CC - Item 2A - Attachment C - Comment Letter dated January 22, 2026Attachment C
Comment Letter Dated January 22, 2026
MAYOR:
SANDRA ARMENTA
MAYOR PRO TEM:
PGLLY Low
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
MARGARET CLAP
SEAN DANG
STEVEN LY
January 22, 2026
CY'ry of &sewad
8838 E. VALLEY BOULEVARD
ROSEMEAD, CALIFORNIA 91770
TELEPHONE (626) 569-2100
Trumark Homes
450 Newport Center Drive, Suite 300
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Attn: Phil Wagner
SUBJECT: PRE -APPLICATION 25-02
8001 GARVEY AVENUE
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in the City of Rosemead. The Planning Division received your
revised Pre -Application plans addressing comments relayed during the City Council and
Planning Commission Special Joint Meeting on September 23, 2025 and the first comment
letter distributed on August 7, 2025. The following comments and conditions are based on
the preliminary plans that were submitted. Staff understands the plans are preliminary for
the purpose of the pre -application review. Please also be aware that additional issues
could arise as more information is received.
Comments Distributed on September 23, 2025
1. Comments No. 1 to No. 8 pertained to associated fees for the proposed mixed -use
development. The applicant has acknowledged the fees and submittal
requirements.
2. Comment No. 9 acknowledged the project will be phased. A performance
agreement between the City and the applicant outlining specific performance
expectations and deliverables over a defined construction period may be
established.
3. Comment No. 10 has not been addressed: Please list all associated Assessor
Parcel Numbers (APNs).
4. Comment No. 11 has not been addressed: Since the subject site is an unimproved
vacant lot, please calculate the FAR utilizing the net area for the entire site.
5. Comment No.12 has not been addressed: Please specify if the project is proposing
to utilize the "Nonresidential Component of Mixed -Use Development Sites"
community benefit incentive and provide calculations to ensure the requirements
are met.
6. Comment No. 13 and No. 14 have not been addressed: Please provide the name,
address, and telephone number of all service providers, including water sewer,
school(s), utility companies, etc. and indicate the type of building construction and
occupancy (per Uniform Building Code), respectively.
7. Comment No. 15(b)(i) and 15(b)(ii) have not been addressed: The side yard
setback requirements are as follows:
o East: 10 feet — Not Met (northeast portion is 8 feet)
o West: None,10 feet, and 10 feet with Variable Height Requirements —
Indicate the setback from the proposed parking structure to the west
property line. In addition, please revise the plans to indicate that the variable
height requirement applies to northwest portion of the lot.
8. Comment No. 16 has not been addressed: Per Garvey Avenue Specific Plan Table
3.4, the minimum building placement on lot frontage is 60%.
9. Comment No. 17 has not been addressed: Per Rosemead Municipal Code Section
17.28.030(D), the project shall comply with the Public Realm and Streetscape
requirements listed below:
a. Public Sidewalks. The following shall apply to public sidewalks:
1) The minimum building setback shall be twelve (12) feet as
measured from the curb face, and shall be in the form of both
existing right-of-way and a recorded pedestrian access and utility
easement;
2) The minimum building setback area shall include a minimum
seven -foot wide detached sidewalk (clear zone) and a minimum
five-foot wide parkway (amenity zone) adjacent to all streets. The
amenity zone shall be located between the curb face and the clear
zone. The clear zone shall be located between the building and the
amenity zone;
3) The sidewalk in the clear zone shall be constructed of concrete,
comply with ADA accessibility standards and be subject to the
review of the City Engineer;
4) The clear zone shall be unobstructed by any permanent or
nonpermanent element for a minimum width of seven feet and a
minimum height of eight feet; and
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5) The amenity zone shall include street trees, landscaping, public
signs, public art, street lighting, street furniture, and other
pedestrian -oriented amenities, as appropriate.
b. Street Trees.
1) All species of mature oak trees shall be preserved or otherwise
dealt with in accordance with Article 4, Chapter 17.104.
2) The removal of other mature trees shall be subject to the review
and approval of the Urban Forester.
3) Mature street trees that are approved for removal by the Urban
Forester shall be replaced with a minimum of three new mature box
trees that have at least a 24-inch box and are the same species of
the replaced mature street trees or a species approved by the
Urban Forester. The City reserves the right to increase the number
of trees if it deems necessary in order to compensate for mature
tree loss.
4) The amenity zone shall be planted with street trees at an average
spacing not greater than thirty (30) feet on center.
c. Transit Stops.
1) Transit stops shall be designed as integral elements of a
residential/commercial mixed -use development by collocating
them with pedestrian -oriented amenities, such as pocket parks,
courtyards, plazas, etc., whenever possible.
2) When an existing transit stop is located on a sidewalk adjacent to
the location of a development, a shelter for transit patrons shall be
constructed that:
a) Incorporates architectural features of the development and is
compatible with the development; and
b) Includes a shelter, bench and lighting.
d. Undergrounding of Utilities.
