City Council Meeting: March 17, 2025

Meeting Host: Yes, Mayor, we are live. Meeting Host: Welcome. Everyone to the March 17, th 2025, meeting of the passing city Council. The Council did meet in closed session, related to the 2 listed items, and there is no reportable action. We'll start with the calling of the roll. Mr. Clerk. Meeting Host: Okay. Councilmember Cole, present councilmember, Hampton blessed and honored to be here. Councilmember Jones here Cosmere Lion here Meeting Host: Councilmemor Madison is absent. Council member Masuda, here Vice Mayor Rivas. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Sure. Meeting Host: You need to turn on your video, and then you may want to give the reason why you're participating remotely. And then I'll just call Mayor Gordo. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yeah. Here, sitting right next to you, Mr. Clark. Yes, I know, sir. Meeting Host: Yeah. Meeting Host: And councilmember Vice Mayor Rivas. Did did you want to make it. The announcement Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes, thank you. I'm participating remotely tonight under the government code section that allows for just cause, specifically for childcare or child, or the caregiving need of a child Meeting Host: And is there anyone 18 years or older in the room with you? Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: No, just a child. Meeting Host: Okay, thank you, Mayor. We have the form of the Council present. Thank you. Meeting Host: Apologies that we're running a little bit behind with important matters in closed session that required Meeting Host: that required our or attention. Meeting Host: Mr. Jones, will you lead us to the pledge of allegiance? Meeting Host: Put your right hand over your heart. Ready! Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Meeting Host: Okay, there is. We do have Meeting Host: one ceremonial matter, and unfortunately it's a sad matter. Meeting Host: we lost a a dear friend to the city and a former city employee. And so I'm asking that the Council Meeting Host: adjourn in memory of Don Naller, who's a long time Pasade, resident, former city employee, and longtime Civitan member, Don, retired from the city of Pasade in 1993, after 30 years of service Don previously worked for the city from 1968 to 93, 1993, and was initially hired as a planning technical and community Development Meeting Host: Department technician, where he was quickly promoted to a senior planner, and then to a regular Meeting Host: principal planner over the years he was promoted to development and zoning administrator, and then, in 1981, he became the Director of Community Development. Meeting Host: the Community Development Department. During the 19 eighties the name of this department changed repeatedly. Today it's known as the Planning and Development Department, and Don served as its director until 1993, when he retired. Meeting Host: Then, as director of planning building and neighborhood services. Don was instrumental in the 1st major revamping of the city's general plan was very active in the Civitan Club, and and over the last 8 years would join us annually during the ceremonial portion of our city council meeting to inform us about Civitan's important work and national disability. Employment. Awareness Month. Meeting Host: He leaves behind his loving wife Judy, to whom we extend our condolences at this difficult time. Meeting Host: And Nope sounds familiar. Meeting Host: I you know I I've many of us knew Don personally, and I you know I can tell you that Meeting Host: not. He was very. He was very committed, not just to Pasadena, but to people. Meeting Host: and we'll miss him dearly. I saw him. Meeting Host: and would see him regularly, and very sad to learn, as we all are, of his passing, but grateful to his for his contributions to our city. Meeting Host: Mr. Cole. Meeting Host: let me add a second to your comments about not only his contributions to the city, but the kind of human being he was. He was passionately committed to the people of this city to good planning principles, and often courageous in his defense of good planning when it wasn't always popular, and his commitment to the city long after his retirement, is Meeting Host: an example of just how committed he was to our city. I Meeting Host: view him as a as a mentor and a teacher of what good planning means and what good planning meant for Pasadena, and I am really sincerely Meeting Host: grieving to to know that we've lost one of Pasdena's most significant contributors. A lot of what we take for granted. As we look around the city as a result of previous generations of of planners, and and Don Naller was a giant among them. Meeting Host: Well, said Mr. Cole, thank you. Meeting Host: Okay. Meeting Host: And so we will adjourn in memory of Don Nahler. Meeting Host: With that we'll move on to a special presentation. Meeting Host: We have our assessor here. This seems like deja vu. I joked that he just can't get enough of the city of Pasadena, and he's back. We were grateful for your participation in this evening's meeting, and our previous one as well. Meeting Host: Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. It's great to be with you again, and council members. Thank you. I I was once upon a time, briefly, a resident of Pasadena many years ago. Meeting Host: But I'm here today to bring you a little bit of an update about the programs Meeting Host: that my office manages, as they relate to the recent fires. I guess I should also start with Aaron Gobra. Meeting Host: but for a glass of green beer, but it is supposed to. Meeting Host: But the main reason I'm here today is to share my office's programs dealing with the recent fires. The primary one that I wanted to start off with is a program called Misfortune and Calamity. It's a tax relief program. Meeting Host: and I wanted to address some confusion with some of the rebuilding standards that have been circulating recently. 1st and foremost, the the misfortune calamity tax relief program allows property owners to maintain their tax base Meeting Host: and have the accompanying tax bills lowered until they rebuild their homes. If your home is destroyed, the land is worth 50% of the value, we will 0 out the value on the improvements. You'll get a lower tax bill until you begin to reapply your home. We urge everybody to apply for the misfortune and calamity. It's an easy form that you can submit from your smartphone. Meeting Host: you're not required to fill it out. We will reassess your property whether you do it or not. But this form is really important for us to know where you are and how to get in touch with you. And in order to notify the the treasurer, tax collector, not to us, to Meeting Host: property taxes in order to qualify the misfortune calamity. There's 2 primary qualifications. The 1st one is the damage needs to exceed $10,000, and that could include smoke damage. Secondly, the claim needs to be filed within 12 months of the incident date. That's the date of the fire, although I am currently sponsoring legislation that will extend that application period from 12 months to 24 months. Once you file the misfortune and calamity form, we send that automatically over to the treasurer tax collector. Meeting Host: They're the ones that collect taxes, not me, and they will Meeting Host: defer your property taxes until a recalculated tax bill is issued to reflect the destruction or damage to your property. Tax deferrals only apply to