Growth Should Strengthen La Verne—Not Change What Makes It Special

We can preserve La Verne’s small-town character while responsibly preparing our city for the future. As a Planning Commissioner, I have seen that development decisions affect more than individual properties—they shape traffic, neighborhood privacy, public services, local businesses, and how our city feels for generations. Preserving our character does not mean opposing every change. It means ensuring that growth respects the community generations of residents have built. Three components of my “Preserving Our Character” initiative are:

1. Require responsible development that fits La Verne. New development should complement existing neighborhoods, protect privacy, address traffic and parking, preserve appropriate open space, and provide reasonable transitions between commercial properties and nearby homes. Before approving significant projects, the city should clearly evaluate their effects on roads, public safety, water, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and long-term city finances. Development should pay its fair share of the costs it creates and provide measurable value to the community.

2. Protect Old Town and support local businesses. Old Town is more than a commercial district—it is one of La Verne’s most recognizable gathering places and an important part of our identity. I would work with merchants, property owners, residents, the University of La Verne, and community organizations to improve cleanliness, visibility, parking, signage, landscaping, and pedestrian access. The city should encourage the thoughtful reuse of existing buildings, reduce unnecessary barriers for small businesses, and ensure that public improvements preserve the distinctive character of Old Town.

3. Preserve our neighborhoods, trees, and historic places. La Verne’s character is found in its mature trees, well-maintained homes, attractive streets, historic structures, parks, foothill views, and neighbors who care for one another. I would advocate for protecting our urban tree canopy, maintaining streets and sidewalks, supporting resident-led beautification, and identifying historically or culturally significant places before they are unnecessarily lost. Code enforcement should be fair, consistent, and focused on conditions that threaten public safety, property values, or neighborhood quality of life.