Council accepts Greater Downtown Glendale Association annual report and business plan; parklets expected this summer

The Glendale City Council accepted the Greater Downtown Glendale Association calendar year 2024 annual report and the association2025 business plan and budget during a special meeting, a move the council recorded as the organizationpresenting its annual report and business plan for the Greater Downtown Glendale Community Benefit District.

The Greater Downtown Glendale Association (GDGA), which is funded through property-assessments collected on participating parcels, told the council it remains in "excellent financial condition" and is continuing programs to promote, clean and maintain downtown.

"I can say with great pride that the GDGA is yet again in excellent financial condition and making a real impact on the experience of Downtown Glendale for all of our property owners, residents, and visitors," Randy Stevenson, the associationnew president, told the council. Stevenson highlighted the district's events and promotional work, including Cruise Night, Tech Week and the State of the City, and said the GDGA helps implement place-making projects including dining parklets and street amenities.

Bradley Calvert, GlendaleCommunity Development Director and a GDGA board member, said the city and GDGA renegotiated design contracts for parklets after inflation increased costs. "We believe we've come to a middle ground with them, and we should start seeing one of the first ones go in, probably mid to late summer this year," Calvert said.

Former GDGA president Rick Lemo, who remains an active board member, traced the association's founding to a pledge by property owners to fund services. "We are decidedly a property assessed group because tenants change and you can't depend on that money to give you the stability and consistency you need to put Glendale in the spotlight," Lemo said, explaining why assessments on property tax bills fund the district's cleaning, ambassadors, decorations and promotional programs.

Council members asked GDGA and staff about downtown challenges raised in the meeting: business closures and rising rents, sidewalk vending competition, traffic congestion and accessibility for people with disabilities. Stevenson said the GDGA's mandate covers public-right-of-way services and promotion and that the association does not have authority to intervene in private landlord-tenant contracts. "Our job," he said, "is to promote the city, make the city look great, make people feel safe. Let's get bodies back in those office buildings. Let them go out on the street and make those small businesses successful."

A caller, Fernando Roldan, urged the GDGA to prioritize ADA compliance and to work with the council on traffic improvements. "We need those businesses as part of to make sure that they stay in Glendale," Roldan said. "I'm hoping that you guys create a special task force, to talk about the Americans with Disabilities Act."

Council members also discussed how the city should use the annual-report opportunity to provide staff observations and potential priorities to the board. One council member asked for more formal staff recommendations to accompany the GDGA report; Calvert replied that the city is one voting board member and that council direction could be passed to staff for discussion at GDGA meetings. Another council member clarified that the councildoes not approve the association's underlying property-assessment budget but does review the association's annual report and business plan.

The council moved to accept the GDGA calendar year 2024 annual report and the association's 2025 business plan and budget as submitted. The motion was seconded and the council recorded at least two recorded "yes" votes during roll call. The final roll-call tally is not specified in the meeting transcript.

The GDGA also noted a signature event scheduled for March 7, 2025: an International Women's Day program at the Glenmark Hotel with a featured speaker listed as Mayor Elena Sotrian. Stevenson said the GDGA will continue coordinating with city departments, including the police and economic development, to support downtown safety and promotion.

The council's acceptance of the report formalizes the GDGA's annual reporting to the city; council members asked staff to return options for more structured input or periodic updates so the council and GDGA can better coordinate on downtown priorities.