Baldwin Park planning commission backs General Plan amendment, zone change and design review for 9,000‑square‑foot pocket park

The Baldwin Park Planning Commission voted Sept. 24 to recommend that the City Council approve a General Plan amendment, a zone change and design review to convert a vacant industrially zoned lot (APN 8536‑016‑902) into a roughly 9,000‑square‑foot pocket park to be called Anna Montenegro Park.

The commission also recommended adoption of an initial study and mitigated negative declaration and a mitigation monitoring and reporting program under the California Environmental Quality Act. The commission approved four resolutions forwarding the project to the council and added requests that the council consider additional steps on parking enforcement, traffic calming and camera placement.

Nick (city planner), presenting on behalf of the Recreation and Community Services Department, told commissioners the city acquired the vacant lot in April 2022 using Quimby and community enhancement funds and is proposing a neighborhood‑scale park with play equipment, shade structures, five shade trees, a 500‑square‑foot restroom building and security lighting and cameras. "No off street parking is provided with this proposal," staff said in the presentation.

The project includes perimeter screening—a 10‑foot block wall on the northwest boundary and 8‑foot steel pickets atop a 3‑foot decorative wall on the south and east edges—gates that will be closed at sunset, a camera system and solar security lighting. The staff presentation described design elements inspired by pre‑Columbian art, including an alebrije‑inspired play tower and Talavera‑style decorative walls. The draft initial study found potentially significant impacts for biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and noise but concluded those impacts could be mitigated, qualifying the project for a mitigated negative declaration.

Residents who live adjacent to the site raised concerns during public comment about parking, privacy and homelessness. Laura Carmona, who said she and her husband Manuel Chavez live next to the lot, said the street already fills with cars from nearby auto shops and that "there'll be no parking for the park" if the city does not provide spaces. Carmona also asked how cameras would avoid recording neighboring yards.

Commissioners and staff pressed staff on operations and maintenance funding, parking and safety. The planner said the city expects Quimby funds and community enhancement funds to pay for development and that ongoing operations would be covered from general fund resources or future grants, though long‑term operations funding is "to be determined." On cameras and monitoring the planner said the feed "will never turn off. The police department will have access to the feed," and staff said they would verify camera angles to avoid recording private property.

Commission discussion emphasized trade‑offs: several commissioners said a pocket park is an improvement over a vacant, undeveloped lot and would provide nearby children and elderly residents with closer access to green space. At the same time commissioners and several residents urged the city to address spillover parking from adjacent businesses, consider traffic calming such as speed cushions, and confirm camera placement and privacy protections. Commission staff said code enforcement and parking enforcement will be asked to coordinate with businesses and police on parking violations in the area; the commission added those items as recommendations to the council.

The commission voted to adopt the following resolutions recommending City Council action: resolution 25‑15 (initial study and mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program), resolution 25‑16 (General Plan amendment AGP 25‑01 to change the land use designation from commercial industrial to park space), resolution 25‑17 (zoning amendment Z‑25‑01 to change the zoning designation from industrial commercial to open space) and resolution 25‑18 (design review PR‑25‑25 for the park design). The roll call vote on the park resolutions was Chair Eric Pena: yes; Commissioner Escobosa: yes; Commissioner Miranda Dzib: yes; Commissioner Rodriguez: yes. The motion included a recommendation that the City Council consider measures on parking enforcement, traffic calming (for example, temporary or other speed‑reducing treatments) and verification of camera orientation to avoid recording neighboring properties.

Votes at a glance: the commission also approved minutes from the June 25 meeting earlier in the consent calendar; that consent vote carried with an abstention from Commissioner Miranda Dzib (she said she was absent from the June 25 meeting).

What’s next: the Planning Commission’s approvals are recommendations to the Baldwin Park City Council; the council will take final action on the General Plan amendment, zoning change, design review and adoption of the mitigated negative declaration. Staff said project conditions, permit details, construction hours and mitigation measures will be finalized during council review and permit processing. The project site is at the northwest corner of Main Avenue and Joan Bridge Street (APN 8536‑016‑902).