City Hall Scoop

The South Pasadena City Council took action to ensure future housing development meets the needs of the community and adopted an urgency ordinance at its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, requiring new multi-family residential development to include 20% of the base number of units in the project as “inclusionary” or affordable to extremely low, very low, low or moderate income households.  The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was long-anticipated and is a strategic response to the city’s desire to create more affordable housing citywide.  The ordinance, carefully crafted by City staff and the Planning Commission to prioritize on-site development with a mix of affordability levels and a high standard for design, offers streamlining and cost-saving incentives to encourage developers to design projects of high architectural quality as they utilize density bonuses mandated by State law that reward developers for including affordable housing units in their projects. 

“I think it’s incredibly important for us to adopt an inclusionary ordinance,” Mayor Diana Mahmud said at the hearing, noting her longstanding commitment to the policy and acknowledging the tremendous amount of time and effort that City staff and the Planning Commission have devoted to develop the ordinance.

“I’m excited to see this,” added Councilmember Primuth, referencing the inequitable housing market that impedes the goal of socio-economic diversity in South Pasadena.

Through the 6^th Cycle Housing Element Update to the City’s General Plan, which is anticipated to be released in draft form in June, South Pasadena is required by the State to plan for a capacity of 2,067 housing units over an 8-year period, including 1,489 affordable units.  The Council’s adoption of this ordinance gives the City an important and effective tool to ensure that units below market rate are built. “With increasingly higher demands for affordable housing, and a reverence for the uniqueness of South Pasadena, we are determined to chart our own way in addressing important housing needs as we prepare the draft housing element, always with a conscious effort to maintain the city’s unique, small-town character while expanding inclusivity,” said Planning & Community Development Director Joanna Hankamer.  “This ordinance is locally grown and is a milestone for the city.”

The urgency ordinance, which went into effect immediately upon passage, is available at the Planning & Community Development webpage, as well as the City Clerk’s Office.  The ordinance will be entered into the municipal code following its second reading and adoption, scheduled for a May 5, 2021 Council hearing.

4/12/21

Do you live in a rental property and find yourself behind on paying rent or utilities because of COVID-19? Income eligible households may qualify for help catching up, or with future rent and utility payments. If you’re a renter or a landlord, check eligibility, find out what paperwork you’ll need to apply, and visit HousingIsKey.com or call 833-430-2122 to apply today.

4/8/21

This Saturday, April 10th at 10 am on Zoom.

There are many questions that residents have regarding the Senior Center, City Budgets, Changes in Zoning Rules, the list goes on.  Now is your opportunity to ask those questions during this Zoom Forum sponsored by WISPPA this Saturday!

The Forum will include the following representatives from the city:

• Sean Joyce, Interim City Manager
• Elaine Aguilar, Interim Finance Director/Asst. City Mgr.
• Joanna Hankamer, Director of Planning and Community Development

Please feel free to submit your questions ahead of time, to wisppaorg@gmail.com or you may type your questions in the chat function during the Forum.  

ZOOM LINK:  Join Zoom Meeting https://standtogether.zoom.us/j/4739928817?pwd=M0JIeXlMbHBUQlQxOFE2Y2hIZnhnZz09   Meeting ID: 473 992 8817 Passcode: 304174

4/7/2021

4/7/2021

Here’s what to expect if you’re fully vaccinated (two weeks after both doses or two weeks after the single dose vaccine) and want to gather with others. For more information visit http://VaccinateLACounty.com

4/7/21

Springtime is packed with holidays. You don’t have to sacrifice fun and family to keep everyone safe from #COVID19. Get more safety guidelines to celebrate together here: http://bit.ly/3d4gZN6

4/6/21

We can’t move forward without you. As we move into the orange tier, please continue to wear your mask, keep your distance, limit the people you meet, wash your hands and when it’s your turn, get vaccinated. #LACountyTogether

4/6/21

No matter which springtime holiday you’re celebrating, protect yourself and others from #COVID19.

