Time Extension Request for Pasadena Residential Care Facility Expansion to be Discussed at Public Hearing

The Pasadena Hearing Officer on Wednesday will take up a request for a time extension on a proposal to build an 89,549 square-foot, five-story addition, with 76 residential care independent living units, to an existing residential care facility at 951 and 995 S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena. 

The time extension is for Modification to Conditional Use Permit (CUP) #4577, originally approved by the Hearing Officer on May 20, 2020 and will expire in June 2024.

On Nov. 8, 2021, minor changes were approved to reduce the size of the approved project from a four-story, 86,600 square-foot, 119-unit residential care facility. The approval granted allows for an 89,549 square-foot, five-story building, with 76 residential care independent living units to be added to the current Morning Star Senior Living of Pasadena. If this time extension is approved, the new expiration date would be June 2, 2025.

A Certificate of Exception was also approved to allow a lot line adjustment between two existing legal parcels in order to consolidate into one legal parcel.

The subject site is located on the west side of South Fair Oaks Ave. and is bounded by Hurlbut Street to the north and Arlington Drive to the south. The site measures 105,421 square feet in size and comprises two parcels: Parcel 1 is 84,552 square feet in size and is where Morning Star Senior Living stands, with its 149 units and a surface parking lot; Parcel 2 measures 20,869 square feet in size and is developed with a one-story, 8,400 square-foot industrial building and a surface parking lot. 

The Department of Planning and Community Development said the improvements on Parcel 2 would be demolished as part of the project.

The original approval for the project was on Jan. 20, 1991, when CUP #3507 allowed for the construction of a four-story, 86,600 square-foot, 119-unit Residential Care facility.The application included a Variance to allow the proposed structure to have a maximum height of 56 feet, where the maximum allowed height is 45 feet.

On Oct. 5, 2005, CUP #4577 allowed for the construction of a four-story, 46,990 square-foot, 47-unit addition to Morning Star Senior Living. According to the permit, three existing units would be removed. A Variance to allow the proposed structure to have a maximum height of 53’3”, where the maximum height allowed is 45 feet was also approved, along with the Residential Care land use within the RM-32 zoning district. 

Modification to CUP #3507 was approved on Feb. 5, 2014 to eliminate the use of an off-site parking lot at 33 Hurlbut Street utilized by an existing 149-unit Residential Care facility. All required parking was provided on-site in a 65-space surface parking lot. 

From the information provided by the applicant, Pasadena CA Senior LandCo LLC, the Planning Department said the time extension is being requested to allow the project additional time due to hardships related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the current financial market. 

“The time extension is required to complete the building permit process and to secure financing. No project changes are proposed with this application,” the Planning Department said. 

The Planning Department added the findings and conditions of the original approval still apply, and since the project meets the development requirements of the Zoning Code and is consistent with the General Plan, it is recommending approval of the Time Extension request. 

The Hearing Officer starts the public hearing at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The hearing will be held at the Permit Center Hearing Room at 175 N. Garfield Ave.