Monterey Park · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Monterey Park public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Tree Planting and Urban Forest Management
Commissioner Emily Chu wants the commission to discuss the city's tree canopy cover at a future meeting. Tree canopy affects shade, heat, and neighborhood livability.
Condominium conversion at 141 Casuda Canyon Drive
An existing four-unit apartment building could be converted into four individually owned condos. That could mean the current rental units become owner-occupied, and it adds to the small supply of for-sale housing in the city.
November 3 election and city food drive
The City Clerk's Office walked through voting deadlines, drop boxes, and vote centers for the November 3 election, and announced a food drive for Alhambra Unified families with drop-off boxes at City Hall, Langley Center, and the library.
New school resource officer and wellness dog
The PD introduced Officer Danny Ramirez, the city's first dedicated school resource officer, covering 13 schools across four districts, plus a wellness dog funded by an $11,394 grant. Council members framed the role as relationship-building, not discipline.
Police fleet replacement and zero-emission transition
Leasing 25 vehicles, mostly replacements, moves the city fleet toward EVs and hybrids — part of the sustainability plan's push to cut emissions by 2045.
New public GIS Hub for city information
The city launched an online mapping hub where residents can look up street sweeping schedules, their assigned schools, and every active capital project on an interactive map. Council wants translation tools and social media promotion so more people actually use it.
Library Security Camera Upgrade
The library's outdated camera system will be replaced with 11 Verkada cameras for $102,886.53, integrating with the city's police-accessible system.
City AI use policy
Council Member Wong asked for a report on the city's policy for using AI tools. The city manager confirmed one exists for internal staff use and promised a fuller presentation at a future meeting.
Development pipeline and vacant Garvey Avenue lot
Staff showed a long list of housing and commercial projects in various stages, and council members grew impatient with the owner of the long-vacant 808 West Garvey Avenue lot, asking staff to pressure them to build. Members also worried rising interest rates could stall projects across the pipeline.
El Niño local emergency declaration
The council declared a local emergency for the developing 2026–27 El Niño, letting the City Manager negotiate contracts directly and skip normal bidding to get storm-prep work done fast.
Emergency preparedness and Everbridge alerts
The Fire Department urged residents to sign up for Everbridge emergency alerts ahead of the October 15 Great Shakeout drill, and showcased new grant-funded Emergency Operations Center upgrades.
Barnes Park Aquatic Center funding
A new nonprofit, Align With Purpose, launched a campaign to rebuild the Barnes Park pool, raising nearly $3,000 at the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Garfield Avenue speeding and safety
A resident reported repeated car crashes and speeding on Garfield Avenue and asked for warning signs, reflective striping, and buffer markings. Staff will follow up.
Deerfield Mixed-Use Development Project approval path
The applicant asked the council to let the project skip another Planning Commission stop and go straight to the council; instead the council kept the commission in the loop and set the council hearing for Nov. 18. The applicant wants to avoid reopening issues already resolved in two-plus years of staff review.
Adaptive Traffic Signal Project Bid Rejection
All four bids for the adaptive traffic control system were rejected — the low bidder pulled out and the rest came in over budget. The project will need to be rebid.
Budget and Revenue Engagement Workshops
The city is hosting June workshops on the budget, economic sustainability, and revenue measures — plus 'Vacant to Vibrant' sessions on redeveloping empty commercial properties.
SGV Forward Bus Rapid Transit on Garvey and Atlantic
The council joined a four-city subcommittee (with Rosemead, El Monte, and South El Monte) to review and give feedback on the SGVCOG's proposed bus rapid transit lanes and signal upgrades along Garvey Avenue ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Mark Keppel Dream Center Funding Cuts
Student leaders asked the city for help after their Dream Center's main funder, the AYC, cut support. The center runs cultural events, anti-bullying trainings, immigrant parent resources, and a food and clothing pantry. Council members pledged to explore partnerships and financial help.
Public Comment Time Limits Reduced
A new state law forces cities to let people participate remotely by Zoom or phone starting July 1. Monterey Park is spending up to $50,000 on tech and translation to comply, and the council set tiered speaking times that shrink as speaker counts grow — a change one resident urged against.
Measure HOM Housing Overlay Ballot Measure
The council formally endorsed Measure HOM, which would create HOME (Housing Overlay – Mixed Environments) overlays in the city's commercial and industrial areas. Voters decide on November 3, 2026.
Flock camera data privacy
The Monterey Park Police Department uses Automated License Plate Recognition cameras, and this meeting was the community's chance to learn how the technology works and ask questions. These cameras can track vehicle license plates across the city, raising both public safety benefits and privacy questions for residents.
Los Palos Incident Local Emergency Termination
After the warehouse fire smoke emergency, the city handed out 5,000 masks and set up a $50,000 air purifier reimbursement program — residents have until July 31 to apply.
Goodviews project termination finalized
The city-owned hillside where a failed development cost taxpayers $16 million in stabilization is being prepped for sale under R-3 zoning. Residents want a dog park or trail; the council says selling to recoup costs comes first, but options remain open.
Panera Bread and commercial development requests
A resident pushed for a Panera Bread with a drive-through at the Monterey Park Marketplace and a Planet Fitness at Atlantic Place, presenting renderings to the council.
