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Council,
The following two satellite images show a Monterey Hills valley in 2011 and 2023.
This is what development already looked like under our supposedly challenging and onerous tree protections. Notice the unnecessary clear-cutting of old growth trees. Notice the hedges installed to reintroduce privacy from neighbors across the valley. Notice the erosion visible from space.
"Design Guidelines for New Single-Family Residences on Hillside Sites"
The South Pasadena Zoning Code requires that 25% of the lot area plus the percentage figure of the average slope must remain in its natural state in terms of vegetation.
Staff has literally laughed in my face repeatedly when I reference this. Staff stopped adhering to the code long, long ago.
The nuances of tree and shrub protections and replacements are more important today than ever.Brown Act Violations
Councilmember Omari Ferguson clear-cut his slope without a permit and subsequently deliberated on the removal of penalties. How can the members of the City of Trees City Council sit there and say literally nothing on the matter? The last I heard code enforcement is unable to reach him for an inspection. So he won't recuse himself from Council deliberations and code enforcement doesn't know where to find him. I hope tonight our City Manager looks to his left.
Mayor Pro Tem Rossi has responded to a resident's opposition to the bill via e-mail with the following:
This measure was taken to address the reality that we need to plan for a future that includes increased housing production and lot coverage, requiring us to move away from parcel level canopy preservation.
This was never once mentioned in any summaries, press releases or press coverage of the amendment. Moving away from parcel level canopy preservation is not "streamlining" nor dealing with "hazards". If this bill was labeled honestly you would have significantly more opposition.
This new ordinance has been in the pipeline for years yet all throughout there has been one deception after another.
I requested this process be cured and corrected. My request was ignored. Instead, the Council has doubled down on essentially all issues while introducing even more.
On-Site Replacements
There were zero replacement trees planted on-site in 2023. At first glance the couple of on-site replacements in 2022 and 2024 appear to be larger sites/developments. I must request and parse public records while staff has all of the data at their fingertips. The numbers have been hidden from us because they are embarrassing. The records are only kept for four years. I will be creating a public tree database for long-term accountability and transparency. It will probably wind up extending beyond trees as the issues we are seeing are systemic and pervasive.
Please keep South Pasadena Beautiful,
Angelo Gladding
1856 Hanscom Drive