THE STANTON CIVIC CENTER complex (OC Tribune photo).

By a staff writer 

For years, city leaders have been striving to create a “downtown” for Stanton, without much success.

On Tuesday night, the council acted to make another start in that direction by approving an ordinance to adopt a “Town Center Specific Plan” and associated documents.

The vote was 5-0.

The ordinance is intended to “create a pedestrian-friendly community” that will also seek to protect existing single-family uses.

Created by Rincon Consultants, Inc., the plan is intended to create “a true Main Street” for the city. The area affected is about 157 acres in the northern portion of the city and is served by two major arterial highways, Katella Avenue and Beach Boulevard. In general the area runs slightly west of Beach Boulevard, west of Dale Street, south of Cerritos Avenue and north of Katella.

It encompasses much of the historic Benedict district, which preceded the incorporation of Stanton in 1956.

The plan calls for rezoning and changes in the general plan for a mixed-use district combining business parks, commercial uses, high density residential and single-family neighborhoods.

Reference is also made to the potential impact of the old Pacific Electric right-of-way, owned by the Orange County Transit Authority, which cuts diagonally through the city.