Garvey Avenue Corridor Specific Plan
Project Overview
The Rosemead City Council authorized the preparation of a Garvey Avenue Corridor Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on May 13, 2014, and Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc (MIG) was selected as the consultant team to develop the plan. MIG is a multidisciplinary consulting firm that specializes in urban planning and design, multimodal transportation planning, public outreach, consensus building, communications and technology tools, and environmental review.
What is a Specific Plan?
A Specific Plan is a comprehensive planning and zoning document for a defined geographic region of the City. The purpose of a Specific Plan is to provide for the orderly development and improvement of a specific area in the City. The Specific Plan is established to guide the development of an area that is characterized by its unique location, geographic features, land uses and ownership patterns.
The Garvey Avenue Specific Plan Program
The City of Rosemead is preparing a specific plan for the Garvey Avenue corridor. The project area includes the portion of Garvey Avenue from New Avenue to just east of San Gabriel Boulevard, as shown on the map below.
Click Here to Download the Map
Preliminary work began, when an official kickoff with City Staff was held on June 19, 2014. The adoption of a Final Specific Plan and Implementation Strategy is anticipated to be completed by Spring 2017. See Process Graphic. An Ad Hoc Committee consisting of members from the City Council, Planning Commission, Traffic Commission, and the Beautification Committee has worked with Staff and MIG to develop alternatives that identify existing strengths and desired improvements for the Garvey Avenue project area and then a preferred alternative will be chosen.
Together the team will determine a strategy for implementing the public's preferences. When finished, the Specific Plan will provide a vision for:
- attracting high quality private development to promote economic development that respects and reflects community character and is in balance with infrastructure, traffic, and parking demands;
- creating a walkable center with an attractive “sense of place” and provides the neighborhood with retail, entertainment, office services; and
- promoting transit, bicycle, and pedestrian use and facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Why is the Specific Plan being prepared?
- When is the Specific Plan scheduled to be completed?
- Who will decide what happens to the corridor?
- What is the Garvey Avenue Ad Hoc Committee?
- How will the Specific Plan be prepared?
- How can the community be kept informed and participate in the process?
Why is the Specific Plan being Prepared?
The commercial and industrial districts in Rosemead and the jobs and tax revenues they provide contribute significantly to the City's financial well-being. Economically viable commercial and industrial businesses generate tax revenue, provide a variety of shopping and commercial activities, and ensure the long term fiscal health of the City.
The availability of vacant and underutilized land in the Garvey Avenue corridor provides a key opportunity for the City to develop and adopt a specific plan to carefully shape the corridor beyond what current General Plan, zoning standards, and the 2012 Garvey Master Plan design policies can achieve. A specific plan is a regulatory tool that local governments use to guide development in a localized area to systematically implement the general plan and create a “sense of place.” A carefully crafted specific plan developed by City officials, staff, and an expert land use consultant has the potential to strengthen the identity and image of Garvey Avenue, as well as expand opportunities for concentrated commercial, industrial and residential uses that contribute to jobs and tax revenues to the community.
When is the Specific Plan scheduled to be completed?
The associated environmental documentation for the plan would then be initiated. The Final Specific Plan and certification of environmental documents are expected by December 2016 with certification by Spring 2017.
Who will decide what happens to the corridor?
The City Council will have the ultimate decision as to the adoption of the Specific Plan. However, the schedule has incorporated a Community Outreach Plan which allows input on the plan through a variety of avenues. The Community Outreach Plan provides for: 1) Stakeholder Interviews; 2) Ad Hoc Steering Committee; and 3) Community Workshops. Input from these groups will be used to direct the development of the Alternative Concepts for the Corridor and ultimately the Preferred Alternative. The Ad Hoc Committee will serve among these groups as the essential point of contact for the Specific Plan. Ad Hoc Committee meetings are open to the public and agendas will be posted on the City's website. The City's website will be regularly updated with new information concerning the progress of the project.
What is the Garvey Avenue Ad Hoc Committee?
The Ad Hoc Committee, now referred to as the Garvey Avenue Corridor Ad Hoc Committee, includes 5 members, including two members of the City Council, one from the Planning Commission, one from the Traffic Commission, and one from the Beautification Committee. The Ad Hoc Steering Committee is advisory to the City decision makers. The following is a list of the Committee's members:
- Polly Low, City Council Member (Ad Hoc Committee Chair)
- Steven Ly, City Council Member
- John Tang, Planning Commission Member (Ad Hoc Committee Vice Chair)
- Joanne Russell-Chavez, Traffic Commission Member
- Brian Lewin, Beautification Committee Member
How will the Specific Plan be prepared?
Major phases of the project are as follows:
Task 1: Project Initiation - June 2014
Task 2: Existing Conditions June 2014 to September 2014
Task 3: Community Outreach - Throughout Project
Task 4: Alternative Plan Concepts - September 2014 to November 2014
Task 5: Preferred Plan & draft Specific Plan Report - December 2014 to April 2015
Task 6: Environmental Review and draft FEIR - February 2016 to November 2016
Task 7: Final Specific Plan and FEIR - Spring 2017
How can the community be kept informed and participate in the process?
The Ad Hoc Committee meetings are open to the public. The meetings that have taken place so far:
07-02-14
09-10-14
10-22-14
11-19-14
05-13-15
10-14-15
01-20-16
The City's website will be regularly updated regarding upcoming meetings and Community Workshops.
Project Documents
Planning and Economic Manager:
Lily T. Valenzuela
8838 East Valley Boulevard
Rosemead, California 91770
(626) 569-2142
[email protected]