September 16, 2009 - LATEST MISSION 261 UPDATE

At the Council Meeting on September 15th the Mission 261 developer requested more time to develop a plan that was in keeping with the "spirit" of the Mission District Specific Plan. His lawyer indicated that he hoped to meet with the community.   Based on their request, Council agreed to suspend the project for 6 months.  Council also continued the appeal of the project which is a good thing. Council did not provide any instructions other than re-noticing the public when the hearing resumes. 

August 31, 2009

Since March of this year, the SGHA Board has lent its support to an appeal of the proposed Mission 261 Development. The support of our members has been invaluable and we are grateful to the many people who have expressed their concerns to the City Council in writing and through attendance at the council meetings. Over the summer, a negotiation process took place as Mr. Harvey Ng worked with representatives from the community to reduce the overall scale of his project. Although Mr. Ng reduced the size of one building, no agreement was reached on a specific project for the Mission 261 site.

At the August 18 council meeting, the City Council voted 4-1 against continuing the revised project that Mr. Ng had presented that evening. He was asked to return again to council on September 15 with a project that fell into line with the standards specified in the Mission District Specific Plan. Once again, we urge you to write to our council members to let them know that it is important that they uphold the standards established in the Mission District Specific Plan.

Clearly, new development and business in the Mission District would be wonderful. However, the Mission District is the sole historic district that the city has designated. This means that when someone comes to the Mission District, the passage of time should be visible and, hopefully, tangible. Walking less than a mile, we can span centuries of history: Tongva artifacts (literally – watch for news on the excavation!), the Mission, the early commercial buildings, the Playhouse, and the neighborhoods that grew with the population. Two landmarks have dominated the landscape of this district and continue to do so. Therefore, our challenge is to strike a balance between economic development and preservation.

The Mission District Specific Plan was created to articulate that balance to residents and developers alike. The interest of the Historical Association has been to speak for the value of that plan and the standards it created to preserve the historic resources and character of the Mission District. Those standards directly addressed scale, density, and land use. The Board of the Historical Association will welcome development that joins the historic fabric of the district. Careful attention to the defining characteristics of the district will allow for the historic district to absorb the continued change and the march of time. Protecting the historic resources will preserve the Mission District as a living history lesson to residents and visitors alike.

Please continue to look for updated information on the Historical Association’s website. And, please, continue to lend your voice to the emerging discussion about the future of our Mission District. Over the last six months we have seen the value of residents speaking for the places that matter to them. We need you to continue to be a part of the discussion.

CLICK HERE FOR TEMPLATE LETTER!

August 1, 2009 - LATEST NEWS!
At the April 21 meeting, the City Council voted to continue their discussion on the appeal of the Mission 261 project. They also requested that the developer return to council on August 18 with a design that more accurately represented the vision and goals of the Mission District Specific Plan.

Since that council meeting, a series of meetings have taken place between the developer, Neighborhood Association, and city. The developer has made changes to his plan. We would like to make you aware of those changes but also highlight concerns that persist:

1. The project consists of two buildings: one that houses a hotel and another that houses condos. The developer has modified the building with condos. He has decreased the height and removed the underground parking. However, the building containing the hotel remains unchanged in its height and mass. Therefore, our concern remains. The clock tower still soars to a height of 63 feet, rivaling the Mission Playhouse, and the roof line exceeds the 40 feet allowed in the Mission District Specific Plan.

2. The project still does not fall within the standards established by the Mission District Specific Plan. While the developer has made concessions on aspects of the project, he still plans to include a 54 room hotel. The Specific Plan acknowledges that a Bed and Breakfast would be acceptable, but the proposed hotel is not a Bed and Breakfast.

3. The Mission District Specific Plan resulted from years of work and consultation with residents. it was created to provide standards to protect our historic district while allowing for economic development. It is disconcerting that the standards of the Specific Plan could be disregarded for a development in the core of the historic district. The Board of the Historical Association wants our Council to be accountable to the residents and their vision as it is expressed in the Specific Plan.  

The information below was taken from the City of San Gabriel website.  For more information click on:
Mission Village Project Returns to Council and scroll part way down the page to the Mission Village section.

Mission Village Project Returns to Council
After conducting several meetings with affected residents, the developer has proposed a revised plan that:

Additional information can be found on the City's Planning Division webpage.  Click here. to access the Planning website.

ORIGINAL PROPOSAL - MISSION 261 VILLAGE PROJECT:
The owners of the existing Mission 261 Restaurant (formerly Old Panchitos) have proposed the Mission 261 Village Project. It entails the redevelopment of approximately 1.36 acres in the Mission District in Downtown San Gabriel. The proposed project includes the demolition of existing structures and elimination of the adjoining Park and Ride lot. The proposed mixed use project consists two buildings which will emcompass:
 

Members of the Historical Association have been following the Mission 261 Village Environmental Impact Report (EIR) certification process as it progressed through planning commission meetings. SGHA Trustees Ellie Andrews and Senya Lubisich both spoke at the meetings against the variances and encroachments because they do not adhere to the Mission District Specific Plan and because they are bringing a density and scale that we felt compromises the integrity of the historic district.

At the March 9 meeting, the City of San Gabriel Planning Commission certified the Environmental Impact Report which allows the project to move forward with various encroachments and variances. Once the EIR was certified, we joined with others to file an appeal of the decision. That appeal is scheduled for the Council Meeting on Tuesday, April 21st. (Click here to read the appeal)

This project brings a density and scale that compromises the integrity of the historic district. We need your support in holding the City and developer to the standards established in the Mission District Specific Plan.

We urge members to write letters to San Gabriel Councilman David Gutierrez. He is the council liaison for the project and we want him to know that the historic integrity of the district and the vision articulated in the Specific Plan is important to us.   Send your letters to:
 

A link to the Mission Specific Plan on the City Website:
http://www.sgch.org/cityservices/communitydev/specificplans.shtml

A link to the Mission Village/Mission 261 EIR:
http://www.sangabrielcity.com/cityservices/communitydev/planning.shtml

We are trying to reach 2000 signatures - please sign here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/29/protect-the-san-gabriel-mission-district