part of a broader effort to address the historical injustices caused by freeway construction through communities of color.

Earlier in the meeting, a representative from Allegra Consultanting presented findings from oral histories of residents displaced by the original freeway project. The stories highlighted the deep impact on Pasadena’s African American, Asian American, and Latino communities.

“We heard this over and over again that the City used its powers through eminent domain to come through communities of color,” said Suzanne Madison of Allegra Consulting. “They do not trust government right now.”

Advisory Group Members stressed the importance of incorporating these histories into the redevelopment plans. They called for creating visual representations of the pre-freeway neighborhood to inform future designs.

“I would love to see a 3D model of what it was like as well as pictures around the room that highlight that market that was there, the restaurant, the places and the spaces,” said Advisory Group Member Tina Williams.

The feasibility of creating such a 3D model was discussed, with City staff noting challenges in accurately representing the historical neighborhood due to incomplete information.

The discussion also touched on the challenges of obtaining accurate historical data about property acquisitions and displacements from the 1960s and 1970s.

Advisory Group Member Joel Bryant emphasized the need for precise information: “Without the data, a lot of the decisions that deal with restorative justice, without data, it all becomes personal and a little biased based on what we all value.”

The meeting also included updates on recent youth engagement workshops held on September 6 and 7, and a brief discussion about the City’s potential purchase of 17 Caltrans homes, though details were limited as decisions had not yet been finalized.

The Advisory Group is grappling with how to balance community input, historical reckoning, and the City’s complex planning processes.

The next Advisory Group meeting is scheduled for October 16, where Members expect to discuss restorative justice aspects of the redevelopment plan.