This is a call to action in response to a crucial situation many may not fully see yet. South Pasadena voters are being led to the ballot box to give up their right to vote on the future of building development in our town.
The height limit in South Pasadena is the community’s strongest defense against large-scale developers. A “No” vote on Measure SP isn’t about blocking growth; it’s about ensuring that development remains transparent, honest, and under voter control. South Pasadena will grow, and “No” on Measure SP voters simply want to keep residents approval on a crucial aspect in how that growth unfolds.
There’s a misconception that a “No” vote on Measure SP is negative. In reality, it preserves our ability to shape the city ourselves. Voting “No” sends Measure SP back to City Hall for an update that maintains our current voter-imposed height restrictions, something residents have fought hard to protect for decades.
Unfortunately, the way Measure SP is being promoted has stirred division among neighbors, friends, and the community. At the core of this push are powerful interests—both local and commercial—that stand to benefit if the measure passes, including those in real estate and development sectors. The goal of these interests? To remove the residents’ approval from decisions on building heights, seeing our right to vote on this issue as an obstacle rather than a vital part of our community’s fabric.
The messaging from the “Yes on SP” campaign conveys a troubling sentiment: “Thank you for your decades of work protecting South Pasadena—now it’s time to step aside.” Supporters of SP argue that it’s time to make development decisions without voter approval, a stance that quietly removes one of our most powerful community safeguards.
City Council member Jon Primuth, for example, is running in this election for his seat unopposed but has focused his campaign heavily on supporting Measure SP, and influencing city resources to promote a “Yes” vote. Yet, there’s a quiet whisper, drowned out in details, in much of this promotion: a “Yes” vote means handing over control on height limits to City Hall, with final decisions made behind closed doors.
The City of South Pasadena has a solid plan for meeting state housing mandates, but the critical detail of height control is being downplayed. Voting “Yes” would be the faster route, but at what cost?
Developers, long interested in South Pasadena’s desirable real estate, would likely seize this opportunity to build bigger and higher with less accountability. Some of the state directives, such as the RHNA numbers, are already under challenge from other cities, so the urgency to compel citizens to vote “yes” on SP and do away their right to vote on heights is alarming.
This is not merely a what-if scenario. There is a project well over height limit in the works now in South Pasadena where the Shakers Restaurant property is currently, and other potential projects such as Mission Bell, or the Carrows Restaurant location who’s developers may resubmit for larger construction on Mission Street without voter approvals, or much input at all.
Our community’s tax dollars have funded carefully crafted brochure mailers with messages promoting Measure SP that stop just short of overstepping legality. Essentially, residents are being asked to give up their right to vote so that these decisions can be managed by the planning department, which is still being restructured. In place of our vote, we’d be left with community “input” through surveys and focus groups—helpful, but no substitute for actual voting power.
For decades, South Pasadena’s building height limits have preserved our unique character and made our town more livable. These limits have supported local property values and made South Pasadena the community we love today.
Voting “No” on Measure SP sends a message that residents should still hold the power over significant decisions in South Pasadena. The “Yes” campaign’s major supporters include those with direct interests in real estate and property sales, and the connections here deserve a closer look. Residents deserve full transparency about the financial interests that might shape our town’s future.
Ultimately, we don’t need to abandon our right to vote. The city has nine months to revise and improve the plan if Measure SP fails, and a “No” vote pushes us to secure a new, reasonable height limit that allows for growth without sacrificing community control. This may be a tougher route, but this challenge is small compared to our past battles to protect South Pasadena.
Thank you to the city staff who have developed an excellent plan overall. Let’s send it back for a revision that includes residents’ voices and keeps our town’s future in our hands. Vote “No” on SP.
Publishers Note: Several news staff and hundreds of serious conversations with residents were assembled over weeks to generate this Op-Ed. This highly complex issue and the details involved have been presented to the public by The City of South Pasadena, “Yes on SP” group, and City organized community interaction sessions over many months. In no way is it the stance of the South Pasadenan News Staff to discount the thousands of hours of work by City Council, City Staff and residents. The “No” on Measure SP position is in favor of retaining our savvy voter approvals and oversight on what will be a massive change for South Pasadena life.