those people who pay their property taxes directly to the tax collector. If you pay your taxes through an impound account, you'll need to contact your mortgage company to deal with that. Otherwise any taxes that are paid that are. Meeting Host: oh. Meeting Host: not reflective of the damage will result in a refund from the tax collector. Later on. If you have not paid your second installment on your property taxes. The tax collector urges you not to pay that second installment because you will be getting a recalculated property tax Bill to reflect that the damage or destruction. Additionally, the governor has given all, all people within the Meeting Host: identified zip codes until April of 2026 to pay property taxes. The other program that we manage is something called a decline in value if your properties were not physically damaged, but the market value has dropped significantly, due to the disaster. The decline in value program is one that will apply. Meeting Host: This program allows us to lower a property's tax base if the economic value falls beneath its assessed value so essentially. If a simple way of thinking about it, if the current market value of your property is less than what you paid for it, you would be entitled to a decline in value. This will also be applied to Meeting Host: those properties where the buildings were destroyed, and only land is remaining will be reducing land value as well. Meeting Host: Current law does present. Some challenges. The way that we do our assessments every year is, we determine the value of property annually on the lien date, which is January first.st The challenge is the fires started on the 7, th and so, under the normal statutory requirements, we would not reassess Meeting Host: property that lost value until next year. This is another area where I'm seeking legislation to allow all those properties damaged to the fires Meeting Host: to be calculated for decline value as of January first.st The lien date. Meeting Host: When I came here last last week or the week before. I wanted to talk about some of the the confusion over building standards and some of the numbers that the assessor's office uses as as opposed to local government. Meeting Host: I want to reiterate that the issue of cities. The County Coastal Commission are allowing property owners to have an expedited permit process if they build up to 110% of what was previously on the property. Meeting Host: There is a standard for assessment that says, if you, in the event of a major disaster, you can build up to 120% of value of the home within 5 years. This 120% of value is not size. It is, it is a, it is to to reflect the changes in cost and inflation during the period of time which it would take you to rebuild your home. Meeting Host: We do not recommend that this 120% value component be used, we will, we will, of course, apply whichever benefit whichever program most benefits the the property owner, but the standard misfortune and calamity provision Meeting Host: is pretty simple. It allows you to rebuild your property to a substantial equivalent of the size and use without reassessment and your previous property tax assessment prior to the damage will be restored once you rebuild your property. Meeting Host: Substantial equivalence means similar in size, the 110% that's being allowed by cities that 110% under the current interpretation does not equal substantial equivalence. So if you build a little bit bigger than what was there before. It is possible that you could end up getting assessed for that additional square footage. Meeting Host: the Meeting Host: although this is another one of those areas where I think it will have a tremendous amount of confusion. I am speaking with a member of the legislator to see if it's possible that they can temporarily allow me to consider that 110% as substantial equivalence for purposes of of rebuilding. But until legislation is adopted. I don't have that. That discretion. Meeting Host: Couple of things I wanted other wanted to add one of the Meeting Host: in the aftermath of the fires we found a lot of properties are owned by people who may have inherited the properties from their from their parents or their grandparents. The property may have been in the family for many generations, and we're finding that some of these residents never took the time to come to the county and change the name on the deed. This is very problematic. If your name is not on the deed, you don't own the property, even if you've lived there for 20 years, you may be the Meeting Host: functional caretaker of it. But you don't have authority to take advantage of property tax relief programs or anything else with that property until the deed is is updated. Once we know, once we notify that are notified that there's a different ownership records don't match. We will notify the occupant that they have 6 months to fix fix the deed. Meeting Host: and then we could apply the property tax benefits retroactively. If they fail to do it. Within that 6 month window they could be subject up to 8 years in back taxes, property taxes at a higher tax level than they, probably, than their parents were paying. Although we are working on other legislation with Senator Sasha Perez. That will extend that 6 month period to correct any deficiencies to to a 3 year period. Meeting Host: The final things I wanted to mention were Meeting Host: a couple services that we provide, that, I think would be very important to property owners during this time. One of them is our homeowner alert, and I think I mentioned that last time I was here the homeowner, alert, will allow anybody who owns property to register their email address with their property, and if anything is recorded on your deed, such as a grant deed or a deed of trust. Meeting Host: you'll receive an email confirmation within 48 h. The reason this is important is because there's a lot of scams. People may attempt to engage in title fraud under the normal procedure. Meeting Host: If anytime something's recorded under deed. You'd get a letter from the registrar quarter, usually within 30 to 45 days after that event, in the event of a fraud. That may be too late. This email notification will notify you within 48 h that something has been recorded, and if it's not something that you had directed to be done. It'll give you instructions as how to report that to Meeting Host: to authorities. The other program is called the Assessor's E-service account. It allows you to set up your own profile with your property online. This will allow you to file for things such as the change of address. This is really important right now, if you're not in your property, the address we have on file might be your actual. Meeting Host: a property that's been damaged or destroyed. That's where your tax bill will go without an updated mailing address. We don't know how to get in touch with you by Meeting Host: register your account with our assessors, E-service account. You can update your mailing address. You can file for the homeowners exemption and take care of a lot of other programs that used to be done in person or through the through through the mail. We are available by phone on the Internet, through our website and at the disaster centers and at multiple Meeting Host: community events that have been taking place to answer questions. I did bring with me 2 of my senior staff, director of Assessor operations, Jerry House and chief appraiser. Meeting Host: Frank Diaz, to answer any questions that you may have, and also did want to report that we are having a community seminar on Saturday, at 9 o'clock in the city of Duarte, dealing with fire, fire, relief. We'll have a number of partner agencies there to answer questions and encourage anyone who has questions to come and join us. