Council moves medical office project at 201 W. Glen Oaks to next design‑review stage despite parking exemption

The Glendale City Council on June 24 voted to advance a stage 1 preliminary design review application for a proposed four‑story, 19,600‑square‑foot medical office building at 201 West Glen Oaks Boulevard and directed further design review work.

Eileen Hani, senior planner, summarized the proposal: demolition of an existing 7,920‑square‑foot surface parking lot to build a 70‑foot tall medical office building in the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) Gateway District. The project site sits mid‑block on the north side of Arden Avenue with rear frontage near Glen Oaks Boulevard and the Verdugo Wash deck area. The design presented a rectangular building with street‑facing primary entrances and a single on‑grade loading space; the project proposes two bicycle parking spaces and no vehicle parking.

Parking exemption and council concerns Staff said the project qualifies under state law (referred to in the presentation as "AB 2097") that allows reduced or zero parking when a project is close to high‑frequency transit. That exemption, staff said, enables the project to provide zero off‑street parking. Several council members and multiple speakers raised concerns about the feasibility of a medical office with no on‑site parking, potential impacts on nearby residential areas and how staff would ensure access for patients with disabilities or staff physicians.

Applicants and design Applicant representatives said the project is conceived for an urban, transit‑served location and that the constrained lot and site conditions make on‑site parking or underground parking infeasible. The design team said they included a loading space for drop‑offs and that east side windows are a fixed curtain wall system. The applicant and designer noted proximity to existing and planned transit, including multiple bus lines and an upcoming bus rapid transit (BRT) stop roughly 2,000 feet away.

Council action and direction The council voted to advance the application to stage 2 design review, with comments recorded requesting additional materials at stage 2. Council members asked that future submittals include: street‑level and eye‑level contextual renderings showing the proposed building adjacent to existing or potential neighboring development; clarification about whether east/west glazing is operable (designer said windows on the east elevation are fixed curtain wall); and a parking/operations plan for staff and medical tenants, including whether private arrangements with adjacent parking owners or automated parking solutions had been considered. Staff and council suggested the applicant explore automated mechanical parking systems and to include details on how the building will serve patients with mobility needs.

Vote The motion to move to stage 2 design review passed on a 3–2 council vote (three affirmative, two negative). Councilmembers who voted for advancement cited the design’s quality and DSP consistency; members voting no voiced concern about massing, setbacks, and the lack of parking for a medical use.

Next steps Staff said stage 2 would include a detailed review of materials, fenestration, lighting, signage, utilities, street improvements and landscaping and that environmental review will be performed as appropriate during stage 2. The council’s comments will be incorporated as requirements for the next submittal, and the applicant will return for further review and public hearings.

Ending The council advanced the project to the next review stage while directing follow‑up on parking, accessibility and contextual visualizations. No construction approvals were granted; additional design review and environmental analysis will follow.