West Covina · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in West Covina public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Building Code Updates
Homeowners making visible exterior changes — even just swapping a tile roof for shingles — currently face a design review subcommittee and a fee roughly $527 higher than staff approval. The commission directed staff to move minor changes to over-the-counter approval, keeping second stories and balconies under stricter review.
Child daycare center proposed at 715 South Glendora Avenue
A resident applicant wants to convert a small commercial building into a child daycare center, which needs a conditional use permit in the Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use zone. If approved, it would add a childcare option in a neighborhood commercial corridor.
City policy opposing data centers and battery storage facilities
West Covina now has a formal policy against large-scale data centers and commercial battery energy storage facilities — a preemptive move while staff research permanent zoning rules. A resident urged going further with an ordinance like Monterey Park's.
Surveillance camera mandates on alcohol CUPs
The commission changed its standard practice of requiring Flock-style license plate reader cameras on gas station alcohol permits, citing legal risk under the California Values Act. Future conditions will require a PD-approved surveillance plan but not specific tech. Staff noted the zoning code itself still calls out Flock cameras, which may need updating.
Horizontal billboard at West Covina Plaza
Chair Lewis wants to revisit the only horizontal billboard in the city, on the mall site along the 10 freeway — a decades-old compromise tied to a building that no longer exists — to make it vertical like all others.
Del Norte Specific Plan Zone Change (1501 W. Del Norte Street)
The council officially adopted the rezoning of 1501 W. Del Norte Street from single-family residential to the Del Norte Specific Plan and Open Space, paving the way for the Del Norte housing project. Gutierrez voted no.
Supportive and Transitional Housing Standards (Ordinance No. 2540)
Ordinance No. 2540 would set development standards for supportive and transitional housing in the zoning code, update rules on hotel and motel conversions, and let the city automatically withdraw inactive planning applications. It matters for how the city handles housing for people experiencing homelessness.