Proposed revisions in Pasadena's general plan elicit strong response from both sides.

History has become controversial in Pasadena as city officials revise part of the city's general plan.

The new general plan guidelines, which will affect growth and development throughout most of the city, have garnered strong reactions from local interest groups ranging from the Board of Realtors to the local heritage society.

"We want to support more careful review of new construction so it fits in more with the tradition and architecture (of the city), said Claire Bogaard, executive director of Pasadena Heritage. "We have such an outstanding architectural legacy here."

But Bruce Ackerman, chief executive of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce argues the chamber wants "historic preservation but we want it to make sense."

This growth-oriented battle between Pasadena interest groups has been going on for some time. In 1989 city voters passed a growth management initiative, which limits the amount of new construction that could take place in the city each year to 250,000 square feet of commercial space and 250,000 new housing units.

The initiative was backed by a local slow growth group called PRIDE (Pasadena Residents in Defense of our Environment).

But other interest groups vehemently opposed the restrictive new initiative and formed a coalition that soon filed suit against the city to have the initiative repealed.

The plaintiffs included the local chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Urban League, a group of ministers and a number of individuals.

And as it would happen, at the same time the growth and transportation elements of Pasadena's general plan were due for revision.

So, as a result of the lawsuit, the growth management initiative is to be placed on the city's November 1992 ballot with a recommendation by the city for the voters to repeal it. Meanwhile, if the initiative is repealed, its guidelines will be replaced with a revised version of the growth and transportation elements of the city's general plan.

At least one member of the coalition that sued to have the growth management initiative repealed said the initiative is currently stifling construction in the city.

To build more than what is allowed each year, a developer must go through a lengthy process to get an exemption issued by the city, said Bob Leishman, a commercial real estate broker and member of the city's growth management task force.

"If growth management is defeated they won't have to get an exemption," Leishman noted.

He also said that most parts of the city will be affected by the voters' decision in November 1992. Only redevelopment zones and low income housing zones will be exempt from the guidelines, and these zones are found mostly in part of downtown and the northwest portion of Pasadena, Leishman said.

One area of particular interest to developers is the playhouse district in central downtown Pasadena. Developers want to upgrade this area and build "a unique shopping area" there, Leishman said. If the growth management initiative isn't defeated, the developers will have to get an exemption from the city to go ahead with their plans, he said.

A spokeswoman for the Building Industry Association said she is pleased the city is revising its general plan.

"People working in the industry always prefer to work in a city that has an up-to-date land use and housing element of its general plan," said Pam Hemann, executive director of the Los Angeles County East chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California.

"Those two elements provide the guidelines and rules in the city for what type of development is allowed in any particular areas of the city," she said.

Meanwhile, members of the preservation organization Pasadena Heritage hope to participate in developing the historic preservation element of the revised general plan, executive director Bogaard said.

The organization plans to offer forums where its members can voice their views on the subject, Bogaard said.

PRIDE members are hitting the issue from a different angle. "We are strong advocates of directed growth," said group coordinator Lindy Russell.

The organization is advocating the revised general plan be placed on the November 1992 ballot alongside the growth management initiative so the voters can see it. Otherwise, many of the voters will be unaware of their alternative to the growth management initiative, Russell said.

The City of Pasadena is initiating an outreach program through which officials hope to learn what the interest groups and the rest of the public want from the revised general plan.

"Public outreach is our major focus right now," said Mary Imandt, a staff assistant at the Pasadena planning department.

"November will be a crucial month," she added. "We need to get public input before the planners can do the detailed work."

Some are concerned city officials don't have enough time to revise the plan before the November 1992 election. "The city has a short time-frame before it goes on the ballot," Bogaard said. "They have a tight time schedule to put together these drafts."

Imandt conceded city officials must move quickly. "We're on a time line," she said.