General Plan Launch Workshops Summary

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ENVISION WHITTIER GENERAL PLAN UPDATE LAUNCH WORKSHOPS SEPTEMBER 23 & 30, 2017 SUMMARY Overview The City of Whittier held four General Plan Update launch workshops in September 2017. Over 75 residents attended these workshops, which were at locations across the City to encourage participation from a diverse cross-section of the Whittier community. General Plan Launch workshops were advertised through social media, the Envision Whittier website, a local news site, the City’s website, and flyers. Partner stakeholders, including local community and business groups, promoted the event to their members.

Workshop 2 (Ocean View Elementary School) and Workshop 3 (Whittier Train Depot).

Date Time Location

September 23, 2017 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Parnell Park

September 23, 2017 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Oceanview Elementary School

September 30, 2017 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Whittier Train Depot

September 30, 2017 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Palm Park

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The workshop objectives were to:

1. Engage residents in conversation regarding what they value most about Whittier 2. Present information on the General Plan’s purpose, process, and timeline 3. Generate excitement for the General Plan Update process and encourage the community to stay involved

Community members were given passbooks and encouraged to visit the workshops’ five stations. Each station included a fun, family oriented activity where participants discussed key issues, opportunities, and ideas to inform the General Plan Update. The five stations were:

1. Where do you live? 2. What do you value most? 3. How do you get around? 4. How do we stay healthy? 5. What are Whittier’s community assets and future opportunities?

The Whittier Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department also staffed a table for children to color and draw their vision for Whittier.

(Left) Participants received a stamp for every station they visited. Participants received a parting gift when they returned passport. (Right) Children drew what they envisioned for Whittier’s future.

The workshop content and findings are summarized below. The questions posed were open ended; as a result, the findings are qualitative with the purpose of being explanatory only. Photographs of maps and comments are organized by station; they are included in the Appendices.

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Station 1: Where do you live? Community members indicated where they live by placing a sticker on a large map of Whittier.

Workshop 3 (Whittier Train Depot) and Workshop 4 (Palm Park) participants mark where they live on a map. Findings The “Where do you live?” findings were summarized by looking at the maps and noting where stickers are grouped (see Appendix A: Where do you live?). Workshop participants live all over Whittier. Only one participant, from Buena Park, reported living outside the City. Workshop 3 (Whittier Train Depot) participants live more centrally with a cluster around Uptown Whittier, while the participants at the other workshops were more widely scattered.

Station 2: What do we value most? The “What do we value most?” station solicited input about participants’ community values. Community members wrote the three most important values they think a community should have. Participants then posted these values under categories informed by the feedback from previous stakeholder interviews. An “Other” category was provided for community values that did not fit within the identified categories. The values are intended to serve as the foundation for a shared community vision for Whittier’s General Plan.

Workshop 1 (Parnell Park) and Workshop 2 (Ocean View Elementary School) community members share their ideas for community values.

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Findings The values listed below combine participants’ input from all four workshops. Similar values have been combined into value statements. The “additional values” under each value category are unique and/or distinct values recorded by community members. The categories are ordered from the category that had the most values (Community) to the category that had the fewest responses (Historic). The values are ordered alphabetically. Appendix B: What do you value? provides photographs of each workshops’ value board responses.

Community  Community-wide spaces and events, such as arts and music, recreation, libraries, for all ages  Cultural and income diversity and communication  Homeless services and homelessness resolution  Preservation of existing building and neighborhood character while renovating or redeveloping as necessary  Public gathering places and centers, including for those with young children  Quality selection of eating establishments, nightlife, places to socialize, and retail  Quality education for children, young adults, and the community  Safety - Personal safety for people walking and using open spaces; traffic safety for people using streets

Additional Values

 Beautifying Uptown Whittier (building upkeep, street maintenance)  Improve the City website, big a bigger presence on social media. Be the community hub!  Provide connection from Whittier Green Trail to San Gabriel Bike Trail  No motels  No marijuana in Whittier  Revise Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan. All development should be under conditional use.  Rubbish - A system that picks up the trash that the street sweeper does not; enforce a code for businesses to pick up their trash around their business; more trashcans on the streets  Site specific comments: o Lambert Road businesses (between Painter and Mills) should be required to adhere to a uniform color of exterior of buildings. o Keep F.C. Nelles property intact. Do not remove nature trees from property.  Slow increase in rent for businesses and residents due to gentrification  Smoking - No smoking/driving district between Hadley and Philadelphia on Greenleaf; no smoking outdoors on streets Livability  Clearly marked entrances to districts and the City  Clean streets and trails  Community concerts in the park  Ease of traveling by car and different types of car (electric charging station)  Housing for homeless populations  Mix of housing for different income levels  Modes of transportation other than car - Options for traveling around the City including by bicycle, buses, train, and shuttle; walkable community  Public safety in open spaces, Uptown, and in the City in general  Senior services and ability for people to age in place  Sustainable living and healthy environment

