Former Caltrans land to bolster business parking as owners embark on development plan
Businesses on the 1100 block of Foothill Boulevard could soon see more parking, after a 5,600-square-foot lot previously owned by Caltrans but purchased by local property owners looking to build was added Tuesday to the city’s land use map.
Members of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council voted to adopt a resolution to amend the city’s zoning map to include the parcel, formerly a right-of-way for the Foothill (210) Freeway, with a “Mixed Use 2” designation under the Downtown Village Specific Plan.
“It was right of way at one time, which we don’t generally designate,” Deputy Director of Community Development Susan Koleda told the council Tuesday. “But now that it is privately held, we do believe a general plan amendment and a zone change is appropriate at the current time.”
The move will allow property owners Cecilia and Rudy Kaesler to complete a project nearly seven years in the making. It includes construction of a two-story medical office at 1109 Foothill and a reconfiguration of parking spaces behind surrounding Foothill businesses north of Valley Sun Lane.
The Kaeslers own properties at 1109, 1111 and 1113 Foothill Blvd., the last of which serves as a medical office for Cecilia Kaesler, an internist. At an Oct. 10 meeting of the city Planning Commission, the couple explained their desire to build a new two-story office building that would allow for the hiring of a second, part-time physician.
Another aim is to restructure the parking spaces behind the businesses to allow for more employee and customer parking associated with the three lots, which has been the subject of some local dispute among surrounding businesses.
Commissioners asked the Kaeslers to agree to a covenant stipulating the new parking spaces would be used only by the businesses occupying the three contiguous lots. To ensure the covenant remains unaltered, the three lots were to be merged into a single lot operating with three separate addresses.
All told, the project is expected to bring the total number of spots from nine to as many as 20. At Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilman Jon Curtis showed support for the net increase of spaces.
“It’s good to hear we’re getting more parking there,” he said.
At the city’s request, the Kaeslers would first rebuild the parking area before moving on to the construction of the new medical office.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
