The Sierra Madre Median Enhancements and Master Plan Project aims to enhance water quality and urban greening within Sierra Madre Boulevard’s medians and explore corridor priorities. The Project has two distinct components:
- Sierra Madre Median Enhancements focuses on the medians that bisect Sierra Madre Boulevard, extending west from Michillinda Avenue on the City’s border to East Washington Boulevard, east of Hastings Ranch and below Kinneloa Mesa. The enhancements aim to intercept dry weather flows from the Sierra Madre, New York and Michillinda Avenue storm drains and surface runoff to improve water quality through urban enhancement and green infrastructure.
- Sierra Madre Master Plan focuses on additional medians along Sierra Madre Boulevard extending to the 210 Freeway to identify future median enhancement opportunities, where possible, such as stormwater and dry weather capture, implementation of green infrastructure and enhanced urban greening.
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Community Outreach and Public Meetings
Sierra Madre Median Enhancements Project. Join us for a project update! Learn what's ahead as the project enters construction, including the timeline and next steps.
Aprende qué sigue a medida que el proyecto avanza hacia la construcción, incluyendo el cronograma y los próximos pasos.
Victory Park
Alladena Dr. Paloma St.
Thursday, June 18th | Jueves 18 de Junio
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Victory Park Recreation Center Gymnasium
2575 Paloma Street
Pasadena, CA
Community benefits and nature-based solutions include:
Timeline
Project Background
The City has been working to enhance Sierra Madre medians for several years. The first phase of work included building a system to bring water from the Jones reservoir across to the median, to irrigate the trees and future plantings. The second phase of the project included designing and building a Hügel and planting native trees and plants, creating a sanctuary for birds, butterflies, and bees. The City then conducted a feasibility study in 2023 and completed the pre-design phase that resulted in a preliminary concept. For more information on the feasibility study and the previous phase of work, see project materials below.
The City is currently working to finalize full design plans to pursue Safe, Clean Water Program Infrastructure Funding for construction. In addition, the City is working to develop a Master Plan for additional medians on Sierra Madre extending to the 210 freeway that identifies future opportunities.
Department Lead and Funding
The Department of Public Works is leading this project, working collaboratively with key stakeholders. Funding for this project comes from the Los Angeles County Safe, Clean Water Program’s Technical Resource Program (TRP) and Local Return Funds. The TRP provides resources to municipalities, community groups, and individuals to aid in technical assistance to develop their project concepts.
The Safe Clean Water Program provides local, dedicated funding to increase local water supply, improve water quality, and protect public health. For more information regarding Los Angeles County’s Safe Clean Water Program please go to https://safecleanwaterla.org/
Thank you for attending the Sierra Madre Median Enhancements and Master Plan Project Outreach Event #5 on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, at the Victory Park Recreation Center Gymnasium. Over 30 community members participated in the celebratory event, which featured a comprehensive project presentation and a design showcase highlighting the final Sierra Madre median designs shaped by community input throughout multiple stages of the project.
You can learn more about the celebratory event in the Key Takeaways from Eaton Wash Outreach Event #5
Comprehensive Presentation
Community Outreach Event #5 included a comprehensive presentation about the project including an overview of the project, community outreach efforts, and median design elements, highlighting stormwater features, landscaping, and lighting. The presentation also outlined next steps for construction, funding, and operations and maintenance for the project.
View the presentation here: Community Event #5 Presentation
Event Gallery
Landscape Design Boards
Community Outreach Event #5 showcased final landscape designs of select medians as a tabletop exhibits to allow attendees to visualize and explore how the project’s plant palette was applied. Community input gathered throughout the outreach process was instrumental in shaping the selection of plant species to inform the landscape design. The landscape design boards were paired with a sensory plant installation, allowing attendees to see and touch the proposed plant palette
Community Outreach Event #4
Thank you for attending the Community Outreach Pop-up for the Sierra Madre Boulevard Master Plan on Saturday, October 19th, 2024, at the Victory Park Farmer’s Market. We heard from so many Council District 4 residents and the greater Pasadena community on their vision for Sierra Madre Boulevard.
PDF attachments below:
Event Gallery
Activity #1 – “What Would You Like to See?”
