Council Passes Proposed Changes to 710 Resolution

Although the changes were few in number, they would essentially alter the city's long-standing position of opposing a freeway

By Justin Chapman, South Pasadena Patch, 7/7/2011

Opponents of the 710 freeway extension voiced concerns about proposed changes to South Pasadena's existing at the City Council meeting Wednesday.
Although the changes were few in number, they would essentially alter the city's long-standing position of opposing a freeway.
State legislators have told the city that the  will never happen, but they have yet to take it off the table. Ten has instead proposed to add phrases to the existing resolution that states the underground tunnel would be detrimental to the people of South Pasadena "unless and until an adequate environmental review shows" it is not.
During a conference call in the middle of this discussion, South Pasadena's litigation attorney Tony Rossman said the surface option would be taken off the table if the city agrees to support an environmental review of the tunnel route option.
"Since the surface route is not really being considered, though theoretically possible, South Pasadena gets nothing and for this nothing South Pasadena agrees to not fight the tunnel," Bill Sherman wrote to Patch prior to the meeting. 
Many people who spoke during public comment Wednesday expressed frustration and concern. The extra phrases are too vague and could potentially put the city back up against the wall, they said. 
"How can we as a city ask for an environmental review and sound research but at the same time say we're against any freeway extension?" Mary Ann Parada said.
 
Janet Irvine agreed.
 
"I'm opposed to the city even considering changing its position on the 710 extension in any form," she said. "We are weakening our position with no guarantee that we'll get anything."
 
After nearly two hours of debate and public comment on this item, Council member Philip Putnam finally made a motion to keep Resolution 7147 passed by City council in February while striking many of the "Whereas" clauses but keeping the vague phrases proposed by Ten.
Another "Whereas" clause was tabled to the next council meeting as a consent item, so staff could work out the details of the language. The modified resolution was passed unanimously.