City Council

12. APPROVAL OF THE FAIR OAKS ORANGE GROVE SPECIFIC PLAN (Planning Dept.) Recommendation: It is recommended that the City Council: (1) Adopt the Addendum to the 2015 Pasadena General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and find that the Addendum properly discloses only minor technical changes or additions to the EIR, and none of the conditions triggering a subsequent or supplemental EIR are present, as set forth in State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15164; (2) Make the Findings for Approval for the General Plan Land Use Map Amendment, Specific Plan Adoption, Zoning Map Amendment, and Zoning Text Amendment (Attachment A of the agenda report) to adopt the recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan (Attachment B of the agenda report); (3) Adopt a resolution approving the General Plan Map Amendment; (4) Adopt a resolution approving the recommended Fair Oaks Orange Grove Specific Plan; and (5) Direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance for the Zoning Map and Text Amendments within 120 days consistent with the provisions set forth in the agenda report. Recommendation of the Planning Commission: On April 22, 2026, by a vote of 7-0, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the proposed Fair Oaks Orange Grove (FOOG) Specific Plan, as presented by staff, with the following recommended changes: 1. Change the timeframe for Implementation Action PA-4 (Pedestrian Oriented Art in Public Realm) from Medium-term (5-10 years) to Near- term (0-5 years) - included in the plan; 2. Change the timeframe for Implementation Action IMS-10 (Decorative Crosswalk) from Medium-term (5-10 years) to Near-term (0-5 years) and include the intersection of East Penn Street and North Fair Oaks Avenue on the list of potential decorative crosswalks - included in the plan; 3. Revise Implementation Action PA-7 (Business Association Formation) to include restorative justice and economic development language - included in the plan; 4. Revise Implementation Action IMS-6 (SRTP Bus Improvements) to include bus shelters and other infrastructure that enhance the streetscape for the transit rider - included in the plan; 5. Change the permit requirement for the ‘Industry, Restricted, Small-Scale’ land use category from a Minor Conditional Use Permit to a by- right use throughout the plan area - modified recommendation in the plan; 6. Change the residential density from 32 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) to 48 du/ac for the southeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Washington Boulevard - included in the plan; 7. Include pedestrian-oriented standards and/or guidelines to address storefronts in the FOOG Specific Plan - included in the plan; and 8. Reconsider the varied roof line provision that allows up to 30 percent of a building’s footprint to exceed the height limit by 12 feet - included in the plan. Staff is supportive of the Planning Commission’s recommendations, with the exception of Recommendation #5 regarding the permit requirement for the ‘Industry, Restricted, Small Scale’ land use category. Staff’s reasoning is discussed on page 16 of the agenda report.