Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

"I think this is one of the best years we've had. I love my job and I have it three more years." 
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa


As we get closer to Christmas not much is going on in LA politics but here are a few assorted tidbits.

Nina Royal will be happy.  Developer Dan Palmer's Las Lomas development is officially dead.  The California Supreme Court denied the appeal of the developer in their case against the City of Los Angeles.  I doubt Palmer can take this to Clarence Thomas and the Wise Latina but he I guess he can try.

Brady Westwater reports on a business improvement district gone bad in Downtown LA.  The Toy District BID was not renewed by property owners and only has enough dough to empty trash though the end of December.  After the new year the place becomes a dump.  Westwater says however that with the demise of toy trading as the central focus of the area other growing sections of downtown will consume the geography, repurpose it and bring it under their BIDs.

Would this have happened if Measure B passed? A fund manager who received an invitation to a Manhattan meeting held by First Solar was told he was not invited upon arrival and then promptly took a cab back to his office. Andrew Kaplan - who holds a short position in the company and apparently First Solar's cause for ire - then sent First Solar the bill for the $9 cab ride.  No word if he's been reimbursed yet.

Apparently Tom LeBong is bound and determined to turn America's largest City park and Los Angeles' greatest open space into Disneyland.  The good news is that the Griffith Park Wayist blog is on the case and keeping a constant eye on LeBong.

City Council votes to pay $9,000,000 for Elephant Hill Property to settle Lawsuit

"Elva Yanez and environmentalists win costly victory for El Sereno's Elephant Hill"

Environmental justice victory or suspicious dealings?

One can't blame El Sereno activist Elva Yanez for being thrill with today's City Council vote to pay $9,000,000 for the El Sereno hillside parcel known as Elephant Hill. But what started years ago as an grass-roots effort to preserve one of the last open space areas in Northeast LA, has been corrupted with political intrigue and suspicious dealings.

Some background on today's developments as reported by Los Angeles Times reporter David Zahniser.

The Los Angeles City Council voted today to settle a lawsuit over a contested 24-home subdivision planned for El Sereno, agreeing to buy the property for $9 million so it can be converted into a park.

The developers of the property, Monterey Hills Investors, sued the city last year after the council demanded more environmental review of the project, planned for a site known as Elephant Hill.

Councilman Jose Huizar said the city would borrow money in the short term to pay for the purchase of the 19-acre site. Over the long term the city will seek state funding to help defray the cost, he said.

"This is an environmental justice victory because proper environmental review was not conducted" on the planned subdivision, said Huizar, whose district includes El Sereno.

A Superior Court judge had a different view, ruling in January that the council had no authority to order Monterey Hills Investors to perform a new environmental impact report on the project.

In the wake of that ruling, attorney Ben Reznik, a City Hall lobbyist who represents the developer, vowed to seek damages of at least $8 million, saying the city's actions postponed completion of his client's project until after the collapse of the region's real estate market.

Can you see the political rats running for cover? Smell the onerous stench of political deceit?

Not too long in the past, El Sereno and CD 14 activists can remember an certain "CD 14 public official" who was heard telling the concern Elephant Hills activists that he thought that losing this lawsuit was possible, but moving forward was the "right" course of action. That when the cost of the 14 acre parcel was around $6,000,000 dollars.

But was doing the right thing the only consideration for Huizar? Consider these facts.

Reznik, who has held campaign fundraisers for Huizar and other city elected officials, had no comment on today's vote, saying the settlement had not been finalized. As he prepared for the damages phase of the case, Reznik gave notice that his client intended to depose Huizar, Councilman Ed Reyes and possibly employees in the mayor's office, according to a report obtained by The Times.

Hmmm, maybe the likes of Huizar, Reyes with the possible Mayor Villaraigosa's staffers in the mix, use the city treasury to "cry uncle" or was this part of an grand charade to improve the profit margin on devalue property, to help a political donor?

This deal reminds me of a microscopic version of the failed "Las Lomas Project". Replace Dan Palmer with Ben Reznik, Councilman Richard Alarcon with Councilman Huizar and David Hernandez with Elva Yanez. But sadly, there is no local version of Councilman Greig Smith to cry foul over this blantant misuse of public dollars. Then I seem to remember that the likes of Councilman Reyes and Huizar were supporters of the Las Lomas Project, as this passage reminds us.