1) Utility lines to a development from the building to the property line,
including, but not limited to, electric, communications, street
lighting and cable television shall be placed underground.
2) Utility lines within the right -of way shall be placed underground to
the maximum extent practicable. The requirements of this section
may be waived by the Planning Commission upon
recommendation from the City Engineer if it is determined that
topographical, soil or any other conditions make such underground
installations unreasonable or impractical.
10.Comment No. 18 has not been addressed: Please depict the interior dimensions
of all garages to ensure Rosemead Municipal Code Section 17.112.090 is met.
11. Comments No. 19 to 22 have not been addressed: Please address all comments
in relation to the elevations for the nonresidential portion of the mixed -use
development.
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12. Comment No. 25 has not been addressed: Please provide landscape calculations
to indicate that the entire lot contains at least 6% landscaping.
13.Comment No. 26 has not addressed fully: The following requirements have not
been met or depicted:
a. Usable Public Open Space (applies to the nonresidential portion of the
mixed -use project)
b. Usable Private Open Space (applies to the residential portion of the mixed -
use project — 75 square feet minimum, five feet in any direction)
14. Comment No. 27 can be addressed during the formal submittal.
15. Comment No. 28 has not been addressed: Please indicate the width of all
proposed access driveways.
16.Comments No. 29 to 35 have not been addressed: Please address all comments
in relation to off-street parking standards, guest parking, parking lot layout and
design, and off-street loading.
17. Comment No. 36 has not been addressed: Please review all requirements per
Rosemead Municipal Code Section 17.68.040(A) and (E) in regards to walls and
fences.
18. Comment No. 37 has not been addressed: Please note on the plans that all lighting
will be of low intensity and shielded so that light will not spill out onto surrounding
properties or project above the horizontal plane. In residential/commercial mixed -
use and commercial/industrial mixed -use development, the lighting for commercial
uses shall be appropriately shielded so that it does not negatively impact the on -
site residential units.
19.Comments No. 38 to 39 have not been addressed: Ensure all trash and loading
areas comply with Rosemead Municipal Code Section 17.28.030(D)(5). In
addition, please contact the City's trash purveyor (Republic Services) to ensure
that onsite waste storage would be adequate. In addition, the placement of
individual bins along Garvey Avenue, Strathmore Avenue, and Virgina Steet are
prohibited.
20. Comments No. 40 have not been addressed: Please indicate all mechanical
equipment and loading areas on the plans and indicate how they will be screened
from view
21. Comments No. 41 and 42 can be addressed during formal entitlement submittal.
22. Comment No. 43 has been partially addressed. Staff acknowledges that 21
affordable units are proposed, however the plans do not indicate the level of
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affordability. Please indicate the level of affordability in the formal entitlement
submission. In addition, please be aware that the housing element sites inventory
requirement for this site has not been met. The subject site is listed in our Housing
Element Sites Inventory to provide 186 moderate -income and 53 above moderate -
income unit.
Comments Received During the City Council and Planning Commission Special
Joint Meeting
23.The following topics listed below were discussed during the City Council and
Planning Commission Special Joint Meeting and staff has acknowledged that the
applicant has strived to address a majority of the comments in the revised plans.
• The Need for Affordable Housing: The revised plans include 10% affordable
housing units. However, no level of affordability has been indicated.
• Ingress and Egress Along Virginia Street and Garvey Avenue: The revised
plans have included an additional ingress and egress point along Garvey
Avenue for the residential component of the mixed -use project and is
retaining the emergency vehicle access along Virginia Street.
• Coordination between the commercial and residential component of the
mixed -use project: The applicant is aware that A performance agreement
between the City and the applicant outlining specific performance
expectations and deliverables over a defined construction period may be
established.
• Purchasing of 7951 Garvey Avenue: Applicant has relayed that the property
owners of 7951 Garvey Avenue are not interested in selling their property.
Therefore, the plans indicate that landscaping would create a buffer
between both properties.
• Access between the Residential and Nonresidential Component of the
Mixed -Use Project: Staff has reiterated this comment to the applicant. The
revised plans do not depict an access way connecting the residential
component to the nonresidential component.
• Presence of a Home Owners Association (HOA): The applicant has
confirmed that the residential component of the mixed -use project will have
an HOA.
• Consistency with Design Across all Residential Unit Types: The revised
plans have included updated elevations to ensure all the residential units
are architecturally consistent.
• Community Outreach: Applicant did acknowledge during the meeting that
community outreach would be required.
Comments from Reviewing Agencies
24.The Building and Safety Division and the Public Works Department have no new
Conditions of Approval.
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Additional comments may follow as the City of Rosemead Planning Division receives
more information. Please feel free to contact me at (626) 569-2144 or
alao@cityofrosemead.org with any questions or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
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Annie Lao
Senior Planner
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