On April 25, the Alhambra City Council reviewed the recently released West Valley Blvd Economic Study. You can find the full study here.

Natelson Dale Group was contracted by the City to perform the study, and the expert consultants echoed the recommendations many businesses in the area have been asking for. The study called for the City to implement measures that encourage mixed-use development, increase density from one-story buildings to  4-6 stories, and reduce parking requirements on West Valley Blvd.

The consultants also highlighted the difference in areas on West Valley Boulevard between east and west of Fremont Ave. Because parcels are smaller east of Fremont, the study recommends that parking requirements be reduced and that policies that encourage assembly of multiple properties be adopted. They recommended allowing for higher density on larger, assembled parcels, and that the City build multiple public garages along the corridor to reduce the developer's costs associated with building parking for individual properties.

Community Development Director, Andrew Ho, said this study is the first step in the process of overhauling the building code governing the area. The next step will include public input from property owners and code changes through the formal Zoning Code Update, which will update the 1986 zoning (set to be completed by October 2022).