"Our city attorney has said that if we fail to move forward, he believes we are in great jeopardy of being sued," said Councilman Richard Alarcon, whose San Fernando Valley district borders the Las Lomas site.

Alarcon voted to keep the project alive, along with council members Ed Reyes, Jose Huizar, Herb Wesson and Bernard C. Parks.

Strange how Alarcon, in his support of the Las Lomas Project, sounds so much like Councilman Huizar in his support of the Elephant Hill settlement.

Then there is this simple fact for CD 14 open space advocates to ponder. With the $9,000,000 dollars that Huizar is proposing to give his campaign contributors for the Elephant Hill acreage, you could have an completed Ascot Hills Passive Park and Hazard Park Wetlands Restoration, with money left over for some of the Elephant Hills property. But then I don't have to answer to contributors and Mayor Villaraigosa.

Even Elva Yanez, who was appointed to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Board by Mayor Villaraigosa in 2007, could agree with that.

Your thoughts............................

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Woo-hoo it's already Wednesday!

It's the battle between Joseph Mailander's and Antonio Villaraigosa's Eastside. Latinos in the traditional neigborhoods east of the LA River are aghast as the yuppies who've moved to Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Echo Park and have annexed it to East Los. As one Boyle Heights poet said "If you look at the downtown skyline and city hall is on your left, you are not the Eastside.  It's a simple geographical fact."

Zuma Dogg is still mulling over whether or not he will run for the City Council seat to be vacated by Wendy Greuel. He notes the uphill battle of gathering hundreds of signatures for a nominating petition; tasks that were barely surmounted by Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and City Controller candidate Nick Patsaouras (and failed at by candidates Guillermo Huesca and Ben Austin).  If Zuma does run he says won't use the occupation of economist as his ballot designation; especially since we know one candidate who had a cow over that. In the meantime, an anti-ZD Mayor Sam reader says they'll challenge Zuma Dogg's residency but in this world of the City Clerk's "don't ask don't tell - you are if you say you are" policy that won't go anywhere.

NewsBusters points out that in reporting of the controversy around Mayor Villaraigosa's latest girlfriend the LA Times has failed to note his party affiliation whereas they do so for embattled local Republicans such as former Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona.  In the meantime The Enterprise Report notes that KTLA General Manager isn't so concerned that his reporter Lu Parker is dating the mayor because he himself has dated reporters who have worked for him such as KCAL's Mia Lee. Well it's all in the family in LA.

In between the playa move of taking his new galpal to a bookstore (a classic maneuver any guy worth his salt knows will impress a lady), Mayor Villaraigosa signed the City Budget.  Lots of cuts and layoffs are promised; with the Mayor stating that fiscal realities will require to City to "calibrate' to the new financial paradigm.  One of the Mayor's plans to raise dough for the City has been to sell the City's parking meters and municipal lots to private operators.  However Councilmember Bill Rosendahl told his fellow members as well as the Ctiy's Chief Legislative Analyst that's a prescription to be run out on a rail as he expects Chicago Mayor Richard Daley will be for enacting a similar plan in the Windy City.

The controversial plan to build thousands of homes in the Newhall Pass known as Las Lomas may not be dead after all.  The Santa Clarita City Council is considering a draft environmental impact report while the company behind the project, Las Lomas Land, LLC says they plan to move forward.  Of course pigs also will fly and Mayor V will stop dating reporters.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that would have forced the City to reopen an examination of the controversial Las Lomas development project, effectively killing the planned community of nearly 5000 homes in the hillside above the interserction of the 5 and 14 freeways. 12th District Councilman Greig Smith said “This victory is a great holiday gift for the community.”

If you were curious as to the types of things Mayor Villaraigosa does with the 89% of his time that he isn't working on City business - in addition to playing drums at the Conga Room - the Mayor will appear in a parade with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and former Dodger skipper Tommy Lasorda.  Villaraigosa will be Grand Marshall of Coca-Cola's 'Live Positively Holiday Parade.'  In the meantime, Villaraigosa has to figure out how to erase an $86 million City budget deficit without laying off City workers.

With cable public access in Los Angeles about to come to an end, public affairs television host Leslie Dutton of the Full Disclosure program appears to be accusing the city funded LA36 television channel of suspiciously having "technical problems" during broadcasts of her program. In a related story, Dutton says that Vin DiBona, producer of programs such as America's Funniest Home Videos has extended support to LA's public access producers.