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Thank you again for your work. Meeting Host: Mr. Hampton. Meeting Host: Thank you for the presentation, and also for your support, and one of the most time is a need for our community. How accessible your office has been has been tremendous? And I just wanted to thank you for that. I did have a question that a resident asked me. Meeting Host: was it? I think Saturday might have been Saturday, and Meeting Host: they wanted to know. Is there a calculator to give someone a idea of what their estimated taxes Meeting Host: would be? So that would probably be a function. I don't know that there is one that would be a function of the treasurer, tax collector's office. I'm not technically the the tax guy, but the property. Meeting Host: If you, if you rebuild your property to essentially what was there before? Your taxes aren't going to change, they will be the same. Meeting Host: I think the question is the reason why I'm asking this question is, their home didn't burn down. But they were planning on putting an adu in, and they wanted to understand. Meeting Host: And I think it's important that every resident understands what their taxes could be potentially if they do any construction at their own. So the way we approach new construction is, we apply a methodology called the cost methodology. So if you build an adu, let's say it costs you a quarter 1 million dollars. Meeting Host: Property taxes are 1%, or actually one and a quarter percent in La County. So if you spend, if if the cost of building that adu is a quarter 1 million dollars, your taxes will be one and a quarter percent of that. Meeting Host: Okay? And if you let's say you have a 22,000 square foot house, and you decide. You want to build bigger, and you build a 2,500 square foot house. We will add the cost of that additional 500 square feet to your underlying assessment, and you'll get a new blended, new blended tax rate. Meeting Host: Okay, so and just as a point of clarification when we talk about cost. Meeting Host: it's not necessarily what you pay. We will use regional standards for materials and quality to establish what? What the. Meeting Host: what the market value cost of that improvement is, and that will be added to your underlying assessment. That's what I was trying to understand. So let's say, for example, I went to Home depot, and I Diy, my whole entire adu, right! And I just converted my garage to standing. Meeting Host: and anyone could do that right. Yes, with a permit, right with the with the proper permits and permits. So I give you my receipts to say, oh, this cost me $20,000 versus. It would cost someone else, maybe 2 to $300,000 to do it if they had a contractor. And then you you based it on. Meeting Host: Let me ask the guy who does this every day for a living, Jerry Jerry House, too. So we deal under their tax law. We don't necessarily add the cost, because cost we deal with value. Meeting Host: What does it add? What would someone pay for it? So many times people do things that cost some things, but it doesn't add any value to the property. Somebody walking through the door Meeting Host: that might be a potential buyer might not put some value on that, but it cost them something there. So we don't necessarily go by cost. We would analyze what value it added to the property. So that's what would go on. And Mr. Pring is 100% right under the misfortune and calamity. The portion that they build their original property taxes will stay the same, but if they build an additional adu Meeting Host: then it would be the taxes they could would know would be one and a quarter. Roughly. That's an estimate. It's 1% plus the voter indebtedness. And every area is a little bit different. But general rule, if you want to ballpark, it's about one and a quarter percent of the value, it added. Meeting Host: okay. But if you are so, it's very unique situation, especially in the area of. And I'm only I'm speaking on Altadena at this point, which is not Meeting Host: Pasadena, 2 different. But in Altadena there's no homes in areas. How do you have? What's your comp? Meeting Host: Well, because you can't comp right? I mean, you have to have like. Are you talking about the original house or the original? I mean the original house? If they rebuild that, then their original base value will be restored, so that where we're getting into the misfortune and calamity relief, there's 2 forms of relief. And this is what we go around telling the community it's not just the 120% you hear people talking about. That's only a provision that kicks in when there's a governor declare disaster. So that's only in effect. Meeting Host: a couple every couple years if something like that happens. But there's another provision that is, in effect, at all times for anybody, and it doesn't require that, and that's a different. And they both have it. They both say, essentially, as long as you build something that's similar to what you had, your original base value will be restored, you will get no additional taxes. Meeting Host: but they have different. How do you determine what is similar? Its comparability for each one has a different test. The 120 is based on value. It says, What if as long as what you built Meeting Host: or acquired or built is, we're within 120% of the value of the original property the day before. We'll consider that similar enough to pass regardless if there's changes in square footage or not. They don't care under that provision of law. The other one is the simpler one. It just says, if you just build something similar. It doesn't matter how long it takes. We're going to restore your Trinity base value. Meeting Host: That's the other standard. Meeting Host: And how we're dealing with that misfortune. Calamity is a little bit different than your Meeting Host: other part of your question was, what if you add something else? If you're adding something else that's going to be dealt with differently, and we will use a cost methodology, determine the market value, Jerry emphasized value. But the standard under Proposition 13 is, we we measure market value of the property and market value. If you could explain Meeting Host: market value is what somebody would pay for it today. So you have no homes around you. Meeting Host: What is your home worth? Well, like in March? Well, again, if you, if your home was destroyed because there's no homes around you when you rebuild it. We're going to restore your old Meeting Host: property. We're not going to look at the value of the home. We're going to restore the old value. Meeting Host: It'll when you build your new home it'll be as though Meeting Host: you're buying it all, buying it all over again 20 years ago, or whenever you purchased the property, that old base value will be destroyed. The addition, anything on top of that. If you build an adu, that adu will now be assessed at market value, there's no, there is no benefit for what's Meeting Host: qualifies as new construction, which is what was not there previously. Meeting Host: But as far as the adu portion is going to be restored. Yeah, let's step into the mic. Sorry, but but the the new construction, which is an assessor's door, that