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Additional Values

 Better integration of multi-family housing with commercial and residential neighbors  City growth = more jobs, more people  Fewer fast food chain restaurants  Limit RV parking in residential areas.  Whittier has abandoned homeowners and their aging sewer systems, forcing homeowners to bear the full cost of replacement and repair. Whittier needs to step up and bear financial responsibility.  More homes on Whittier Boulevard; support local businesses  More resources for different areas of Whittier (not just Uptown)  Preserve the parks and trails.  Stop building so many motels. Other  Art and art education  Diverse mobility options including train, trolley, and shuttles  Education and educational resources for children  Environmental sustainability  Options to move around the community including bus and train transit and more parking in places like Uptown Whittier and Hellman Park

Additional Values

 Add more community events like the Winter Sonata.  Business mix - Less massage/nail places; small retail businesses; another cineplex or a Dave and Buster’s to have more people from out of town to spend their money in Whittier  Great community to live, in work, and play! Make this community greater; invest in resources  Include renters and not just homeowners in the discussion.  Massive investment on Whittier’s Urban Forest and street/park trees. Improve aesthetics and environment!  More parking Uptown but no more dense development like enormous apartment complexes or motel/hotels  Need to increase traffic control; add right hand turn lanes Calmada Avene at Lambert Road  Noise pollution – loud cars and motorcycles  Overall concept: good and rising quality of life for ALL Whittier citizens  Projects in City: public needs to be asked regarding new buildings  Safety and Police – Protection for undocumented families; City lighting; more police presence in neighborhoods (drive-bys); less police presence; citizens oversight committee  Transportation – access to services, they are available!; How do people find out?  Wildlife preservation and educating the community of the local wildlife, e.g., coyotes Collaboration  Addressing homeless situation  Civic engagement among youth  Engagement between Whittier College students and community members  Multi-modal connections between Whittier, job centers, and other communities  Provision of preventative and response services for mental health, homeless, addiction, and senior needs  Tradition of and engagement opportunities between City and community, and City and City

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Additional Values

 Collaborate with the City of La Mirada to have their squirrels (overabundance) at Creek Park relocated to the Whittier Hills  Better community, maybe people to people to unite the community  Bringing in businesses with higher sales tax revenues  Electric Vehicle (EV) incentives like parking spaces!  Partner with the City to attract more conventions and/or seminars. This will attract more business.  The coyotes will find sustenance in the hills as opposed to in the City  Restaurants/food halls, more opportunity small scale (not just national chains) Open Space  Access to open space for all modes, including for bicyclists and motorists  Preservation of existing and acquisition of open space, such as the Greenway Trail, the hills/mountain trails, and parks  Safe places to recreate and socialize in both open spaces and gathering spaces such as Uptown and the Quad

Additional Values

 Better pedestrian accessibility for wheelchairs and stroller and more tree-lined streets (but no root issue trees like fiscus or pines)  Food forest (along bikeway)  Love the Hills – but Turnbull access should be sunrise to sunset  Reasonable development  Trees! (esp. purple)  Visibility – rid of overgrown “trees” and areas need cleaning History  Education about cultural and historic history  Preservation and reuse of historic buildings and neighborhoods to maintain “sense of place,” including in Uptown and East Whittier.

Additional Values

 Cost containment for owners of historic homes - too expensive!

Station 3: How do you get around? The “How do you get around?” station objective was to understand where community members travel and the barriers residents face in moving around the City. Community members placed stickers on maps that represented places they shop, go to school, work, and recreate. Participants also placed and labeled stickers on the map to indicate transportation barriers.

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Workshop 1 (Parnell Park) and Workshop 3 (Whittier Train Depot) participants mark transportation barriers.

Findings The places where workshop participants go to school, recreate, shop, and work are listed below. The identified places are grouped by general location. Identified transportation barriers are also summarized below. Photographs of the maps from each workshop are available in Appendix C: How do you get around?.

