By Julie BUTCHER

“I’ve enjoyed the mountain views my whole life. I’m going to miss it,” said resident Mark Walker at a planning hearing held on March 18, explaining his opposition to the density bonus sought by the developer of a five-story, 87-unit single tower building proposed for the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and New York Avenue.

Nearly 50 residents, virtually all in attendance to oppose the project, attended Tuesday’s meeting.

As reported by the Crescenta Valley Weekly in advance of the planning hearing (Density Bonus Meeting Planned for Proposed Project at New York/Foothill https://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/news/03/12/2026/density-bonus-meeting-planned-for-proposed-project-at-new-york-foothill/) a project proposed for the property in 2021 composed of two four-story mixed commercial/residential towers and a third, five-story mixed commercial/residential tower was met with significant community opposition.

The current development proposed is an 87-unit rental housing tower, 74 feet at its highest point, that is planned to offer 18 three-bedroom apartments, 46 two-bedroom units, 23 one-bedroom units and provide 151 parking spaces (31 more than are required). Nine units would be designated as “affordable to very low income.” The density bonus at issue allows the number of units to increase from 74 to 87 apartments.

At the conclusion of the planning hearing, the hearing officer indicated her decision would be forthcoming within two or three weeks. The next step for the project would be to go to the Design Review Board, tentatively scheduled for April 23. If approved there, the developers would be free to submit details for plan check review to begin construction.

“We’re not against development. This is just too big,” Walker told the hearing officer, City Planner Aileen Babakhani. Walker has lived in his home for 73 years.

“There has been no community outreach,” local resident Ron told the hearing officer. “This would ruin the dynamic of the community.”

Local resident Lisa Morris emphasized the “small town feel” of the neighborhood and the mountain views as some of the reasons people enjoy living in the foothills. She noted that she supports housing and affordable housing “but this is just too tall; it will block our views.”

Mike Borisov is a recent UC San Diego graduate who studied public policy and urban studies and planning and is also a graduate of local high school Clark Magnet. 

“This is exactly the density we need; it replaces an old commercial lot, [is] next to a great park and school for these future families, next to two bus stops, 10 minutes to the Montrose Shopping Center and 25 minutes to downtown Glendale,” he said in favor of the project. “It’s not [in] a high fire zone, but this building actually has better fire safe construction than the current building on the lot. There are also two fire stations within one mile.

“It’s not a perfect project – no project ever is – but we have a housing crisis in California because we don’t build homes. AB 130 mandates the city approve and allow this to be built. There’s no choice here; this is urban infill development that has already been studied [and] no added environmental review is required,” Borisov added.

“I went to Clark and we evacuated a thousand people in under 10 minutes. All these BS NIMBY talking points are classist and exclusionary by nature. We live in the most populated metro area in the nation; this is not some small sleepy town.

“I live in a multi-family structure; I would not have been born and raised in Glendale if it didn’t exist. I promise you, Glendalians that live in apartments are not scary and are not your mortal enemies. We deserve a place to live too,” Borisov concluded.

The Crescenta Valley Community Association explained the purpose of the March 18 meeting: The applicant is requesting three concessions/incentives to deviate from lot coverage, floor area ratio and height standards and three waivers to allow residential units on the first floor, a lack of additional common open space and residential parking at and above grade. The existing automobile dealership located at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and New York Avenue and a one-story commercial center located in the western portion of the site, and associated asphalt surface parking lot, will be demolished. The project site is 1.3 acres located on the northwest corner of Foothill and New York, consists of two parcels, and is located in the “CH” – Commercial Hillside – zone. The project qualifies for reduced parking under the State Density Bonus Law and Glendale Municipal Code 30.36.090. 

To read the staff report, visit https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/public-meeting-portal.

“If the city had complied with AB 747, adopted in 2018 and recently amended by AB 478, it would have prepared a comprehensive disaster evacuation plan by now. I contend that such an evacuation capacity plan would amply demonstrate the danger that an Eaton-type fire would pose to residents of the Crescenta Highlands and how this project would exacerbate that danger. Such a finding would require the [director of Community Planning] to deny the requests under the Density Bonus Law,” wrote and said Mary-Lynne Fisher at the hearing, president of the Crescenta Highlands Neighborhood Association and 42-year resident of Glendale.

“I can’t help feeling that the city intends to allow this project to destroy Crescenta Highlands and then send us the bill for what little can be done to ameliorate the harm. Crescenta Highlands is a small community but there are those of us who love it. I urge you to fulfill your duty to the residents of Crescenta Highlands, to rule that the required findings for the requested concessions/incentives and waivers have not been met and to deny the Density Bonus Housing plan,” Fisher testified.

Kevin Briggs lives in one of houses closest to the project and recalls the Zoom meeting regarding the 2021 project and the noted the lack of community outreach. 

“Something needs to be done with this corner; this is just too big,” he said at the March 18 hearing.

Project developer Rodney Khan of Khan Consulting in Glendale, argued for the development as proposed. 

“There’s a housing crisis here in California, believe it or not, and we need high density housing. This project qualifies for the density bonus.”

He added the city’s departments, including police and fire, have reviewed plans and raised no concerns beyond the fire lane the fire department requested and with which the developer complied. 

Lowering the height of the project would result in its not being financially feasible, Khan reported; he noted that the waivers that have been requested are necessary.