Pasadena City Council approves phased 7% electric rate increases, allows safe‑parking pilot at All Saints and advances 710 planning

The Pasadena City Council this month approved a three‑phase electric rate increase and took several other actions on housing, planning and infrastructure, city leaders reported on the Pasadena Monthly program.

The council approved a rate increase to be implemented in three phases, each phase a 7% hike that will affect about 68,000 residential, commercial and municipal electric customers. "Each phase includes a 7% increase for all 68,000 customers, residential, commercial, and municipal users," host Justin Chapman said while summarizing the council's action. Council members said the increase is intended to fund major upgrades to the city's power system and that they would revisit the schedule after the second phase to decide whether the third phase remains necessary.

Council also allowed a safe‑parking program at All Saints Church to proceed under a set of conditions. The pilot will permit up to 25 vehicles to park overnight at the church lot at the corner of Uklid Avenue and Walnut Street and will provide portable restrooms, handwashing stations, on‑site security and case management services. Participation requires a driver's license, vehicle registration, insurance and a Megan's Law background check; a six‑month compliance hearing is scheduled to review the program's operation, the host reported.

On the 710 reconnecting community project, council members adopted staff recommendations to move the effort from consultant study into the planning department for development of a specific plan, and to explore financing and governance structures for the large project. City staff and consultants set a goal of at least 1,800 residential units in the project area, with a mix of rentals and homeownership options and sustainability features including district energy and stormwater capture. The council deferred the restorative justice portion of the work to a later meeting and focused on land‑use and mobility elements.

The council also approved a $186 million contract with PCL Construction Services for the central library seismic retrofit, a project scheduled for completion in 2028. The contract includes a council stipulation that PCL make a good‑faith effort to achieve a minimum of 10% local economic impact over the life of construction; PCL has also adopted a voluntary local workforce participation goal of 10–15%.

Other items reported during the episode included a proposed charter amendment filed by Pasadena Housing Providers to restructure the city's rental housing board, and the appointment of mediator and former planning commissioner David Coher to the rental housing board. The host also reported that the LA County Office of Education gave Pasadena Unified School District a positive certification for its second interim budget report after more than $20 million in personnel and budget reductions, and that the city launched a two‑month goat‑grazing pilot to reduce wildfire fuel in hillside areas.

Votes at a glance

• Electric rate increase: approved (three phased 7% increases; council to revisit after phase two).

• Safe‑parking pilot at All Saints: authorized with conditions (up to 25 vehicles, program requirements and six‑month review).

• 710 project: staff recommendations adopted to transition project to planning, pursue financing and governance options, and target at least 1,800 housing units.

• Central library seismic retrofit contract: $186 million contract approved; completion scheduled for 2028 and local economic/workforce expectations noted.

The episode did not provide roll‑call vote tallies or record motions and seconders; where those details are required for formal minutes they were not specified in the broadcast.