By Julie BUTCHER

On Tuesday night the Glendale City Council voted to reject the 682-unit mixed use project proposed for 236 N. Central Ave., the site of the former Sears department store. The project anticipated the demolition of the 176,629 square-foot three-story retail building, an adjacent 164,308 square-foot three-level parking structure and a small asphalt surface parking lot to construct two new eight-story mixed-use buildings totaling 655,418 square-feet, including 682 residential units (37 studios, 493 one-bedroom units, 135 two-bedrooms, one three-bedroom unit, 16 live/work units and retail/restaurant space on the ground floor). The project would include 72 residential units deemed “affordable.”

After the vote to reject the project, the developer’s land use attorney addressed the council. 

“This is a pretty extreme example. Inevitably, if we do sue, and that seems highly likely, this is a test case for an HAA [Housing Accountability Act] violation,” he said. “Cities complain about the loss of local control over zoning – the law requires the application of objective standards to alleviate situations just like this – some decision-makers want more retail; some don’t care if there’s retail. Some want design changes. It puts developers in impossible situations.”

“The city has written objective standards which this development does satisfy – that’s the crux here – and the limited findings for denial are that the project would result in specific adverse impacts. There are none. The council didn’t even attempt to make that finding. This is a slam dunk,” the attorney warned.

The council gave preliminary approval to the project in December 2022. Since then, planning officials have approved density bonuses for the project and suggested changes and improvements to its design. 

“I want housing on this site,” said Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian in explaining his vote against the project. “I want the largest number of housing units possible.” However, this project is “not anything that will make Glendale proud.”

Mayor Ara Najarian expressed his disappointment with the development. 

“[We] wish they could have some kind of preservation of the Sears Tower, but we have to read the writing on the law. We are screwed by very aggressive legislation and the Housing Accountability Act … one thing after another over the years and now there is absolutely nothing we can do to modify this building. Because if we modify it in any way that reduces the number of units, even by one, we are in violation of the law. There’s not a darn thing we can do – the state legislature has done this to us,” said the mayor.

The parties continue to dispute a public park proposed for the site of the former Sears automotive operations across the street from the proposed mixed-use project. Initially the developers indicated that they would build a public park. Since then, the proposed plan involves providing park space in exchange for developer fees.

The city’s assistant city attorney warned that voting down this project could lead to the potential decertification of the city’s housing element, part of its legally required plan, and “builders could come forward and build anything without any consideration of local zoning rules.”

In other city business, Mayor Najarian reported meeting with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to discuss possibly joining LA’s efforts to fight SB 79. 

“The law is an abomination to our rights and values as a community, and our council has expressed clear opposition to this law that takes away local control – our control – over how you want to live your lives and how dense and crammed our neighborhoods will be,” he said.

Najarian went on, with regard to the BRT, explaining that it is Metro-approved and voter-approved. The mayor indicated that he is working to ensure that the BRT will not trigger high-density developments allowed by law. 

“I will do nothing to advance a transit project that could jeopardize any residential single-family neighborhoods with outrageous development projects,” he said.

Shane Lee of Glendale YIMBY (Yes In My BackYard) invited the public to a celebration of the passage of SB 79 on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Paperback Brewing Co., 422 Magnolia Ave.

Lorna Vartanian, president of the Rossmoyne Mountain Homeowners Association, joined the Royal Canyon Property Owners Association to formally request the council agendize a public discussion of changes proposed for the Glendale Civic Auditorium, including specific expectations about the size, number and types of events. 

“As the two residential neighborhoods bordering the auditorium, we’re most directly impacted and we have serious concerns about the effect on our quality-of-life including concerns about cut-through traffic, extended hours, noise, overflow parking on residential streets, loitering and litter. We request a seat at the table.”

A representative of the Royal Canyon Property Owners Association added that at its last meeting the council determined that the best use of the historic public asset would be as a corporate event center and staff was directed to issue an RFP for the management and/or lease of the civic auditorium. There was no public involvement in the process, which should be solicited before an RFP is issued, the organization’s vice president said.

Assembly member Nick Schultz provided the council with a legislative update covering his first nine months in office. He listed the bills he authored and those the governor signed (see https://a44.asmdc.org/2025-legislative-summary) as well as contact info (available at https://a44.asmdc.org/biography).

Commenting that he didn’t vote on SB 79, Schultz explained that while he supports increased housing in general, he is opposed to increased densification in high fire danger areas. 

“Housing policy in Sacramento has been more stick than carrot,” he noted having been the mayor of Burbank before being elected to the assembly. “We should be rewarding jurisdictions like Glendale which has contributed to building housing in your community and trying to meet the incredible demand. In Burbank, we did not do what Glendale did and should be treated as equivalent to the city of Burbank. Glendale has tried to meet its housing demand and I think we need to account for that,” he concluded.

At the beginning of the meeting, the council adopted a proclamation designating October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, “recognizing the ongoing impact this disease has on millions of individuals and families. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers among women in the U.S., with one in eight expected to be diagnosed in her lifetime. Thanks to early detection, improved screening and advancements in treatment, survival rates continue to rise, saving lives and offering hope to countless families.”

The council also proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Prevention Month. For help and support 24 hours a day, call (888) 999-7511.

At a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the council released a draft of the mobility element to the city’s general plan. Read the proposed update at https://www.glendaleplan.com/_files/ugd/14ca34_9314a07fcc9f45548ece926c86392de3.pdf and comment before Nov. 21 by email to GeneralPlan@GlendaleCA.gov or at https://www.glendaleplan.com or by calling the long-range planning staff at (818) 548-2140.