adu. Meeting Host: We would look at it one, not only what was the cost of it. Sometimes the cost is the value, not always so. We'll look at that, but if we don't have, sometimes we have sales of those those could sell, but most likely those are built for income purposes. We could also look at that as rent. What income would it generate what are returns. So we have multiple methodologies to determine its value. Meeting Host: Okay, if there is a way to if in any way to have some sort of Meeting Host: base calculator that you guys, I don't know how that would work, because the trick is is we don't know what its value is now, so we wouldn't know what to apply the one and a quarter percent to until we know what its value is. And I can't. We can't tell you that until I see what's built and how long it took you to do it. Meeting Host: So someone actually comes out from the Assessor's office because I've never oh, yeah, we send people out. We generally Meeting Host: we send people. Whenever there's new construction, we put boots on the ground, and they'll measure and see what's there. And sometimes now, in the digital age, we'll use pictometry and phone calls and digital images. But one way or another, we we know what's been built. Meeting Host: And if we don't, we can work the phones. Meeting Host: Okay. No, I was just now. Look, I'm not. I'm not inviting you all over to the house, but I'm just. I'm just saying I've never seen anybody from the Assessor's office show up for any construction I've done at my home. But just to say I'm not not. Meeting Host: You're welcome to come by, but not for any assessments. Think twice before you invite us. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you. Meeting Host: Okay. Meeting Host: again, Mr. Prank. Thank you for your work, and not just in Pasadena, but across the county. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council. It's great to see you again. Thanks and your staff. Meeting Host: Okay, let's move on to public comment for matters not on the agenda Meeting Host: We have 6 speaker cards, 2 min for each person, old and denim, followed by Alan Shea, followed by Yachty. Meeting Host: followed by Christina Nichols, Dylan, Banyan, or Bannon, and then Michael Flynn, olden. Meeting Host: if you hear your name, please work your way to the front of the room. Meeting Host: and you're speaking to the minister. My real reason for being here is that I'm still insisting and waiting for us to agendize the proposition, Ab. 392, because I've read it, and I know it hasn't been applied here properly. I tried to meet with Michelle, our city attorney. For some reason she doesn't want to meet with me. Actually, your voicemail is full. We've been trying to call you back for Meeting Host: weeks. Okay, well, hopefully. We'll meet sometime real soon here, and I'm willing to go over this with anybody. The situation it's really ugly, because from the very beginning it all started from a lie, and I can show you these lies, and I can even Meeting Host: get one of the participants to participate that participated in the lie. He even copped to it. He read the statement that was dubbed over the footage. Meeting Host: and he didn't read. He didn't look at the footage. He just read it over now. This man can't even look me in the face because he's ashamed of what he said. But his statements over that footage is what what convinced everyone that there was some wrong done by this young man who only ran. He just only ran, and this is the only wrong thing doing. And I'm just insisting that we agendize this. Meeting Host: I can show any and any one of you the footage and the law. Meeting Host: and they fit each other, and Meeting Host: that's all I want you to do is to do the right thing. Meeting Host: and I'm not going to use any more of your time, because I know it's precious, and I'm not going to frustrate myself either. But please agendize that, and I'm looking forward to speaking with you. Thank you. Thank you. Meeting Host: Alan Shea, followed by yachty, followed by Christina Nichols. If you've if your name was called out, please come to the front row. Meeting Host: Good afternoon or evening or night, since we've on our time change. Mayor Gordo and Council members. Meeting Host: I'm back in living colors to continue to Meeting Host: convey to this panel this board, this city council. How important it is to listen to the voice of the community, and the voice of the community has asked that we have agendized the items of underground wiring. I did ask for that. I haven't heard any specifics back as to whether that's going to be agendized or what date. Meeting Host: I've asked for an agendize of the police Commission Oversight Committee, and where we stand on having powers for that committee to have some enforceability. And as to the 7 10, and exactly how we're going to go about creating fairness in that portion that needs to be Meeting Host: brought before this panel so that we can get people in here and not at the the committee levels or commission levels that are not giving us any kind of results other than advisory. And they don't have the power. You do. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you, Yachty, followed by Christina Nichols, followed by Dylan Bannon. Meeting Host: Glady. Welcome. Meeting Host: Hi! 2 things. One. I want to ask that you guys agendize talking about the Eaton fire after action, or a discussion about what happened. I think that the public deserves answers as to the response to the fire, and that we get to the bottom of what we can do better. Meeting Host: I think that the public needs answers, and the other thing is recently I heard a very disturbing comment from a council member which was asking to eliminate the option to do hybrid or remote participation from the public. Meeting Host: And that is very concerning, and I hope that's not taken seriously, because the reason that we have remote participation is well, we had a pandemic, and you guys benefited from its use during the emergency fire that happened. And it's really important for people that have disabilities, childcare responsibilities Meeting Host: or other needs and like jobs to be able to participate remotely. And I mean that is your job. Your job is to hear from the public, and not just those that are really really interested, and make the effort to come to City Hall and have to pay for parking, and throw away every other responsibility that they have. Those are not the only constituents that you should be hearing from, and you paid almost $300,000 to upgrade your Meeting Host: teleconferencing system. And you guys are actually paid to be up there and listen to the public. We don't get paid to be concerned, citizens. And so I hope that this is not something that you guys discuss seriously about eliminating public's ability to participate remotely. