By Brandon HENSLEY

The Crescenta Valley Land Use Committee is recommending that LA County Regional Planning look to Foothill Boulevard in addition to lots below Montrose Avenue as it increases the number of affordable housing units by 1,200.

This issue was the center of the CV Town Council meeting on May 20 as Land Use member Ines Chessum informed council members and the audience of the coming changes. LA County has a mandate to update its Housing Element, which is part of the General Plan for 2021-29. This means more units in the unincorporated part of the county, and Chessum’s presentation showed how areas below Montrose Avenue would be affected.

The Housing Element changes are set to take place in 2024.

During its May 6 meeting, the Land Use Committee urged the Council to send a letter to Regional Planning and LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office. The letter, which underwent revisions this week after the lengthy discussion during the Council meeting, has specific recommendations for when the up-zoning takes place.

The recommendations include that the distribution of the lots to be up-zoned be more even by decreasing those in Montrose and increasing those along Foothill Boulevard because of the street’s capabilities for expanded public transportation, and that buildings should be no more than 35 feet high to preserve the standards of the community.

Other recommendations CVTC is making regard Mixed Use Development.

“When up-zoning to Mixed Use Development – MDX – a minimum of 70% of the ground floor shall be required to remain for commercial use or work/live. La Crescenta has a high volume of small business owners who tend to employ members within the community and at the same time provide much-needed services,” the letter stated.

The letter also has concerns regarding R-1 zoning which is zoning for single-unit residential housing, located on a single legal lot, and does not include condominiums or cooperative housing.

“I would love for people to complain about the destruction of our R1 single family properties because that’s what is happening,” Chessum said during the meeting.
She did note during the meeting, and again this week, that County has been “agreeable” so far when considering these changes.

Land Use and Council would like to send the letter by July 1. The Planning Commission will vote on recommendations on Aug. 11 and the LA County Board of Supervisors will have a final vote by the end of the year.

The next CVTC general meeting is scheduled for June 17 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Information can be found at www.thecvcouncil.com, including links to the general meetings that have now been made public on YouTube.