Water bill relief for hidden leaks
A lifelong resident got a $1,700 water bill after a leak under a city sidewalk went undetected, and the city code gives staff no way to reduce tiered billing. The council agreed to have staff research a relief policy and consider holding his bill in the meantime.
Illegal dumping and bulky item outreach
Public Works is rolling out a new campaign to teach residents that bulky item pickups are free and how to schedule them, plus multilingual no-dumping signage for hotspot areas like Monterey Pass Road.
Pedestrian safety at fire station intersection
A lifelong resident described near-misses with cars running through the intersection by the fire station and asked for help. The mayor suggested extra traffic enforcement and staff follow-up.
Central Air Monitoring Systems
New Youth Commissioner Upton Ta-Beadle asked the commission to look into central air monitoring systems for a future meeting. This could shape how the city tracks air quality and protects residents' health.
January 21, 2023 Memorial
On the shooting's third anniversary, the council approved a memorial concept at the Demonstration Garden featuring a moon gate, grove of trees, and dance space. Some survivors' advocates wanted the location reconsidered before the vote.
Celadon mixed-use project finalized
The seven-story, 169-unit project with retail at Garvey and Garfield cleared its final adoption, bringing $400,000 in contributions to the city's affordable housing and parks funds.
November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election
Seats up: council Districts 1 and 5, city clerk, and city treasurer. Candidate filings run July 13 to August 7; results certified in December.
Transit services contract and zero-emission fleet
The city will pay Via $230,670 for a six-month pilot to shore up understaffed Dial-a-Ride service, and adopted its state-required zero-emission bus rollout plan.
Opportunity Zone 2.0 nomination
The council backed the state's nomination of three Monterey Park census tracts for federal Opportunity Zone designation, a tool to attract private investment.
November 2026 ballot measure voter education
Staff will run impartial, factual public education on the two city measures on the November ballot — no advocacy, as state law requires.
Potrero Grande Construction Traffic and Emergency Access
A resident described months of gridlock near the Costco center making it nearly impossible for her elderly mother and hospice-care uncle to get emergency help to their home. Council members asked staff to look at speeding up construction and possibly creating a business/resident impact fund.
Langley Senior Center Support
The Friends of the Seniors returned to active duty with a $29,510 gift for new furniture, exercise bikes and games at Langley Center, backed by a $600,000 endowment left by longtime director Beth Ryan.
Bus Line 70 Dedicated Bus Lane (SGV Forward)
Monterey Park is part of a joint effort with Rosemead, El Monte and South El Monte, coordinated through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. This meeting was supposed to be a community briefing on it, but it fell apart when too few council members showed up.
Pedestrian Safety at Riggin and Gerhart
A resident described aggressive drivers and wide streets at the Riggin/Gerhart four-way stop and asked the city to consider curb extensions and other redesigns, noting the fire department uses that route.
Short-Term Rental Regulation Update
About 230 short-term rentals operate without city permits out of roughly 290 advertised online. The council wants annual permits, limits per owner, a citywide cap, and stricter enforcement before the 2028 Olympics squeeze the housing market.
Hillside Fence Heights and View Preservation
Two longtime residents described a neighbor's 6-to-7-foot vinyl fence that wiped out views they'd enjoyed for decades and dented property values. The council directed staff to study a possible municipal code change requiring neighbor consent for view-blocking fences, though nothing can be done retroactively.
CDBG and HOME Grant Funding for 2026-27
The city will get about $873,000 in federal grants for housing, public improvements, small business grants, and fair housing services — the council approved the plan sending it to HUD.
2025 Urban Water Management Plan adoption
The council adopted the state-required water plan showing the city has enough supply through 2050 and stays eligible for water grants. Stage 2 watering restrictions remain in place.
Transient Occupancy Tax increase on November ballot
Voters will decide in November whether to raise the hotel tax from 13% to 14% and the short-term rental tax from 13% to 16%, bringing in roughly $600,000 a year for general city services. It's paid by visitors, not residents.
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance pause and legal challenges
Recent court rulings have made the city's affordable housing requirements legally shaky, so the council is keeping them paused while staff reworks the rules. The goal is an ordinance that actually produces affordable units without scaring off developers.
Sewer rehabilitation contract award
The city awarded a $1.9 million contract to Ramona, Inc. to rehab sewer lines — routine infrastructure work funded through the capital improvement program.
Measure NDC passage and Saturn Park future
Residents passed a first-in-the-nation ballot measure banning data centers by 86% to 13%. The city attorney confirmed the third implementing ordinance takes effect ten days after election results are certified.
Gun violence prevention legacy
The council passed a Gun Violence Awareness Month resolution while police reported one gun violence restraining order issued since 2016 and reviewed new 2026 state laws on firearm storage, Glock sales, and background checks.
City Council Candidate
Henry Lo takes over as mayor for a second time and Jose Sanchez becomes Mayor Pro Tem, under the council's standard rotation policy. Expect continuity on existing priorities like housing, small business support, and Olympics preparations.
Data Center Moratorium and Citywide Ban
The city is moving toward banning data centers, with the public hearing set for Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. after noticing delays pushed it off this agenda.
City Council leadership transition
Henry Lo takes over as mayor for a second time and Jose Sanchez becomes Mayor Pro Tem, under the council's standard rotation policy. Expect continuity on existing priorities like housing, small business support, and Olympics preparations.