This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Yellow = City of Santa Clarita, Blue = Las Lomas Project, Purple = Los Angeles | Source: City of Santa Clarita [pdf]
We don't understand why no one wants the Las Lomas project, a proposed 5,500 unit/555-acre development, to be built between the 5 and 14 freeways just north of Los Angeles' border. Come on, how cool would it be to live between two freeways so close together! Not to mention two other freeways are near by, the 405 and 210. Access to so many freeways = good quality of life. Cough, cough.
Who needs thousands of oak trees when you could build new homes adding 72.000 daily round vehicle trips to the area? Hillsides? They're alright. But only 20 million cubic yards of grading needs to be done to make this awesomely cool project a reality.
And this project is green! They are proposing a Metrolink station 300 feet underground and say this project is a "smart-growth, sustainable answer to the problems created by the region's unplanned, suburban, car-dependent mode of building." Yes! We won't need a car because the Metrolink takes us to Santa Clarita, Burbank, Glendale or Downtown six days a week with one train every one hour! Freedom!
The City of Santa Clarita and County Supervisor Mike Antontovich do not want this to happen. And yesterday, a motion was submitted by Los Angeles Councilman Greig Smith to stop this from happening and he seems to have the support needed to make it pass. Silly beans! This is going to be the coolest mini-city ever! Yay!!!
sigh.
Press release source for motion referenced above:
Councilman Smith Introduces Motion to Kill Massive Las Lomas Development
Los Angeles - Councilman Greig Smith introduced a motion Wednesday, Feb. 6, signed by seven Councilmembers, the maximum allowed, to make a policy decision to stop the massive Las Lomas development. It allows the City to dictate its future land use, and not leave it up to developers to determine.
"This project has been lurking in the dark corners of City Hall for nearly a decade," said Councilman Smith, whose District is next to the proposed development site and would suffer immeasurable negative impacts from it. "It's time to finally take them out of the shadows and stop this project for good."
The motion states: Las Lomas Land Company wants to expand the boundaries of the City of Los Angeles by annexing County-Unincorporated territory, 2/3 of which is located outside the City of Los Angeles' Sphere of Influence (SOI) in order to build a massive development at the confluence of five major freeways.
Unlike proposed projects located within the boundaries of the City, whereby the City must process the project, proposed projects outside of the City boundaries require a policy decision pursuant to the City Charter.
In six years since the project surfaced, the City has not made a formal policy decision on whether it wants to expand the City of Los Angeles in order to build the Las Lomas project and provide the necessary resources to service this new "mini-city." These resources include, but are not limited to: water, sewer, police and fire, power and public works services.
In light of the information presented to the Budget & Finance Committee that questions the appropriateness of a supplemental fee agreement prior to a policy decision being made by the City;
I THEREFORE MOVE that all work on the proposed Las Lomas project stops until the aforementioned policy decision is made by the City Council.
I FURTHER MOVE that the Council pursuant to the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) section 12.35, which states: ".The Council may establish specific zoning by ordinance for land or territory to be annexed." make the policy decision whether or not to pre-zone the land area before any supplemental fee agreement be considered.
I FURTHER MOVE that if the Council votes not to pre-zone the land portion within the City's Sphere of Influence that all City Departments immediately cease and desist all work associated with the Las Lomas Development by the Las Lomas Land Company, LLC and return all materials submitted by the Developer.
I FURTHER MOVE that if the City should decide to move forward with the Las Lomas project then prior to negotiating or entering into a supplemental fee agreement, the City shall obtain an opinion from all relevant governmental agencies to determine; (1) if the City is the proper lead agency for the entire proposed project; (2) if the City can legally process an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) outside of its jurisdiction in this particular case; and (3) if the City can pre-zone outside the City's Sphere of Influence.
