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Politics & Government

Assisted Living Facility May Go to Voters

Developers proposing the construction of a 75-suite assisted living facility on Sierra Madre Blvd. intend to seek voter approval in November, but the project must be reviewed by the Planning Commission and City Council first.

Plans for a proposed two-story, 75-suite assisted living facility that would reside at 235 W Sierra Madre Blvd. may be put before voters in November.

The plans first have to be reviewed by Sierra Madre's Planning Commission, and then approved by the Sierra Madre City Council before they would be put on the ballot, according to City Manager Elaine Aguilar.

The developers submitted a letter to the city yesterday requesting that their project go to a city-wide vote.

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The "Kensington Project," as it has been named by its developers, has been somewhat controversial in Sierra Madre. Under Measure V, buildings like this one can have a maximum of 13 "dwelling units" per acre, which are defined as "one or more rooms in a building designed and intended to be used as living quarters by one person or a family."  The Kensington Project site would allow for 23 units under Measure V.  

The developer recently requested a clarification of what a "dwelling unit" is, stating the Measure V's definition was ambiguous. At the heart of the matter was whether or not a "dwelling unit" in Sierra Madre contains a kitchen (in neighboring Pasadena, a dwelling unit always contains a kitchen.) Since individual suites in the Kensington Assisted Living Facility would share one kitchen, the developer might have been able to go forth with its plans to build a 75-suite facility.

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The Planning Commission chose to uphold its definition of "dwelling unit" at a January meeting.

“I really think there was a clear opinion from the public when they voted on Measure V.  I think moving on a clarification of this is a slap in the face of the public,” said Planning Commission Chair Kevin Paschall.

Measure V also sets centrally-located building height limits to 30 feet and 2 stories, and says that building decisions that stray from the city's goals should be made via public debate and election.

The Kensington Assisted Living Facility would reside on the grounds of a former nursing home in Sierra Madre (pictured above). The building and the grounds are currently vacant.

Patch will follow the Kensington Project as it develops.

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