State Senate Advances Bill to Widen Historic-Site Protections in Pasadena’s Transit Zones

The California Senate has unanimously passed AB 2576, a bill by Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) and coauthored by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) that would widen the historic-site exclusions cities may claim under SB 79.

The measure matters in Pasadena, where six Metro A Line stations sit among more than 100 designated local landmarks and roughly 130 National Register properties.

Current law lets a city adopt an ordinance excluding sites with a historic resource on a local register designated before Jan. 1, 2025. As amended June 15, AB 2576 would add contributing sites within historic districts on the State Historic Resources Inventory and parcels individually listed there, designated before that same date.

Pérez, a principal coauthor, said the bill protects local, state and federally designated historic sites, and refines a law that was unclear on whether historic landmark districts were covered. “Preservation and history are core parts of our civic identity,” she said of Pasadena. She thanked Harabedian for authoring the measure.

Harabedian has said the bill ensures the state does not erase the history and character communities spent generations preserving.

The bill does not change the separate 10 percent cap on historic exclusions that applies under transit-oriented development alternative plans.

What’s next: AB 2576 passed the Assembly 75-0 on May 4 and cleared the Senate Housing Committee 7-0 on July 1. It has not become law. The Legislature’s deadline to pass bills this year is Aug. 31, and the governor’s deadline to sign or veto is Sept. 30. Bill text, amendments and vote history are posted at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov under AB 2576.