Jed Wallace, Chief Operating Officer at High Tech High charter school in San Diego was selected by The California Charter Schools Association to serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer.  Wallace will assume the duties as head of the state’s charter schools association from former leader Caprice Young, who stepped down from her position in September.

Actor Sean Penn has quickly become a hero to some gays for his brilliant portrayal of late, openly gay San Francisco County Supervisor Harvey Milk in the bio-pic, Milk.  But at least one writer in the gay fishwrap The Advocate is taking Penn to task for his advocacy of dictators who have abysmal records on human rights for homosexuals such as the Castro brothers in Cuba and Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

The LA Times reports that District Attorney Steve Cooley's office is investigating former City Councilmember turned lobbyist Richard Alartorre on ethics issues.  Though officials are not talking much about the investigation the inquiry centers around alleged lobbying of City Council members and other officials Alatorre may have done though he was not properly registered as a lobbyist.  Alatorre has been involved with consulting work on the controversial development project Las Lomas, a 5000+ home planned community in the Newhall Pass andvarious airport related contracts.


If you had forgotten that State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas was elected to the County Board of Supervisors, he has a plan to make sure to remind you.  Ridley-Thomas will be sworn in Monday at the County Hall of Administration with a ceremony befitting a Presidential inaguration.  Marching bands, chors, military color guards, singers, TV anchors and stars galore will be on hand for the festivities

Every time in history that the railroad has come to town it's changed the area around it.  And now the same thing is happening in Eastside communities like Boyle Heights as the MTA's Gold Line heads eastward with an extension of the rail line that runs from Pasadena to Downtown.  Interesting story in the LA Times chats with residents looking for upscale retail that has evaded them for decades are divided among those who feel the community could lose it's primarily Latino, working class feel.  That being said change is already come to the area and completion of the rail line will only do the same.

Everyone from the guys who own Google to Hollywood actors are lining up to buy one but Chris Paine, director of the film  Who Killed The Electric Car?, already has one of the much anticiapted Tesla Roadsters, an electric vehicle which gets the equivalent of 120 miles to the gallon and can do zero to sixty in 3.9 seconds.  Paine writes at the Revenge of the Electric Car blog that curious Sheriff's officers on Ventura Boulevard pulled Paine over and that Paine has also given a ride to Council President Eric Garcetti.  Besides being such a fabulous piece of engineering that is great for the environment, the Tesla is a testament to free enterprise as the company, headquartered here in California, was built with private investment (mostly from Silcon Valley sources) and not the government (nor government bailouts).

MSNBC talking head Chris Matthews says he isn't but reports are that he's lining up a campaign staff for a run at  Arlen Specter's Pennsylvania US Senate seat.  Initial polls show Matthews running well behind the 80 year old liberal Republican but that's apparently because voters don't know him well enough.  No truth to the rumors that Anderson Cooper and Greta VanSusteren are eyeing Senate runs.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Fox11 reports that nearly 2,000 firefighters continue to battle the Sayre Fire in Sylmar.  The fire, which covers some 10,000 acres, is said to be about 40% contained after two days.  A number of backfires have been lit by firefighters to halt the spread of the blaze and most evacuated areas have been reopened to residents.  The massive blaze has raised questions about the wisdom of the Las Lomas housing development in Newhall Pass.

Mayor Villaraigosa has kicked off his re-election campaign, according to Rick Orlov, with a "strong defense of his accomplishments."  Villaraigosa as quoted by Orlov says  "Whether you like me or don't and think I'm in front of a camera or whatever it is, you have to look at what we've done these last three years," he said. Is that the total of the three years or just the 11% he spent on city business?

Lost in the news of the massive wildfires across California were that about 12,000 protesters assembled in front of Los Angeles City Hall to continue their outrage over the passage of Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in California.  The mostly peaceful protest saw, according to the LA Times, picketers carrying signs such as "No More Mr. Nice Gay" and "No on Hate."

Some goofball blogger over at the Chicken Corner section of (Anglo)LAObserved seems to think that Countrywide evicting tenants from a property it owns or T-Mobile renting space on apartment buildings were "evil plans." I don't think you know what evil really is.