Within Whittier Outside Whittier Schools  Primary and secondary schools, including  Primary and secondary Plymouth Christian School, La Serna High, schools including those Murphy Ranch Elementary, Hoover in Southeast Whittier, Elementary, and Dexter Middle School, in Santa Fe Springs, East addition to Whittier College Whittier, West Whittier- Los Nietos, etc., and Rio Hondo College and Fullerton College Recreation  Hill trails and parks including Hellman Park,  La Habra Library Whittier Turnbull Canyon, Worsham Canyon Trail,  Sorenson Park Murphy Ranch Park, Arroyo Pescadero Trail,  La Bonita Park Hacienda Park Open Space  Uptown Whittier entertainment (movie theater, dining, parks) and facilities (gym, dance studio)  Urban parks including Palm Park, Parnell Park, Michigan Park, Penn Park  Greenway Trail  Friendly Hills Golf  Whittier College  Churches including First Friends Church, First Christian Church, East Whittier Methodist, St. Mary’s Church  Public facilities including Whittier Public Library  Ocean View Elementary Shopping  Whittwood Town Center including Sprouts, Aldi, 99  Fullerton shopping Cent Store, Target, Ralph’s  Target shopping center in  Friendly Hills Marketplace Santa Fe Springs  Whittier Marketplace including Ralphs

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 Quad Shopping Center including Costco  Citadel Outlets in Los  Intersection of Whittier Boulevard and Colima Angeles Road, including Ralphs and Trader Joe’s  Fashion Square in La Habra  Uptown Whittier  Sycamore Trail  Intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Workman  Pico Rivera Mill Road  Monterey Park

Work  Uptown Whittier and scattered locations around  Nearby cities, including Whittier Downtown Los Angeles, South Gate, Industry, Santa Fe Springs, Bellflower, South Los Angeles, Alhambra, Costa Mesa, La Palma, Pasadena, Ontario, Anaheim, Buena Park, and El Monte

Transportation Barriers  Traffic congestion on/at the: o Whittier Boulevard o I-605 entrance and exit o Colima Road o Intersection of Colima Road/Whittier Boulevard o Intersection of Whittier Boulevard/Russell Street o Beverly Boulevard (west of Greenleaf Avenue)  Difficult driving conditions: o No right turn on red (southbound) on Colima Road/Mar Vista Street intersection o No right turn (eastbound) on Philadelphia Street to Painter Avenue o Traffic signal issues at intersections of Colima Road/Lambert Road and Laurel Avenue/Lambert Road  Poor pedestrian infrastructure: o Poor sidewalk conditions on Greenleaf Avenue (north of Mar Vista Street), Painter Avenue, Washington Boulevard near PIH Health o Poor lighting on College Avenue o Poor pedestrian crossings at El Rancho Drive/Howard Street, Gunn Avenue/Greenway Trail, new Beverly Boulevard townhomes to Beverly Boulevard and Norwalk bus stop, Philadelphia Street/Painter Avenue o Difficult to walk to Uptown businesses from adjacent neighborhoods o Cars don’t stop at points along the Greenway Trail including Greenleaf Avenue and Painter Avenue  Difficulty parking: o East Whittier Middle School pick-up and drop-off o Hellman Park o Trader Joe’s o Whittier High School o Uptown Whittier  Poor bicycle infrastructure: o Biking with cars is scary o Homeless on bike ways  Lack of transit:

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o Poor senior transportation to shopping o Poor public transportation route connections o Insufficient service on Montebello bus routes 10 and 40 and Norwalk Route 7

Suggestions for Improvements  Quad - Need more clothing/food/beverages; skateboarding and homeless  Need more walking areas  Need more jobs in Whittier (tech jobs for the future)  Gold Line extension opportunities o Connect Greenway Trail to Gold Line near PIH Health o Connect Nelles to Greenway Trail and Uptown via an overpass at Whittier/Philadelphia Street  Opportunity to make landfill into a park with soccer field  Connect Greenway Trail to Emerald Necklace (San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo River)  Electric vehicle charging stations  More transit (bus line/shuttle – want more of); express bus lines to Whittier – Foothill, West Covina do a good job.  Uptown - Shuttle from Uptown parking garage to Hellman Park; use parking garage at courthouse and shuttle people to Uptown; extend Sunshine Shuttle to Uptown; need shuttle that connects major sites in and around Uptown and to public transit  Bring light rail to Whittier  Would like to see underground Gold Line connection

Station 4: How do we stay healthy? Participants reviewed three boards displaying Whittier’s current health data at the “How do we stay healthy?” station. The Park Access map showed those areas within a one-quarter or half-mile of a park. The Unhealthy Food Access map displayed a half-mile walk radius around unhealthy food outlets in Whittier. The Community Health Profile summarized Whittier residents’ demographic characteristics including pregnant women and children’s health, and chronic diseases. Having reviewed the data, participants wrote down their ideas for a healthier Whittier on a blank board.