4/6/21

Los Angeles County is updating our travel advisory. The Centers for Disease Control and LA County continue to urge that everyone avoid non-essential travel during this time when there are significant hot spots across the country and the world and significant risk from more infectious variants.

Travelers who are fully vaccinated, meaning 2 weeks have passed after their second dose for Pfizer or Moderna, or after their single dose of Johnson and Johnson, are, however, at lower risk and can now travel and will not be required to test or quarantine upon their arrival in Los Angeles County if they do not have any symptoms of illness.

Travelers who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for 7 full days after travel if they receive a negative COVID-19 test result taken 3-5 days after their arrival. If a traveler does not get tested after they arrive in Los Angeles County, they must quarantine for a full 10 days.

All travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, must self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after their arrival, and should get tested and isolate if they develop symptoms.

Visit publichealth.lacounty.gov for more information.

4/6/21

The Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was updated to reflect newly permitted activities allowed in the State of California’s Orange Tier, beginning Monday, April 5 at 12:01 a.m. Additional safety modifications are required or recommended for many sectors.

The modifications to the Health Officer Order include the following:

• Bars that do not provide meals will be allowed to open outdoors with distancing, masking and infection control safety measures. Indoor operations are not permitted. Visits are limited to 90 minutes. Masks are required except when people are eating or drinking. There can be no counter seating and people can eat or drink only when they are seated. Tables must be 8 feet apart, with a maximum of 6 people from up to 3 different households. There can be no live entertainment, television is permitted outdoors only and hours of operations are from 11:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
• Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries that do not serve meals can remain open outdoors and can also open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. These establishments will follow the same public health directives as bars for their outdoor areas, however, there are additional requirements for indoor spaces: reservations are required for indoor seating, there is a maximum of 6 people per indoor table and they must be from the same household, and there is no live entertainment or television viewing indoors.
• Restaurants can increase capacity for indoor dining to 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is less, with continued safety modifications.
• Cardrooms can operate indoors at 25% capacity. There must be 8-feet of distancing between tables and masks are always required. Food and beverages remain banned from card tables and gaming areas.
• Places of Worship can hold services indoors at 50% capacity.
• Fitness Centers can operate indoors at 25% capacity and indoor pools can now re-open. Masks are always required except when swimming.
• Movie Theatres can increase capacity to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less. Seats must be reserved, and each group must have 6 feet of distance from other groups in all directions. Eating and drinking is allowed in only designated dining areas or while in your reserved seat. Masks must be worn at all times, while not eating or drinking.
• Family Entertainment Centers can open indoors at 25% capacity for distanced activities, such as bowling or escape rooms. Masks remain required.
• Grocery and Retail Stores can increase capacity to 75%, although Public Health strongly recommends grocery stores remain at 50% capacity until April 15 to allow time for as many grocery store workers as possible get vaccinated.
• Hair Salons, Barbershops and Personal Care Services can increase capacity to 75%. Patrons and workers are required to be masked at all times. For services that require customers to remove their masks, such as facials or electrolysis, staff must wear a fitted N95 and goggles or a mask with a face shield.
• Museums, Zoos and Aquariums can be open indoors at 50% capacity.
• Youth and Adult Recreational Sports can play all outdoors sports between two teams with required modifications. For events or competitions that involve more than two teams or multiple individual or doubles competitors, event organizers must apply to Public Health for approval of the proposed athletic event, tournament or competition.

It is critical that businesses follow Health Officer Order directives and infection protocols to protect workers and customers and minimize COVID-19 spread as much as possible. The County’s recovery and the safety of workers and customers depend on businesses fully implementing infection control and physical distancing requirements.

Also, effective April 1, 2021, amusement parks, outdoor seated live events and outdoor professional sporting events are permitted with the safety measures in place, including occupancy limits, distancing, masking and eating and drinking requirements.

Please visit the website to see the new Health Officer Order and all updated Los Angeles County protocols and guidance documents related to COVID-19, including information on the vaccine.

Thank you, from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

4/5/21