And finally if you want to attend a special MTV screening starring Britney Spears, you better be looking fine.  An entertainment blog reports that the online sign-up for tickets requires users to answer questions about their height, weight, eye color, hair color and then tells them they are required to dress trendy.

Sylmar Fires: Best Argument Against Las Lomas?

You know that the old, dead Republican Mayor has a libertarian soul that yearns for private property rights. At the same time it would be really stupid for me to build a Saturn rocket launch pad in my backyard.

The Las Lomas housing development would place thousands of homes in a crack between the hills at the juncture of I5 and Highway 14, smack right in the middle of Sylmar and the City of Santa Clarita.

Considering the tragic loss of homes and property in fires this month and last weekend in nearby Sylmar, can we ask the question if it defies insanity to build homes in these hillside regions? As it is, our foothills are probably overbuilt, would Las Lomas make a bad situation even worse?

One of the biggest mistakes the region has made was to allow the over development of Santa Clarita with only one road and one way to get in and out. If Las Lomas were to catch fire say at 4:30 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon, can you imagine the inability of first responders to get in there with a massively jammed I-5?

Something to think about.

David Hernandez on the Las Lomas lawsuit

This from community activist David Hernandez regarding the lawsuit filed by one Mr. Palmer, chief developer of the rejected Las Lomas Project in Newhall Pass, as posted in the Daily News


David Hernandez said:

Las Lomas Lawsuit-Super Majority

The remarks of Council member Smith hit at the very core of Los Angeles Politics and deserve repeating for all to see.

"It is appalling that Mr. Palmer would sue the city after being denied by a super-majority of the City Council," Smith said in a statement.

Mr. Smith, was it not a “super-majority” of the Council who ignored the City Attorney and put Prop R on the Ballot?

As a resident of Los Angeles, I welcome Mr. Palmer to the ranks of those who side with the Law rather than the “Super-majority”.

Sorry Mr. Smith, this is America not the Soviet Union.

With Las Lomas, as in Prop R, the City Council ignored the extensive report from the Los Angeles City Attorney and then relied on the City Attorney to defend their actions.

Using tax payer funds against the very people who’s Constitutional Rights you want to violate is a clever scheme.

The Las Lomas Challenge will, via discovery give Los Angeles residents a unique insight to the back room dealings of its elected officials, Santa Clarita Lobbyist and other Special Interests Groups.

Even though many of those opposing Las Lomas are friends, I must say “let the chips fall where they may”.

We did not have to agree on the project and might not disagree, but you did have an obligation to follow the law.

David Hernandez

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Los Angeles Port President David Freeman joined Port of Long Beach Prexy Mario Cordero for a joint appearance last week in San Pedro about the controversial "Clean Trucks" programs to be adopted by both ports. The goal - to lower diesel emissions and pollution at the ports and in surrounding communities - may only be window dressing. Freeman denied that one of the more talked about provisions of the LA plan that could require truck drivers at the port to be employees rather than owner-operators was more about pleasing unions (unions can't organize truck drivers who are independent operators) than making the Port more green.

Mr. Tamar Galatzan and VICA head Brendan Huffman has a letter in Monday's Daily News praising the selection of Marcus Allen as the new CAO for LA. Brendan, how come they iced the plan to dump Robin Kramer until none of us are looking?

Joel Budd writing in the Economist is the latest journalist to delve into the development issue in Los Angeles. Though he captures well the usual NIMBY/BANANA/CAVE anti-growth mentality, the story also makes it clear why the city has to look at all types of growth strategy including smart development and transit oriented development. We just can't get keep growing out.

The MTA and the City are trying to encourage more people to use public transit yet at the same time they're cutting service on the lines that the most transit-dependent need most. Makes sense of course. Even Tony Villar finds fault with it.

Except for some of the NIMBYs who read this blog, most of you probably have no idea who Sandor Winger is, but he's the man that anyone wanting to annex Las Lomas and other prize properties in LA County has to get through. The Newhall Signal profiles the Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission who spends his days pouring over proposed county maps and often tells guests he "feels crappy." Maybe on his desk: new plans to annex Las Lomas?

Outtakes from CD 14. The "CUT AND PASTE CAPITAL" of Los Angeles

Hola and Good Friday to all in the barrios that comprise CD 14.

