The Montebello General Plan and Downtown Specific Plan addresses interconnected fiscal, housing, and climate crises through an integrated, systems-based approach, prioritizing efficiency, resilience, equity, productive growth, and health.

Key Aspects of the Plan’s Development and Implementation:

• Meaningful Public Participation: Moving beyond traditional public meetings, the plan emphasized diverse and inclusive engagement through 4-day visioning charrettes, workshops, focus groups, and open houses. This fostered in-depth discussions, validated public feedback, and promoted a balanced dialogue by presenting factual information, outlining choices, and highlighting policy trade-offs. Visual and interactive tools like maps, diagrams, renderings, and 3D models were used to enhance comprehension.
• Integrated Planning Framework: The General Plan defines “what” Montebello aims to achieve, while the physical plan meticulously details “where” and “how” these ambitions will be realized spatially over the next twenty years. This ensures that broad goals, such as enhanced walkability, are translated into specific design elements like pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares and interconnected green spaces.
• Transition from Expansion to Infill: A unified vision, created in conjunction with the Downtown Specific Plan and Housing Element update, will guide Montebello’s shift towards maintenance and restorative infill. This integrates economic, environmental, and community development, aiming to revitalize commercial corridors to increase housing options without displacing current residents.
• Fiscal and Equity-Driven Strategy: A comprehensive assessment of property tax revenues revealed the fiscal efficiency of compact, diverse neighborhoods. Denser, often lower-income areas, were found to contribute more revenue relative to service demands than less dense subdivisions. This data supported strategic urban infill in downtown and commercial corridors and targeted infrastructure investments in lower-income housing areas. The plan also shifts from outdated density-based classifications to “neighborhood” classifications, promoting diverse housing types tailored to specific contexts for more equitable, place-based planning.

Downtown Montebello Specific Plan:

The Downtown Montebello Specific Plan outlines a vision for a revitalized, people-centered downtown. It employs a people-based approach and placemaking strategies to leverage existing assets and attract new development. This revitalization aims to:

• Address the fiscal crisis by stimulating economic growth and expanding the tax base.
• Mitigate the climate crisis through integrated green infrastructure and an emphasis on pedestrian access, reducing car dependence.
• Support long-term housing opportunities and affordability by creating a more desirable core.

The plan is designed to be both visionary and achievable, focusing on smart growth and resilience to create thriving communities, a prosperous economy, and a protected environment, ultimately leading to a more balanced and prosperous Montebello.

The plan’s innovative fiscal equity assessment, which demonstrated the financial productivity of denser, lower-income areas, has been instrumental in driving support for urban infill and infrastructure investment. This strategic insight directly addresses historical inequities and paves the way for context-sensitive “neighborhood” classifications, fostering diverse housing solutions. The plan’s systems-based approach, integrating various planning areas, exemplifies a holistic vision that elevates efficiency, resilience, and community well-being.

Adriana G. Dugan, Executive Director, Montebello Chamber of Commerce