Downey City Council narrowly approves 33-unit condo project

The Downey City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve Olson Homes’ plan to replace Lord’s Grace Church at 7360 Foster Bridge Rd. with 33 condominiums. Photo by Eric Pierce

DOWNEY — A controversial townhome project slated for the Treasure Island community at the city’s western border cleared its final hurdle Tuesday, receiving split City Council approval.

An over 50-year-old church located at 7360 Foster Bridge Rd. will be demolished to make way for 33 condo units spread across four three-story buildings, each with a two-car garage and either a private balcony or patio.

The project is that of Olson Homes, who also built the Village Walk on 3rd Street and La Reina Avenue in Downtown Downey.

Many of the project’s neighbors have been up in arms for months, expressing concerns over density, privacy and safety, insufficient parking, and increased traffic. Neighbors have also questioned Olson’s transparency with regards to outreach, claiming that they were given as little as 24 to 48 hours’ notice of a community meeting about the project, and that it was held in Bell Gardens.

Olsen admitted to initially opting to go door-to-door to inform residents.

Councilwoman Dorothy Pemberton said that “the size of the project is not a good fit for the area and will actually reduce the quality of life for the residents,” criticizing Olson for not choosing to build within the city’s site inventory map.

“We are reducing our (Regional Housing Needs Allocation) numbers with many projects being planned or being approved to be built, and within the site inventory map…where it conforms for the zoning for multi-family, and/or is on a street that is an artery. All of these projects are located by, or are close to a large artery for good traffic flow,” said Pemberton. “The Olson project does not take advantage of one of our potential housing sites, known as the site inventory. Why didn’t they choose one of these sites? There are other sites available that would be well suited and a good fit for the density of this project.”

Councilwoman Claudia M. Frometa said that there was an “opportunity to create opportunities for wealth and homeownership.”

“Many of us pride ourselves on being homeowners, and I think we’ve heard loud and clear what the city, what we need to do in order to look at traffic, and look at how that particular area needs to be looked at,” said Frometa. “As has been mentioned, the public outreach, perhaps we could have done better from an outreach standpoint, but now is that enough for this council to decline this project?”

The project was approved on a 3-2 vote, with Pemberton and Councilman Horacio Ortiz opposed.