For the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" Good Friday could not come fast enough.

First, "feeble and shallow" are what describes the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" defence of the Las Lomas Project. Was this the same guy who took a stand for open space regarding Elephant Hill that compares to the Las Lomas Project on a micro level ? But then perspective changes once you look beyond the district boundaries, or do they??

Take the brewing revolt at the Wyvernwood complex over the Fifteen Group expansion plans. Former Assembly candidate and friend of "Jackie G", Elena Popp is organizing the tenants against the property owners. When this FUBAR is done, someone is going to wish that he never went to a certain Super Bowl party.

On the slopes of Mt. Washington, back to back stories in the L.A. Times and L.A. Weekly respectively paint the "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR" as an enabler to the whims of "BIG AUTRY". Thus you get the selling of rotating pieces of artifacts as a GREAT VICTORY along the lines of saving the 256 bus route.

In "Northern Boyle Heights" tensions are at a flash point in Ramona Gardens Housing Project after the latest LAPD/ Hazard Gang confrontation. What the locals do not realize is that their days in "HAZARD" may be numbered. Can you say Bio-Tech Research Corridor?? One needs to look at the Advisory Board of the Legacy LA website. One will find DAVID GALAVIZ Adelante CRA board member, and........"FRIEND OF CAROL" DALILA SOTELO as redevelopment advisor. Thus will Ramona Gardens become "PUEBLO DEL SOL, NORTH" ?????

****Link to recent You Tube footage filmed in Ramona Gardens, this highlights the state of relations between residents and LAPD****

And not to leave out the "PUEBLO DE SERENO", there may be "light in the end of the tunnel", or simply stated a tunnel in the future for South Pasadena and Eastern Sereno. No word whether South Pasadena resident Victor Griego will have a say in where the tunnel portals are located, but what about those hundreds of Cal Trans houses that the likes of Don Jones and Hugo Garcia are alleged to have their eyes on???

All this adds up to some form of "EC NO CLEANSING/ RELOCATION" of CD 14 population to make way for a "NEW LOOK CD 14, GENTRIFICATION EDITION"....... historical and cultural history be damned.

****Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council/ Mt. Washington Re vote We pass along the endorsement recommendation of "ONE IN FIVE" for Scott Folsom and Ann Walnum.****

BTW, what with the official symbol of Free Enterprise in CD 14, the "PALETA CART" being lefted off the Mural at Hollenbeck??

Happy Easter to all!!

Jack Hoff's Talk O' The Town

Jack Hoff's "What Were They Thinking?"

BREAKING NEWS!! Las Lomas voted down 10-5

Despite the best efforts of the City Attorney and Councilman Richard "ZORRO MARXIST" Alarcon, Greig Smith and nine other members of the City Council voted to give the controversial project the boot.

Now the lawsuits will be front and center.......

Links to Zuma, Daily News, Rick Orlov, LA Observed , LA Times

Huizar, Reyes, Parks, and Wesson voted with the "ZORRO MARXIST"

****On the subject of Density and their lobbyists****

Steve Lopez and Zev do "DRIVE BY" on Density

When is one consider a lobbyist?? Autry foes file Ethics complaint

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

A big day for one of the projects on our list of faultlines for the Coming City Superstorm happens Tuesday in the Los Angeles City Council Chambers. Councilman Greig Smith will seek to put an end to work by the City of Los Angeles on the environmental impact report for the controversial Las Lomas development. Smith will battle Councilman Richard Alarcon who is seeking to bring the project under the control of the City of Los Angeles despite objections from the County and the City of Santa Clarita.

Mayor V wants to raise your trash fees and he supports raising your electricity and water rates too. If you want to protest the trash tax, KFI's John and Ken are encouraging you to mail your trash to Tony Villar.

Our friend Jon Regardie at the LA Downtown News has a great piece - the Tony Villar re-election announcement press conference that wasn't. But we can dream right?

Rick Orlov is right that it won't go anywhere but a group of "progressive" Democrats held an event to issue a "no-endorsement" for Democrats Henry Waxman and Howard Berman. I guess Waxman and Berman are not liberal enough for this group. (Okay I'll stop laughing.)

And finally Mayor Villaraigosa won an award from a Filipino group and told attendees gathered "Filipinos are not invisible to me." By the way the event was held at the Autry National Center, another faultline on our list of The Coming City Superstorm.

