Monterey Park : Protests Halt Street Project

Strong protests from property owners have prompted the City Council to delay the creation of an assessment district to improve Monterey Pass Road, the city’s major industrial street. The proposed project, which would repair the street and install sidewalks and landscaping, would cost $1,753,000, with the city contributing $821,000 and the property owners paying the remainder.

Owners of 56% of the property to be assessed have signed petitions against the project. But instead of killing the plan, the council continued a hearing on the project to Sept. 28 to give the city staff time to talk to property owners about ways of overcoming their objections. Some property owners have suggested changes in the project’s design; others have said the cost is too high.