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you, Christina Nichols, followed by Dylan Bannon, followed by Michael Flynn. Nichols. Welcome. Meeting Host: Hi! I'm here this afternoon. This evening. Meeting Host: I have been living in Pasadena for over 20 years, and I've raised 3 kids here. I love this town. My kids are grown. They've moved on. I now have a dog, and I live in the South Madison area. Meeting Host: and we've been experiencing coyotes at a increasing amount over the last year 2 years, and I understand that this is their native land, and we all have to get along. And and that's all been something that the residents we tolerate, you know, and I know a lot of single women with dogs. We walk along this past Saturday. I rounded the corner from California to Madison. Meeting Host: and I encountered a coyote that was hiding in the parkway, crouched and ready to attack, ready to spring, and he jumped up, and it was everything we could do to scream and keep him away from the dog. Meeting Host: so they're becoming more and more aggressive. And it's frightening. And if it were after hours, if it were late, if I hadn't seen him, and I wouldn't have been able to thwart it. Meeting Host: 2 residents that lived in the building above where this happened both opened their windows and said that this has been going on repeatedly. Meeting Host: So it's not an you know, a minor incident happening once in a while. It's becoming increasingly alarming. So I'm asking for it to be on the agenda and be discussed. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you. Dylan Bannon, followed by Michael Flynn. Meeting Host: Mr. Bannon. Welcome. Meeting Host: Sorry. Meeting Host: Oh, yeah, okay, thank you all for your time. I prepared 3 min of remarks, but I'll condense it into 2, so I may be staring at my notes. My name is Dylan Bannon. I'm a Caltech alum. I'm a former Pcc. Adjunct professor and currently a Pasadena resident. I've lived and worked in Pasadena for over a decade, and I consider myself quite fortunate for that. Actually. Meeting Host: the city of Pasadena has a reputation for good governance, combining the best of prudence and innovation. It's a rare combination, and Pasadena does it? Well. And I think, city council and Mayor, you guys serve praise for this. So what I want to bring to your attention tonight is an opportunity Meeting Host: to not only guard this reputation for prudence and innovation, but to actually greatly enhance it potentially. Meeting Host: Since October 7, th 2023, much of the United States, and much of the world has been rudely awakened to a situation that has been festering halfway across the world in an area known as Palestine and Israel Meeting Host: for the better part of a century. Now. Meeting Host: perhaps most uncomfortably for Americans. Along with this awakening has come a nascent awareness of the United States's critical role in perpetuating this conflict, including the role that many municipalities unwittingly play in perpetuating it through their investment and purchasing decisions. Meeting Host: Pasadena through its Pasadena police. Excuse me, police fire sorry Pasadena. Fire and police retirement system Meeting Host: is unfortunately invested in many companies that are known Meeting Host: to profit from the explicitly racist military violence against the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli Government. Meeting Host: I'll only focus on 3 companies today, Boeing chevron and caterpillar. Meeting Host: I asked the city council and mayor add an agenda item for future city Council meeting to discuss divesting from these companies. Meeting Host: This is a wonderful way to buttress the city's reputation at little to potentially no monetary cost. Meeting Host: I'm confident that you all give this issue the consideration it deserves, and I would love to speak with anyone in the audience behind a microphone. Anybody who would like to know more about this. Thank you so much. Meeting Host: Michael Flynn. Thank you, sir. Meeting Host: Mr. Flynn. Welcome. Meeting Host: Hi, thank you. I'm a Phd. Student at Caltech, and I'm also asking for the divestment push to be agendized in October, 1988, the Pasadena Board of Directors convened a special meeting to force an unwilling police and fire department pension board to divest from companies doing business with South Africa. Meeting Host: because the criteria were so broad. This move required selling and replacing 23% of the Pension Fund's holdings. Meeting Host: Despite the financial impact, Pasadena was committed to taking an ethical stand against apartheid. Meeting Host: But apartheid is still with us today in Israel Meeting Host: major human rights groups such as human rights watch amnesty, international and Israel's own bet Salem have declared Israel to be an apartheid state Meeting Host: in the occupied territories of Gaza and the west bank over which Israel has de facto sovereignty. Meeting Host: Palestinians are fenced in their communities, divided with walls and roads, they are forced through checkpoints, attacked by illegal settler mobs shielded by the Idf. Meeting Host: They are detained without charges and killed with impunity. Since October 7th Israel has relentlessly bombed the densely populated Gaza strip. In doing so Israel's leaders have used dehumanizing rhetoric defense minister Yoav gallant described Gazans as human animals, while Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, evoked the Biblical figure of Amalek, a people whom God commanded to be utterly destroyed Meeting Host: last year Pasadena City Council made the honorable decision to call for bilateral de-escalation and a ceasefire. I respectfully request Pasadena to stay true to its ethical tradition, and make reasonable steps towards divesting from companies that have contributed the most to the sufferings in Gaza, including Boeing and caterpillar. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you, sir, that completes public comment on this on this agenda. Okay, Mr. Hampton, are you in the queue? Yes, I am Meeting Host: I would just like to ask when you believe that Ab, 3, 9, 2 will be agendized at a public safety meeting. That's been asked. Meeting Host: April, yeah, we've got it scheduled for the scheduled for April. Okay, perfect, and then when will we get the Eden debrief? I think the Chief talked about having a debrief as well as with the police department. Meeting Host: I know that's gonna come to public safety. Meeting Host: I assume that's gonna come Meeting Host: the debrief of like, what do we do? I do think there's an opportunity to, you know there, there's some things that we would do differently. There's some things that we did very well, and some things to to be learned from, and maybe we wouldn't do I think, on balance the city did a phenomenal job. Meeting Host: And but I do think there's the opportunity to to learn from it. Meeting Host: Of our response, so we can bring that to public safety perfect. And the last one is Meeting Host: coyotes. I know we had a long discussion about coyotes last year, and it's been about a year. The difference between last year and this year is Meeting Host: we don't have as many neighbors in Altadena anymore, and a lot of the coyotes seem. I mean, I've seen more coyotes this year than I had the year before, and a lot of coyotes that may have been living closer to the hillside, because there's nothing for them to eat there have moved down further into Pasadena Meeting Host: packs when I say I've seen more coyotes than I have, and I live in the arroyo. And so the fact that I didn't see coyotes as regularly as I thought I should, living so close to the nature preserve. There. Meeting Host: I'm seeing way more than ever. And so if there's anything that we can do differently, that's humane, of course. Meeting Host: You know, I don't want to go out electrocuting them, or anything like that, you know. Meeting Host: but Meeting Host: But are trapping them but if there's anything that we can do I think it's time to Meeting Host: have that discussion again. And then, as far as Meeting Host: well, there was one comment that was mentioned about remote