The Coming City Superstorm

For far too long, the masses napped while Los Angeles was plundered. They're awake now, grouchy and suspicious, and ready for a fight.
-Steve Lopez

You know that I am generally in favor of the type of real estate development being pursued in Los Angeles. However, that's not the focus of this piece.

No, its sort of a warning and it may be one that's too come late - the masses are pissed and the politicians need to watch out.

A series of significant real estate developments and planning decisions have various communities up in arms. Even when some residents may support various developments or some aspect of the projects, they're annoyed, bothered, upset and downright disappointed in their elected leaders. They're showing up to public meetings in droves and making their voice heard. And their voice says we vote and we're not happy. These residents are distressed by - whether real or perceived - a lack of transparency, candor and dialogue with their elected officials. Yet developers and moneyed interests seem to be able to buy the type of access to government officials taxpayers feel they deserve.

At the same time many real estate developers and business interests behind these controversial projects have failed to adequately engage the surrounding communities and in many cases have actively alienated neighbors. A notable exception is developer J.H. Snyder who has worked closely with local leaders in creating three separate projects to revitalize North Hollywood and has received high praise from every corner from the local Chamber of Commerce to very active and aggressive homeowner associations.

At the opposite end of the extreme is Home Depot, most notably with their plans to open a controversial store in Sunland-Tujunga. The retail chain has failed to enter into conversations with community leaders, was caught in a major phony astro-turf effort and most recently decided to file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the City, leading to a secret backroom deal with City Attorney Rocky Degladillo.


View Larger Map

Among a few of the most controversial developments in Los Angeles:

Metro Studio@Lankershim
NBC Universal announced plans to create its West Coast News and Content Center at Metro Studio@Lankershim, and also intends for Metro Studio@Lankershim to serve as home to NBC Network News’ Los Angeles Bureau, KNBC, KVEA, and Access Hollywood. Nearby residents are concerned about traffic and the resulting changes to the local skyline. Historical advocates are worried about the fate of the nearby Campo de Cahuenga, the site where the agreement was signed between the US and Mexico leading to the eventual end of the Mexican-American War in the 1840s.

Universal Studios Expansion
NBC Universal announced plans to create a long-term vision plan for the approximately 400-acre Universal City property, home to Universal Studios, the largest motion picture and television production studio in the world, CityWalk and Universal Studios Hollywood. Again, traffic, noise and other potential annoyances have neighbors in an uproar.

Southwest Museum
Site of a controversial move to merge the venerable museum with the Autry National Center in Griffith Park. Supporters of the museum say the Autry wants to loot the Southwest's collection and its property could be developed.

Autry National Center
Home of the organization some folks are saying is going to loot the Historic Southwest Museum; and possible future real estate development such as a hotel.

Sunland-Tujunga Home Depot
The controversial site where the national retailer has attempted to build an outlet in a former K-Mart has become ground zero in the battle between residents who want to control the destiny of their community and the city officials and developers they are battling.

The Las Villas Entertainment Center
The Las Villas Entertainment Center in Lincoln Heights is a proposed themed-restaurant with a banquet facility component and video arcade. The building permit application to the City of Los Angeles includes a conditional use permit for a "full liquor" license and zoning variance for 140 video games (which will be open to youth during school hours).

Las Lomas
Las Lomas, a proposed community of 5,553 homes and 2.3 million square feet of commercial space, lies in unincorporated Los Angeles County territory.

Developer Dan Palmer wants the city of Los Angeles to annex the land so his Las Lomas project - opposed by the neighboring city of Santa Clarita and nearby residents in the City of Los Angeles - can move forward.

There are but only a few of the "hot spots" in the coming superstorm over development in the City and the growing feeling by residents that their elected leaders are not hearing them. Though it appears these are all isolated projects in isolated neighorhoods, residents are getting smart and realizing there is strength in numbers, particularly through creating alliances via Los Angeles' system of Neighborhood Councils.

A few weeks ago the Mid Town-North Hollywood Neighborhood Council teamed up with Councils in Valley Village, Valley Glen, Toluca Lake and Studio City to hold a town hall meeting attended by nearly 700 residents to discuss various developments planned for the region. The result of this collboration was an agreement amongst the Councils to partner and support each other's goals and aims.

