Montebello · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Montebello public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Employee termination appeal
The Civil Service Commission took up an appeal stemming from a city employee's termination, under the personnel appeal rules in the municipal code and civil service regulations. These hearings determine whether a fired employee's discipline is upheld, reduced, or reversed — but no outcome was recorded.
Police recruitment incentives reinstated
The council considered continuing a recruitment incentives program to help the police department attract qualified officers and dispatchers amid ongoing staffing challenges.
Citywide prohibition on AI data centers
A resident warned the council about a proposed 250,000-square-foot AI data center in Monterey Park near the Montebello border, citing water, power and emissions concerns and urging the city's SCAG representative to raise it.
Street repaving and rehabilitation projects
Consent items put $640,000 of SB1 gas-tax money into rubberized asphalt street resurfacing and $287,354 into emergency-vehicle signal preemption (Opticom GPS).
Zoning Updates: ADUs, Landscaping, and AI Data Center Ban
Staff announced a special Planning Commission meeting on February 10 to present the city's comprehensive rezoning ordinance — the first real zoning overhaul since the zoning map was drawn in 2014 and the code tied to a 1973-era General Plan. It's meant to bring zoning in line with the current General Plan and streamline development review.
Prohousing Designation Program participation
Speakers described homelessness and the lack of wheelchair-accessible, affordable housing in Montebello, urging the council to act despite community opposition to new housing projects.
Red-light traffic safety cameras
Council Member Alonzo pushed for data safeguards in the new Obvio Inc. camera contract: citation footage erased within six months, unused video within 15 days, and no AI training on driver-facing footage.
Business license and administrative appeal procedure reforms
The temporary freeze on new business licenses, in place since March 2021, is officially over — a signal the city is open for business again.
District 2 fire station facilities
Council Member Peralta flagged that her district's fire station is the oldest and smallest and may not fit new equipment or provide facilities for women firefighters; she asked for future planning discussions.
Lincoln Avenue fire hydrants and water main
Lincoln Street has no fire hydrants — a serious gap in a mutual threat zone. A partnership with San Gabriel Valley Water will install them, with surveys underway and completion expected in 2027.
Fire Station 56 remodel completion
Chief Pelaez reported the department is at about 100 employees, manages $15 million in grants, and expects Fire Station 4 in the hills to be built within one to two years with six to eight staff — pending more grant funding.
Crossing guard at South 5th Street and West Los Angeles Avenue
The city wants a crossing guard at this intersection near Montebello Christian School and drafted a letter to the school district — but who pays (police budget vs. district vs. private school) still needs sorting out with the City Council.
Congestion at Marketplace Drive and Paramount Boulevard and speeding on Lincoln Avenue
Two neighbors described dangerous lane-jumping and blocked turn lanes at the Marketplace Drive intersection near the 60 freeway since the 2018 shopping center opened, proposing a second right-turn arrow or a combined straight/right lane.
Blue curb disabled parking requests at 320 Morris Place and 425 North 16th Street
Two residents got approved ADA parking spots — one at 753 Bradshaw (no driveway) and one at 1345 Caribbean (driveway under 14 feet wide).
Barbering trade school and workforce development
A local barbershop is becoming a state-licensed barber school, giving residents and high schoolers a chance to train for a trade close to home. Students will also offer discounted haircuts as part of their training.
Flock camera privacy oversight
Speakers split sharply on proposed Flock surveillance cameras — one resident supported them for safety despite privacy fears, while another denounced them as racist surveillance.
Preferential Parking on W. Victoria Avenue
Residents of W. Victoria Avenue say overflow parking from nearby apartments, Wilcox Elementary, and a gym leaves them unable to park at home, with trash, vandalism, and hit-and-runs in the mix. The commission recommended a permit-parking district; the City Council makes the final call.
Capital improvement projects for 2026-27
A resident found a nearly $2.5 million gap between two funding tables in the carryover budget item. The council continued the item to reconcile the numbers before approving.
Whittier Boulevard paving project
The main Paving the Way project will resurface Whittier Boulevard end to end, starting around November and finishing by June 2027, with outreach to businesses to keep access open during construction.
New Cal Water drinking water wells at 716 Washington Boulevard
Cal Water will build two new wells and an equipment building on a vacant commercial lot to pump more local groundwater instead of buying imported water. The company says this cuts costs and keeps water flowing during droughts and disasters. Nearby apartment residents get noise buffers — sound enclosures, mature trees, and 24/7 monitoring — as conditions of approval.
Fire Engine Fleet Replacement
Three of the city's six engines are 17–24 years old. New Pierce Enforcers will cost about $3.6 million over a 10-year lease, with delivery around 2029 due to nationwide backlog.
Capital Budget Carryover and Grant Funding
Consent items would roll over unspent capital project money into the new budget year and pursue grant funds for the Bluff Road slope stabilization storm drain project, plus police technology and traffic safety grants.
Court-ordered approval of 301 Jackamar housing project
A judge ruled the city's denial of developer Bill Molinari's project violated the Housing Accountability Act, so the council had to implement the court order approving it. Residents are furious — many collected hundreds of signatures against the 15-unit project and feel the city's legal defense failed them.