meetings. I want to be very clear. It was not Tyrone Hampton who was talking about, not have a remote public comment. Meeting Host: So thank you. If I could just really, briefly, the Public Health Department, in conjunction with our wildlife officers at Pasadena Humane are currently conducting a study of coyote behavior around the city, including in your neighborhood. So before you leave, let me give you a card, and we can talk about what we're looking at and what we're talking about in terms of the both the coyote behavior, and probably the more important piece is the human behavior and kind of how we can make sure that people are not encouraging their presence. Meeting Host: So we but we should have the results of that study soon. Ish, thank you. Meeting Host: Okay, that that brings us to the consent calendar and Meeting Host: if if I just made I had Meeting Host: quick question on items 3 and believe 12, Meeting Host: we also have a you believe, or Yeah, I know I've been converted, I believe to. Now, I know. Are you sure? Now they exist? Okay. Meeting Host: okay, Mayor. We also have a speaker card for item number 8. Meeting Host: And I do want to announce that when the Council takes action on items number 11 and Number 15, A, that is a joint action of the City Council acting as the Pasadena public financing authority. So it's a joint action of the Council and the and the financing authority when that action is taken. If it takes. Thank you. Okay. Meeting Host: So we'll hold items 3 and 12 Meeting Host: and 8, and Mr. Cole and 10, just for a comment. Meeting Host: And is there a sweet motion on the remainder of the consent. Calendar. Meeting Host: I mean 18, and 12, 3, 8, 10, and 12. No, but if 10 is only a comment, then maybe Meeting Host: I mean, yeah, would you like to make your comment, Mr. Cohen? Sure. Today, at the Finance Committee on Item Number Meeting Host: 10, th we recommended approval of this Meeting Host: influx of of funds from various sources to work on homelessness challenge. But we also added to that in the motion Meeting Host: that there a report come back to the Council about performance measures about what this money is Meeting Host: actually having an impact on. And so I just wanted to make that clarification on the record. Meeting Host: Yeah, it was a very robust discussion, and you know we Meeting Host: we received the dollars, but agreed that we ought to be looking Meeting Host: programmatically at outcomes in the use of those dollars? Meeting Host: With that with the exception of 8 Meeting Host: and 12, 3, 3, 8, and 12, Meeting Host: is there a sweet motion? So moved? Meeting Host: Second, seconded by Mr. Masuda. Meeting Host: Are there any objections? Roll call? Oh, that's right, let me roll, thank you. Meeting Host: So all consent, except for 3, 8, and 12, Councilmember Cole. Meeting Host: Councillor Hampton. Yes, Councilor Jones. Yes, Councillor Lyon. Yes, Councilor Madison. Yes, Councilmemor Masuda. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yeah. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yes, that motion is adopted unanimously. Meeting Host: Okay, so we'll start with. Item, 3. Meeting Host: Thanks, Mayor. And to David Reyes. You know, we had a community meeting. I think this like a year or 2 ago, where we informed the public that the Raymond underground project was going to start in July 2025, and I see in the staff report Meeting Host: once. If this action is, if we do reject this bid, it's saying that it's going to delay the project by 8 months. So would that put us into 2026, or Meeting Host: yeah. So thank you. Council Member Jones. A couple of things, I think you, of all folks and and the community know how important it is for beautification and infrastructure in that area. I think the project goes from maple all the way to just south Meeting Host: at the city city boundaries in South Montana. And Meeting Host: so, as a result of the action tonight that we're asking for, we think the project would be delayed about 3 months, and so from July 3 months I'm going to ask. I'm going to step out of the room just out of an abundance of caution, because I just realized I own property. Meeting Host: Yeah. So I should probably step out for that for this matter. Yeah. Meeting Host: out of an abundance of caution. Meeting Host: My own property near it. Meeting Host: Ms. Rivas. Meeting Host: Oh, this is we we call, and you appear busted Meeting Host: councilmember, as you're you're aware, in addition to the undergrounding, the project includes both street paving, street paving, street lighting sidewalk and street trees. Yeah. And so it's a major major upgrade. We we do believe that this is a 3 month delay just for the procurement process. We don't have the timeline of exactly when we start now, but we think it'd be 3 months Meeting Host: from the July date that we had talked about. But it would be likely. Well, before 2026. Okay, so that puts us in November. How does the moratorium affect that? So the citywide moratorium starts in December, December 16.th Okay? And so the goal would be to make sure that we beat that, and then it goes for Meeting Host: through mid January. Oh, my understanding! Was the moratorium for 2024. It started on Raymond, but it started south of Villa. So if if Meeting Host: if the project starts on, Maple and Raymond wouldn't Meeting Host: between Maple and Villa be impacted for the moratorium that would start in November. Thank you. So the there are 2 moratoriums and the mapping that we've done showed that this would be subject to the citywide, which is December 16th to January 5, th not to mid January, and that that's Meeting Host: the the maps that we have. Meeting Host: We can double. We'll certainly double check that. But again, the goal would be that we would start well before that December 16th date. Okay, and we'll keep you as well as the community apprised of the start time. And obviously, we'll have to be back in front of the City council for approval of a contract. And maybe that's when we'll bring the update. Okay? And I bring it up, because, you know, residents reach out all the time asking when this project's going to start, and then Meeting Host: also the other projects that are included with the street, repaving the street lights, the trees and and the sidewalks, because I know we just allocated some funding Cdbg. Grant, funding, I believe, to sidewalks on that strip of Raymond. I may be mistaken, but just wanted to make sure that they realize these benefits and these projects are happening, and we communicate with our residents. Meeting Host: Yes, sir, they are, and we're coordinating with public works as well to ensure that there's there's timely response on all 3 of those those projects. Thank you, David. Appreciate it. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Any further questions. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Not is there a motion Meeting Host: Move. I'll motion approval. Second. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Roll, call. Meeting Host: Councilmember Cole to approve the staff recommendation. Yes, council Member Hampton. Yes, Council Member Jones. Yes, Councillor Lyon. Yes, Councilman Madison. Yes, Councilor Masuda. