Pasadena Monthly: Council to reconsider safe parking; city adopts immigration-protection resolution; schools study consolidation

On Pasadena Monthly, host Justin Chapman ran through a citywide news roundup that included decisions the City Council and local agencies have made and items scheduled for further review.

Chapman said the City Council reversed an earlier November decision on a proposed safe-parking program at All Saints Church and will reconsider the permit on its merits at a full-council revote set for March 9; the change followed an initial lack of five votes to approve an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act. The council also directed its Housing, Homelessness and Planning Committee to review authorized locations and possible alternatives for safe parking.

The council unanimously approved a resolution directing staff to develop new protections for city property against federal immigration enforcement, to establish formal police protocols for interacting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, to require contractors to disclose agreements with the Department of Homeland Security, and to coordinate with legal observers and monitors. Pasadena Police Chief Harris is to report on use of automated license-plate-camera data collected by the department.

Chapman reported that the Pasadena Unified School District formed a consolidation advisory committee to consider possible school closures as it responds to an estimated nearly $30,000,000 budget shortfall. The board outlined four desired outcomes for the committee—fiscal responsibility; continuity of student achievement; a comprehensive program and services review; and meaningful community engagement—and approved a contract with Total School Solutions to study consolidation options. The district scheduled any board vote on consolidation recommendations for June 25, with closures to take effect in the 2027–28 school year if adopted.

On regional legal and event news, Chapman said a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied UCLA's motion to compel arbitration in the city of Pasadena and Rose Bowl Operating Company's breach-of-lease suit over UCLA's proposed move; that ruling makes a trial more likely. Chapman also noted the Rose Bowl will host Olympic soccer semifinals and finals in 2028 and will be a site for college-playoff games in 2027 and 2028.

Chapman reported that the California Attorney General's office announced a civil-rights investigation into the response to the January 2025 Eaton Fire to determine whether race, age or disability discrimination delayed emergency notifications and evacuations in West Altadena. Chapman summarized the AG's stated question about whether the Los Angeles County Fire Department's response violated state anti-discrimination or disability-rights laws.

Other items Chapman covered: the California Apartment Association filed a brief with the state Supreme Court asking the court to uphold an appellate ruling that struck down a Pasadena relocation-assistance requirement in Measure H; a public hearing is scheduled March 2 on proposed electric-rate increases that would occur in three phases and are expected to average about a 7% increase per phase and generate roughly $84,000,000 for operations, infrastructure and clean-energy goals; and council members asked staff to study the implications of a proposed LA County half-cent sales tax and report back April 13.

Chapman identified dates and next steps for each item: the safe-parking revote on March 9; the electric-rate public hearing on March 2; the council staff report about the county sales-tax measure on April 13; and the school-board vote on any consolidation recommendations on June 25.

The items Chapman summarized were presented as news on the Pasadena Monthly program and attributed to local officials and documents referenced on the show. The host's segment largely paraphrased official announcements and meeting outcomes rather than presenting new policy actions beyond those described above.