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Informational health boards displayed.

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Findings Comments by community members from all four workshops are summarized below. Comments from each workshop are located in Appendix D: How do we stay healthy?.

 Improve access and affordability of healthy foods, as well as education on healthy cooking.  Encourage walking by improving pedestrian infrastructure, increasing pedestrian access to community destinations, improving pedestrian safety, and educating people about walkability.  Encourage bicycling by increasing bicycle infrastructure and making bicycle rental more accessible.  Encourage use of public space by making parks and open space cleaner and safer, increasing park hours, providing outdoor fitness classes, and providing a variety of facilities for all ages.  Improve air quality by increasing and encouraging use of public transportation, making walk-only streets, and providing electric car charging stations.  Improve public transportation services by extending existing shuttles, improving service, and providing transit to key destinations outside of the City.  Increase health in schools through encouraging walking to school, and providing healthy food and a health curriculum in school.  Provide services for those with mental health needs, homeless populations, elderly, low-income families, and other disadvantaged populations.  Expand community centers and resources such as recreation centers, gyms, petting zoos, etc.  Encourage collaboration between the following organizations: PIH, school district, disability programs, senior centers, arts organizations,  Provide community health education.

Workshop 4 (Palm Park) and Workshop 2 (Parnell Park) participants learn about Whittier residents’ health and share how to improve health in Whittier.

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Station 5: What are Whittier’s community assets and future opportunities? The Whittier General Plan Update will establish policy for the preservation and expansion of existing community amenities and assets, and establish policy to encourage the creation of facilities and/or services to better serve Whittier’s residents and businesses’ needs. At the “What are Whittier’s community asset and future opportunities?” station, participants identified:  Local assets that are most important to them and the community. These assets included recreation facilities, shops, public facilities, historic resources, entertainment, etc.  Landmarks or iconic places

Participants also placed stickers where they envision changes should occur and the types of change they would like to see. The types of change include national and local retail stores, recreation, multi-family housing, and “other”. When “other” changes were identified, participants wrote their ideas. The ideas vary from adding electric car charging stations to preserving historic corridors.

Workshop 2 (Ocean View Elementary School) and Workshop 3 (Whittier Train Depot) participants identified Whittier’s assets and opportunities. Findings The assets, landmarks, and future opportunities are spread throughout Whittier with some clustering in Uptown, along Whittier Boulevard, and in the hillsides. The findings are described below; photographs of the maps are in Appendix E: What are Whittier’s community assets and future opportunities?. Existing Assets  Recreation - Greenway Trail and hills trails  Uptown Whittier for shopping, entertainment, public facilities, museums, recreation, and historic areas  Shopping - Whittwood Town Center, Colima Road/Whittier Boulevard intersection, Quad at Whittier  Whittwood Town Center for library

Existing Landmarks  City overlook east of Hellman Park Trailhead  Whittier Museum  Uptown’s historic neighborhoods and buildings  Whittier High School Auditorium  Greenway Trail bridge over Whittier Boulevard

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 Five Points Hand Car Wash sign  Whittier Heights Mausoleum  Whittier College Stadium  Pine trees along Beverly Boulevard diagonal  Pio Pico Historic State Park  Longfellow Elementary School  Colima Road (in hills)  California Domestic Water Company

Future Opportunities The future opportunities identified are summarized by location. For example, in Uptown Whittier, participants highlighted opportunities for local and national shopping, multi-family housing, and recreation.

Local National Multi-Family Cluster Recreation Other Shopping Shopping Housing Uptown Whittier x x x x Greenway Trail x x Public facilities Whittwood Town x Entertainment Center Whittier/Washington x x Boulevard Intersection Nelles property x x x x Public Facilities Whittier Landfill x Beverly Boulevard/ x x Public Norwalk Avenue Transportation Intersection Washington x x x Boulevard/Lambert Avenue (Potential Gold Line Station) Intersection

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Appendices Appendix A: Where do you live? Workshop 1: Parnell Park

Workshop 2: Ocean View Elementary School