The Community Outreach Pop-up featured an activity that asked participants to share their preferences for desired improvements and enhancements they envision for Sierra Madre Boulevard.
Activity #2 – “Using the Corridor”
Community members shared their vision, including how they use Sierra Madre Boulevard today, how’d they like to use the corridor and what they would like to see along Sierra Madre Boulevard in the future.
Educational Boards
The Community Pop-up included educational materials that aimed to communicate the community’s initial priorities for the master plan components, the timeline, and next steps to share with the public on the project’s process.
Community Outreach Event #3
Thank you for attending the Sierra Madre Median Enhancements and Master Plan Community Outreach Meeting #3 on June 20th, 2024!
Sierra Madre Median Enhancements Open House Event # 3- Overview and Takeaways
Event Video
Event Gallery
Conceptual Design Boards
Community Outreach Event # 3 had a Conceptual Design station featuring conceptual design boards that highlighted the design of three of the nine Sierra Madre enhanced medians.
Plant Survey and Plant Resource Guide
Community members participated in a Sensory Based Plant Installation and received a Plant Resource Guide and a Visual Preference Survey in which they were able to vote for their plant preferences.
Community Outreach Event #2
Thank you for attending the Sierra Madre Median Enhancements and Master Plan Community Outreach Pop Up Event at Hastings Library on April 14, 2024!
Event Gallery
Thank you for attending the Sierra Madre Median Enhancements and Master Plan Community Outreach Meeting on March 21, 2024!
Sierra Madre Median Enhancements Open House Event #1 - Overview and Takeaways
Sierra Madre Median Enhancement Outreach Project Meeting
Event Gallery
Project Overview
Project Overview (Spanish)
Project Overview (Simplified Chinese)
Elements of Green
Stormwater Infrastructure
Examples of Green Stormwater
Infrastructure Projects
Priorities for the Sierra Madre Boulevard Median Aligned With Safe Clean Water Program Goals
The PDFs above reflect the information shared at the first open house community meeting held on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, at Victory Park Recreation Center. We invite community members to share feedback on the project using the comment form below.
The Sierra Madre Boulevard Green Street Stormwater Capture Project is located on Sierra Madre Boulevard between Sierra Madre Villa Avenue and Michillinda Avenue and is within the Rio Hondo watershed. This “green street” project is a local and regional stormwater capture and infiltration facility proposed within the median of Sierra Madre Boulevard. The project has the potential to provide significant water quality benefits for Pasadena as well as assist in complying with a state-mandated requirement to improve water quality throughout the watershed.
All stormwater discharges within the County of Los Angeles are regulated under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4). The permit allows for compliance on a watershed basis by the formation of watershed management groups and the development of Enhanced Watershed Management Programs (EWMP). The EWMP identifies control measures, individually or collectively, on a watershed-scale to address water quality priorities. Green street projects are a component of the EWMP implementation strategy.
The concept of the green street practice is to divert surface runoff to bioswales constructed within the median. Bioswales are vegetated channels designed to filter stormwater runoff while removing debris and pollutants. This water can then be used to recharge local groundwater supplies, thereby reducing polluted stormwater discharge to the storm drain.
An additional component of the proposed design is subsurface storage galleries that will divert flows from two nearby storm drains to treat and infiltrate a portion of the flows, further reducing stormwater discharge to the storm drain system. Runoff within this corridor drains to Eaton Wash, the Rio Hondo Channel, and ultimately, the Los Angeles River.
Additional project benefits include:
- Potential to utilize captured flows to offset onsite irrigation needs;
- Additional trees to provide shade and mitigation of heat island effect; and
- Pedestrian safety and traffic calming.
This project is in the pre-design phase and a feasibility study will be conducted. The City is planning upcoming opportunities for local community participation and feedback in the development of the Sierra Madre Boulevard Green Street Stormwater Capture Project. Please see below for information regarding upcoming meetings.
The project feasibility study is being funded by the Los Angeles County Safe, Clean Water Program’s Technical Resources Program (TRP). The TRP provides resources to municipalities, community groups, and individuals to aid in technical assistance to develop their project concepts.
The Safe Clean Water Program provides local, dedicated funding to increase local water supply, improve water quality, and protect public health. For more information regarding Los Angeles County’s Safe Clean Water Program please go to https://safecleanwaterla.org/