The Glendale City Council meeting on September 9, 2025, featured significant discussions regarding the housing element, land use, and surplus land designations. The meeting began with public comments focused on the ongoing outreach efforts to engage residents in these critical issues.

One speaker raised concerns about the housing element, specifically addressing the affordable housing potential of the Sears parcels. They highlighted a discrepancy between the state-certified housing element, which called for 593 affordable housing units, and the current proposal, which only includes 72 units. The speaker emphasized that this misrepresentation occurred during the council's adoption of the housing element on December 6, 2022, when the Sears project was already an active application.

The speaker also referenced a comment made by the city attorney during a previous meeting, clarifying that while a site does not have to be developed at the density or income mix shown in the inventory, the Sears project was not hypothetical but rather a proposed project that had received council approval. They questioned whether public-owned parcels in the draft land use element were being upzoned to compensate for the shortfall in affordable units.

Additionally, the speaker inquired about a promised memo that was supposed to clarify the affordable unit discrepancy on the Sears project, asking if it had been received and whether it would be shared with the public. They expressed concerns about the designation of public parking lots as surplus, arguing that this could lead to increased vulnerability for development under new zoning regulations.

The speaker concluded by urging the council to rescind the designation of public-owned parcels from any surplus list, emphasizing the need for transparency and accurate information regarding the city’s housing strategies.

The meeting continued with additional public comments, including speakers Ellen Dish and Beth Brooks, as the council addressed various community concerns. The discussions underscored the ongoing challenges Glendale faces in balancing development needs with community input and affordable housing requirements.