Article I — Background and Setting

• A. The city of Glendora has undertaken the lead role in preparing this specific plan for the eventual development of property commonly referred to as the "Monrovia Nursery." This property is located in west central Glendora on approximately 95 acres. This specific plan governs only the 95-acre property formerly occupied by the Monrovia Nursery operations. However in the course of implementation it is certain that some infrastructure improvements (circulation, drainage) will occur outside of the specific plan. The specific plan appears as two large undeveloped parcels, one on the north adjacent to Sierra Madre Avenue and one on the south adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way. These are being referenced as specific plan - north and specific plan - south.

• B. The plan calls for the development of 124 minimum 20,000 square foot detached single-family residential lots; all lots will be served by public water, and sewer. All parcels will be accessed by public streets with the exception of five lots and an existing home at 1326 West Sierra Madre Avenue, which will be served by a private drive.

• (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

A specific plan was chosen for this project to provide a document that applies development requirements for the property that are not possible through the application of the city of Glendora Zoning Code alone. In general a specific plan provides the regulations for the construction of new homes, grading and access, open space, and a comprehensive infrastructure plan and utilizing development standards and guidelines attuned to the setting to assure that new development fits the community character. The development standards and guidelines contained herein govern placement, size, style, level of detail, landscaping and drainage. This specific plan also implements the city's general plan land use objectives. Development within the specific plan area will be subject to standards that are more specific than the requirements of the underlying E-7 20,000 zoning district (the specific plan area will be rezoned "specific plan"). (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

• A. Many neighborhoods in Glendora were developed with large subdivision tracts that included complete road networks, unified single-purpose land uses and functional comprehensive infrastructure. In contrast, the specific plan's foothill neighborhood evolved incrementally over several decades, by means of an assortment of tracts and individual home building actions. Many homes have evolved over time per a series of modifications. As a result the neighborhood exhibits vastly different looks across the landscape. In some cases, such as along Baldy Vista Avenue, the streetscape includes large homes with similar roof pitches and a limited range of exterior treatments, all set back identically. On the other hand, homes elsewhere in the neighborhood are often one-of-a-kind, with varying setbacks, styles, sizes, and details.

• B. The streetscapes are also markedly different. For instance, Baldy Vista Avenue has a generous pavement width and concrete curbs. On the other hand, Milton Drive in the same neighborhood narrows to nearly a single curb-less lane, with the homes displaying a range of sizes, styles and setbacks. Similarly the neighborhood along Yucca Ridge Road has a rural character and shares nearly no characteristics with Foxglove Court's residences of uniform vintage and similar design.

• C. Throughout all of this, the neighborhood has remained incomplete, always divided and interrupted by nearly 95 acres of nonresidential land use in the form of the Monrovia Nursery (the specific plan). Now that the nursery has ceased operations on this acreage it is vacant and the neighborhood has an opportunity to be completed.

• D. In response to the eclectic character of the neighborhood, this specific plan was tasked with providing standards and directives that assure compatibility within a diverse design setting while ensuring that city requirements for development and infrastructure are met. The attraction of this neighborhood lies in the range and variety of homes that display individual expression and largely recede into generously shaded home sites. This specific plan seeks to respect this character and fit within it. The following factors drove this specific plan:

  1. Infill in Character. The neighborhood is protective of the appeal of their community. The infill that is to occur in the specific plan will not be a jarring departure from the general character.

  2. Compatible Design. The city of Glendora and the neighborhood wanted to see development in the specific plan that is compatible and performs a transition between the current neighborhood, and new development.

  3. Non-Standardized Architecture. The neighborhood does not have a single consistent identifiable "architecture," therefore stock design standards that rely on specific architecture (e.g., "Mediterranean," "Craftsman," "American Farmhouse") were not applicable.

• (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

The neighborhood has been active in framing this process and helping this specific plan address their concerns. As in most public input undertakings, this process sorted through an array of concerns, ideas, suggestions, constraints and opportunities. As the process advanced, a balance was attained between individual desires, broader public policy and community building approaches. Consequently, though many ideas were incorporated, several demands were not included. For instance, many in the neighborhood initially opposed extending streets linking the northern specific plan area with the southern specific plan area due to concerns about traffic. For the most part concerns about traffic rested primarily on the possibility of passthrough traffic. And in response to this, previous concepts included no street connections between the north and south. It is worthy to note that current city of Glendora general plan policy no longer allows the extension of streets or completion of street links between the city of Glendora and other jurisdictions. Therefore, though previous concepts proposed a street link to Citrus Avenue within the city of Azusa, such a link is now prohibited. As a result, concerns about "cut-through" or non-neighborhood traffic are no longer valid. Instead, the specific plan proposes the extension of Baldy Vista Avenue, thus providing a route through the neighborhood between Sierra Madre Avenue and Barranca Avenue near the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad crossing. An access point is proposed into the city of Azusa for pedestrians, bicycles and emergency vehicles, but not public vehicular traffic.

(Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

• A. This specific plan proposes 124 detached single-family residential homes on lots of at least 20,000 square feet. Although this specific plan contains its own development standards, it closely follows the city of Glendora's E-7 20,000 zoning district (Glendora Municipal Code Section 21.04.010 ). This specific plan contains a set of grading, drainage, circulation and design guidelines created to result in new homes compatible with the existing neighborhood.

• B. This specific plan includes text and diagrams that specify the following in detail: 1. The distribution, location, and extent of the land uses within the specific plan.

  2. The distribution, location of public and private circulation, sewage, water, drainage, and other essential facilities proposed to be located within the specific plan needed to support the land uses.

  3. Standards and criteria by which development will proceed.

  4. A program of implementation measures including regulations, programs, public works projects, and financing measures necessary to carry out the provisions of subsections (B)(1), (2) and (3) of this section.

  5. A statement of the relationship of the specific plan to the general plan.

Figure 1: Regional Location

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Article II. Vision

It is unusual for an established neighborhood to experience what has occurred in this community. The departure of the Monrovia Nursery operations from the neighborhood has opened up nearly 95 acres (the specific plan) of vacant land to redevelopment, presenting the opportunity to convert the property from nursery use to neighborhood homes.

• A. Planning Approach 1—Compatible Design. Create design regulations that result in new homes that are compatible with, but do not duplicate, the late 20th Century homes in the neighborhood.

• B. Planning Approach 2—Contemporary Standards. Produce design regulations that meet today's planning, energy, sustainability, engineering, and community-building standards.

• (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

The specific plan was charged with a set of goals that drove the plan and were the focus and purpose of the undertaking.

• A. Goal 1—Exhibit Respect for Existing Home Market Values. The specific plan had to account for the property values and property rights of the existing adjacent neighborhood.

• B. Goal 2—Create a Unified Community. The specific plan had to result in new development that will be physically and functionally harmonious with the existing neighborhood.

• C. Goal 3—Address Neighborhood Infrastructure. The specific plan had to address shortcomings within the broader neighborhood infrastructure:

  1. The lack of full vehicular circulation which impacts emergency (EMT, police, fire) response time and restricts emergency evacuation options.

  2. The existing poor drainage system that has resulted in problems during storm events.

  3. Water pressure and water availability improvements.

  4. Meeting "fuel modification" requirements to reduce fire hazards.

• D. Goal 4—Serve as a Basis for Future City Development Entitlements. The specific plan had to provide a development template for future developer-submitted entitlements including tentative maps, grading plans, infrastructure improvement plans, and private lot development plans.

• E. Goal 5—Create Market-Driven New Development. The specific plan had to contain regulations that result in homes that meet the demands of the marketplace and that make economic sense for the developers of the specific plan property.

• (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

• A. Plan Element 1—Zoning. Although the actual zoning for the specific plan area will be "SP" (specific plan), development will adhere to the provisions of the specific plan and also use the city of Glendora's E-7 20,000 zoning district standards as a guide.

• B. Plan Element 2—Circulation. Baldy Vista will be extended south and result in a connection between the north and south specific plan areas. No direct public street access from the specific plan into the city of Azusa is proposed.

• C. Plan Element 3—Drainage. Specific plan will account for existing drainage issues by proposing infrastructure improvements that will meet contemporary drainage standards.

• D. Plan Element 4—Grade Transitions. The grading approach within the specific plan area utilizes a series of intermediate stair-stepped terraces with associated slopes. The height differential/vertical separation between the existing adjacent residences and the proposed homesites has been designed to enhance privacy between new and existing residences.

• E. Plan Element 5—Building Height. Building height in the specific plan per the E-7 20,000 zoning district.

• F. Plan Element 6—Neighborhood Continuity and Integration. Specific plan development to be compatible with neighborhood character through the implementation of design guidelines.

• G. Plan Element 7—Annexation. Portions of the specific plan area that are unincorporated Los Angeles County parcels are to be annexed into city of Glendora prior to development.