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo is absent, due to recusal. The motion passes unanimously Meeting Host: to item 12. Or do you want to do 8 and get the public comment. Meeting Host: are you on? Item 12, yeah, let's go to item 12. Meeting Host: Oh, okay. Meeting Host: Item 12. This is the grant. Yeah. So I guess 2, 1 comment. And then one question. The 1st question is, I know the foothill unity it serves. You know, Altadena, Arcadia, Azusa, how do we ensure that this money would be applied to Pasadena residents or residents. Meeting Host: or folks who have a connection to Pasadena. Right? Because we, you know, a lot of folks live outside of the city, but they come back and they hang out, and they congregate that this Grant money could be applied to them to to help them. Meeting Host: Yeah, Hi, thanks for your question, Dave Klug, economic Development Director. I have. Paul Inge here with me, has a short presentation. We address that in terms of outreach for the Pasadena residents. Meeting Host: if you'd like to see the presentation, or you just perhaps the question. Sure. Yeah, good morning, miss. Good evening, Mr. Mayor and City Council members really excited about this opportunity to help our justice. Impacted individuals return to employment and get a good living wage job which is the goal of this initiative. To answer your question directly. Councilmember Meeting Host: foothill Unity Center. They are acting as the admin entity for this Grant funds. The majority of the Grant Funds will be coming to ourselves. 455,000 of the 6 of the 675. It will be coming to foothill with services passing in the area. Meeting Host: If you look at our total clients served in Fy 24, about 70% of that was from the Pasadena area. So we expect the majority of these individuals that would enroll in this program would be from Pasadena. We are sub awarding $220,000 to the Flintridge Center Meeting Host: as they are a organization based in Pasadena that serves Pasadena residents that specialize in programs on reentry. So we feel confident that they'll be using those funds for the residents here as well. Meeting Host: Thank you. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your work on this, too, Dave. And then to the city manager. Is there any way we could either have, like quarterly updates presented to either in your newsletter or public safety, just to ensure that these funds are being used towards helping justice involved individuals. Yes, we can do that all right. Thank you. Meeting Host: Okay, is that, are you moving the item? I'll move the item. Yeah. Second. Meeting Host: like a motion, and a second roll call. Meeting Host: Council member Cole. Meeting Host: Yes, Councillor Hampton. Yes, Councilman Jones. Meeting Host: Councillor Lyon. Yes, Councilor Madison. Yes, Councilor Masuda. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yes, the motion is approved without opposition. Now, item 8. Meeting Host: We have a public comment. Speaker Nina Chomsky, Chomsky, local Nina Chomsky: Yes. Can you hear me? Meeting Host: We can go ahead. Nina. Nina Chomsky: Okay, thank you. Well, we have to do this project. So I'm not talking about Nina Chomsky: opposition has broad public support. But I have Nina Chomsky: several clarifying comments I've been trying to determine, and I think so far we have all the Federal money that we have. We expect so far. But my 1st clarifying question is whether we will have all the Federal Grant money Bridge money in hand before we do anything like start construction. Because I'm worried about that we can't be caught, you know, off guard with that. So status of Federal funding? Nina Chomsky: The other question is that there have been a number of changes since Mr. Madison's Town Hall, which I think was the broadest public process that I was aware of. People around the bridge have been notified. But there hasn't really been a broad publication participation of different neighborhoods that are going to be impacted by this. But we were told that the bridge will have to be closed. And now that there have been design changes. Nina Chomsky: when will it be closed, and how long will it be closed? And how does this relate to Major Rose Bowl events and the need of residents to use this. This is a major transportation, small but important Nina Chomsky: quarter. Nina Chomsky: 3, rd the design at Mr. Madison's Town Hall. It was said that we should all realize that this bridge, because of its historic status, and where it is, and how beautiful it is. Nina Chomsky: will be essentially the same bridge. When all this is said and done, it was hard to follow all the changes in the mitigated negative declaration. But is that still the opinion of staff, and still the message from the mitigated negative declaration. And last, I do think we need another major public participation process like a Nina Chomsky: maybe a town hall or something, or a public meeting, to be sure that everybody knows what's going to be done when it's going to happen, how it will impact all the neighborhoods around and adjacent to the bridge, and I hope that Staff will do that soon. So if I if anyone could clarify some of these issues, I would appreciate it. Thank you. Meeting Host: Thank you, Nina. That completes public comment on this item. Meeting Host: Thank you, Miss Thompson. Meeting Host: Somebody who held this item. Meeting Host: No, oh, no. It's just public comment. Okay, Meeting Host: so is there a motion to move approval? Could we have Staff respond to Ms. Chomsky's questions? Let's let's move it. And is there a second? Meeting Host: Was there a motion? Yeah. Oh, second, okay. And Meeting Host: so Greg Davink, Director of Public Works, and his team is here to answer any questions. Mr. Davink. Meeting Host: Good evening. This is Greg Devink, the public Works director for Pasadena. Meeting Host: I would like to address the comments Meeting Host: almost in reverse order as far as the aesthetics of the bridge. This project is really only wrapping the columns. Excuse me Meeting Host: to strengthen them to resist seismic loading. There there really won't be a substantial change at all to the aesthetics of the project Meeting Host: for public notification. We are still quite far away from actually having a contract. We are requesting this negative declaration tonight, so that we can have, we can pursue permits with the La County Flood Control district, which does take 6 to 8 months to get. Meeting Host: and then, when those are in place, we'll be ready to hit construction in a timely manner when we go out to bid with the final design and all the approvals. Meeting Host: It's it would be Meeting Host: problematic to wait on this item. Go out to bid and then seek permission from La County Blood Control district to do the work Meeting Host: the bids would expire. Costs would go up. It's just not the right way to do it. Meeting Host: Regarding having all the funding in place, I'll turn that over to Brent Maui, the acting city engineer, for the city. Meeting Host: having the funding in place. With regards to that we we anticipate to have the funding fully in place with Caltrans. It is a 100% funded. So no local match project. We actually, I believe we're in the process of executing the funding agreements with Caltrans as we speak. This has been a Meeting Host: project in the works since roughly 2016 design phases should be concluded later this year, and we look forward to Meeting Host: starting the construction process bidding whatnot in early 2026. Meeting Host: Call the question, okay. Thank you. Meeting Host: roll call to approve the Staff Recommendation Council. Member Cole. Yes, Council, Member Hampton. Yes, Councilmember Jones Meeting Host: stepped out. Sorry, Councilor Lyon. Yes, Councilor Madison. Yes, Councilor Masuda. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yes, motion is unanimously approved. Meeting Host: Thank you. Meeting Host: That brings us to item 1616 and this is a Meeting Host: a request to submit a letter to our Congressional leadership supporting Governor Newsom's request for Meeting Host: 39 billion in Federal funding to aid the recovery efforts Meeting Host: related to the Eaton and palisade fires, and authorized me to sign the letter on behalf of the city of Pasadena. Meeting Host: the county, and I believe the city of and and the city of Los Angeles were asked Meeting Host: to make similar takes take similar action. Excuse me, Meeting Host: The the timeline think we were notified Meeting Host: week before. But we didn't have a council meeting, so we couldn't bring it forward, and we were asked to to bring it forward today. Meeting Host: so that the governor can have the support of the cities that are impacted. And so I'm suggesting and asking that we we, at the request of the Governor, initiate such a letter Meeting Host: and said. Meeting Host: yeah, I'd be pleased to make the motion. Mayor. We and you have an excellent relationship with the governor. And obviously this is extremely important. I was personally buoyed Meeting Host: by the President's calling out the need that our region has for funding as part of the budget. Discussions, of course. Meeting Host: trust but verify when it comes to that particular administration. But absolutely this is something we should do. So thank you for bringing it to our attention. Second, the motion. Meeting Host: Mr. Hampton. Second, moved and seconded. And I'll ask, did you want to include direct into for preparation? Yeah, no, that's okay. Yeah, all right. And so we'll all send around a copy of the language. Meeting Host: Okay, moved and seconded, seeing, are there any on a roll roll call? Thank you. Meeting Host: No. Meeting Host: So this is to approve this mayor to sign a letter on behalf of the Council. Council. Member Cole. Meeting Host: Yeah. Councilor Hampton. Meeting Host: Councilman Jones. Yes, Councilmember Lyon. Yes, Councilor Madison. Yes, Council. Member Masuda. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yes, motion is unanimously approved. Meeting Host: We have. Do you want to do? Item 18. Yeah. Let's go to item 18. Meeting Host: Mr. Clerk. Meeting Host: This is an interim, uncodified ordinance of the city of Pasadena, amending various sections of Title 17. Zoning code of the passing of the city of Pasadena, municipal code to suspend and modify development standards and procedures, and to extend certain land use related deadlines for entitlements, and permits, under title 17 zoning code title, 16, subdivisions and title, 14 Buildings Meeting Host: and construction of the municipal code. To simplify the rebuild process after the Eden fire all over it. Meeting Host: offered by councilmember. Hampton. Okay? Questions, comments. Meeting Host: See none. Roll. Call Meeting Host: to conduct. 1st reading. Councilman Cole. Yes, Councillor Hampton. Yes, Councilor Jones. Yes, Councillor Lyon. Yes, Councilman, Madison, yes, Councilor Macuto. Yes, Vice Mayor Rivas Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes. Meeting Host: Mayor Gordo. Yes, that ordinance was successfully 1st reading was conducted. Okay, the next items involve Meeting Host: the recommendation from the Rental Housing board and matters that affect rental property, and because I own rental property I'm going to keep to in within the city of Pasadena. I'm going to keep to my practice of recusing myself at an abundance of caution Meeting Host: on these matters. Meeting Host: These are items 17 and 19. Meeting Host: Thank you. Meeting Host: Let's do this Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes, thank you, Mayor. I'll give you a moment to Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: to leave the room and have a good night Meeting Host: Okay, that's fine. Meeting Host: Oh, sorry about that. I was. Meeting Host: There are not. There are 9 cards let remaining. Meeting Host: 3 are just on item 17 Meeting Host: and one is just an I'm item 19. The remainder are 17 and 19. Meeting Host: Vice Mayor Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Yes, go ahead! Meeting Host: I was seeing if we could do the ordinance first.st I did have a hard stop at 7 30 Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: If there's an objection, let's take care of the ordinance, which should be. We've already discussed it so hopefully. We can move through it quickly. Meeting Host: There are, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 cards on. Item 19 Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Unless there's any questions? Or does anyone have any objections to starting with public comment Meeting Host: Okay. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: Alright! Let's go Meeting Host: So there! There are 7 cars on 19, Meeting Host: 2 min, one and a half, one and a half. Meeting Host: one and a half minutes. Vice mayor Meeting Host: for the speaking on the item? Or do you want to do 2 min Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: 2. Let's give everyone 2 and encourage folks to to keep it as efficient as possible. If there are people. Vice Mayor Jessica Rivas: points Meeting Host: Sure Sean Wicasa, followed by Austin, followed by Jose Ramos, followed by Alejandro Candido. Meeting Host: then Esperanza mellow, then Jesus Rojas. Meeting Host: Yeah. Meeting Host: Hi, everyone. My name is Shawn Mocasa. I'm a resident of Altadena, and I spent the past 2 months of volunteering with the distribution of food and clothes and water at the Pasadena Job Center, which is on Lake and via I'm fully supportive of item 19 affirmative defense against eviction for fire affected tenants because I've seen firsthand in my volunteer experience how dependent the community is on free water food and flows Meeting Host: in my 2 months volunteering with the job center. Meeting Host: Over 12,000 volunteers helped distribute the donations of food, clothes, and water to 46,000 families. Meeting Host: I saw countless donation beneficiaries come on foot, on public transit to the Job Center's distribution and decide how much water produce or diapers they could physically carry on the trek back home, on foot or on the bus. These beneficiaries, many of them renters need protections from evictions while they recover from the fire and begin the long process of rebuilding their lives Meeting Host: as eviction due to nonpayment of rent is one of the most common ways. People become unhoused. I urge city Council to vote yes, on the ordinance. Item 19, to prevent further houselessness in the aftermath of the Eaton fires. Thank you. Meeting Host: thank you, Austin. Meeting Host: Good afternoon. Good evening. Before I begin my comment. Quick clarification on the kind of housekeeping other folks are monolingual Spanish speakers and are required interpretation. We have a we have a language interpreter who's right in the front, and will that be accounted for with the like 2 min or yes, okay. Meeting Host: My name is Austin Kahn. I have been living in Altadena at the top of Lake and Alpine village drive. My parents house burned down in the fire. Meeting Host: Obviously tremendously traumatic experience for for everyone. I was able to take refuge with some friends in Pasadena. I'm not sure Meeting Host: what who, directly their representative is, but I can. I can say that t