• H. Plan Element 8—City of Azusa Agreements. The specific plan will remain subject to existing and future agreements between Glendora and Azusa regarding drainage and street maintenance.

• I. Plan Element 9—Fairmount Cemetery. The specific plan provides access to, and provides a buffer for, the Fairmount Cemetery.

• J. Plan Element 10—Covina Canal. The specific plan resolves a number of function, flow, and maintenance matters related to the facilities related to the Covina Canal, which will have a new easement to account for any relocation.

• K. Plan Element 11—Access to Existing Property. The specific plan will respect the right of access for existing properties. In many instances refining and further formalizing access within the context of contemporary engineering and street design standards.

• L. Plan Element 12—Linear Park. The specific plan will include a new linear park adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (and proposed future Gold Line) tracks. The park will include elements similar to those that exist in the Arboreta development east of Barranca Avenue, including a drainage swale, and a bike/pedestrian trail.

• (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

Guiding Principle—Neighborhood Continuity and Integration. The specific plan will include development guidelines derived from an understanding of the existing neighborhood that address bulk, mass, setbacks, height, and number of floors. It will complete a vehicle and pedestrian circulation system that unifies the neighborhood from north to south. It will develop infrastructure systems that account for water, sewer and drainage demands. The plan will propose a new public linear park. (Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)

This specific plan provides the following public benefits:

• A. Public Benefit 1—Land Use Certainty. The specific plan includes a final land use plan for the 95 acres that used to house a nursery operation. It establishes that the specific plan will be developed as 124 detached single-family residences on lots of at least 20,000 square feet, putting to rest many concerns about the future use of the land.

• B. Public Benefit 2—Settles the Issue of Road Extensions. The specific plan proposes the extension of Baldy Vista Avenue, it also confirms that Calera Avenue will not be extended and that West Danton Drive and Oakbank Drive will only have emergency access beyond their current limits. The specific plan proposes no roadway extension west to Monrovia Lane/Citrus Avenue in the city of Azusa. However, it will provide a restricted link for emergency and pedestrian access only.

• C. Public Benefit 3—No Cut-Through Street Connections. By not connecting the specific plan street system west into the city of Azusa to Monrovia Lane/Citrus Avenue, the specific plan will not result in a cut-through connection between Citrus Avenue in the city of Azusa and Barranca Avenue in the city of Glendora.

• D. Public Benefit 4—Minimize Traffic. The build out of 124 detached single-family residences on lots of a minimum 20,000 square feet will generate less traffic than other types of land use options, such as multiple-family, or certain nonresidential uses. This minimizes the traffic impact of the development on the local neighborhood.

• E. Public Benefit 5—Safer Sierra Madre Avenue. Sierra Madre Avenue will be widened with more defined shoulders and edges, plus the introduction of a safe sidewalk and an improved intersection at Barranca Avenue.

• F. Public Benefit 6—Minimal New Rights-of-Way. The specific plan requires that new street sections meet current city of Glendora engineering design standards, but it does not require the widening of local streets outside of the specific plan, with the exception of improvements to Sierra Madre Avenue, a portion of Milton Drive, Yucca Ridge, as well as small portions of Barranca Avenue at Sierra Madre Avenue where proposed connections are to be made.

• G. Public Benefit 7—Drainage Solutions. The specific plan provides for a comprehensive approach to drainage problems through proposed on-site and off-site improvements. New storm drains are planned at Calera Avenue, Donington Street, Baldy Vista Avenue, and Leadora Avenue to minimize storm flows within the local streets and in Baldy Vista Creek.

• H. Public Benefit 8—Assured Privacy. Where new homes are planned adjacent to existing residences, lot orientation and pad height/separation will help minimize concerns for privacy. Where necessary, some lots in the specific plan area will be restricted to one story only.

• I. Public Benefit 9—Improved Sewer Connections. Underperforming sewer segments are located below Foxglove Court, between Danton and Oakbank Drive, and most of the segment at Newhill/Foothill between Oakbank & Citrus. The general function of the sewer network will be improved as part of the implementation of the specific plan.

• J. Public Benefit 10—A New Linear Park. A linear park containing many attributes similar to the existing linear park within the Arboreta specific plan east of Barranca Avenue is proposed.

• K. Public Benefit 11—Dependable Water Supply and Water Pressure. An adequate water infrastructure system will be provided. A hydraulic study will be conducted as part of the implementation of this specific plan which will determine water line size.

Figure 2: Master Plan

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(Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)