At a hastily called meeting following the revelation of the secret backroom deal on the Home Depot in Sunland-Tujunga, nearly 200 residents showed up to ask questions, make their voices heard and to affirm their resolve. Representatives of the community surrounding Southwest Museum were in attendance, and like the signers of the Declaration of Independence who promised that they would "mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" both sides swore to assist one another in their battle against a common foe.

This scene has and will continue to repeat itself all over the City. And if the Mayor is concerned about his re-election chances, he needs to know is that this environment will make it very easy for a "white knight" like Zev Yaroslavsky - who has significant street cred on standing up to over-development - to come along and ride the wave of dissatisfaction to Getty House.

Candidate Assails SCV Mayor's Ethics: Is There a Tie to Las Lomas?

From today's San Fernando Valley Business Journal

Activist Asks For Mayoral Investigation

A Santa Clarita Valley watchdog seeks an independent investigation into alleged financial improprieties of Santa Clarita Mayor Robert C. Kellar.

At a city council meeting Feb. 26, Bruce McFarland presented public documents produced between the years of 2002 and 2005 that he believes suggest that Kellar broke financial disclosure laws.

McFarland is organizer of the Santa Clarita Valley Ethics Alliance.

McFarland also told the council that Kellar did not disclose income from the 2005 sale of property along Sierra Highway that was purchased by College of the Canyons.

Thus far, the city council has decided not to investigate McFarland’s allegations.

Mayor Sam snoops have started to investigate campaign contributions to City Council members in order to determine if donations from developers have influenced their respective positions on the controversial and likely doomed Las Lomas development.

Unfortunately, it appears that transparency is not taken as seriously by the City of Santa Clarita as it is by the City of Los Angeles where its very easy to pull up campaign data online.

Stay tuned.

Letters to the Editor regarding Las Lomas

Usually I glance at the "PEOPLE'S RANTS OP-ED PAGES" of the "LA OBAMA TIMES" as I prep it for "LITTER BOX LINING". Today was no exception, but as I was moving my attention towards Jonah Goldberg's latest missive on Liberal lunacies, two letters to the "PEOPLE"S EDITORIAL BOARD"caught my attention.

A small amount of you may know that the "LA OBAMA TIMES" has editorialize against the lunacy that is the Las Lomas Project.

Yet the likes of the "ZORRO MARXIST" and Las Lomas Developer Dan S. Palmer felt compelled to engage the editorial board in an attempt to change their opinions.

From the "ZORRO MARXIST",

Re "Dumb growth," editorial, Feb. 21The Times is correct that there are lots of questions regarding the Las Lomas development. However, the city attorney opined on two occasions that Los Angeles is legally required to process the Las Lomas permits. To not process the application, as recommended by The Times, could put taxpayers on the hook if there were a lawsuit.

Currently before the City Council is not a question of approving the project but whether the developer should pay for the processing. My motion ensures that taxpayers are not saddled with this cost -- but does not force "the city to reopen proceedings to annex the land and to approve the development."

Las Lomas is a long way from approval. Only after an environmental impact report and public vetting will a decision be made. But to stop processing the application now, after the city accepted the fees in 2002, could cost the taxpayers millions.

Richard Alarcon

Los Angeles City Council District 7


Tag teaming is Dan S. Palmer,
As the developer of the Las Lomas community, I believe that The Times missed the boat with its editorial. The Times may dismiss the city's legal obligation to process Las Lomas, but the city attorney's office has not. Two opinions from the city attorney indicate that the city is obligated to process the project.

While the editorial mentions concerns such as traffic congestion and smart growth, it ignores other project benefits such as the creation of 9,000 permanent jobs and $22 million in annual tax revenues to the city, among many others. All of these concerns and benefits are what the city's environmental review process is designed to comprehensively analyze. Only when this review is complete will decision-makers have the facts needed to evaluate Las Lomas.

Dan S. Palmer Jr.
Santa Monica

Taking liberties with Palmer's last sentence, the same way he takes toward property ownership issues, when the review of this project is completed, no dirt will be turned on your reckless plans for Las Lomas.

Las Lomas: Something Shady From the 661?

Now the old dead Republican Mayor is not necesarily gung ho on the Las Lomas Project (beyond my libertarian soul which cries to the ghost of Ayn Rand to end rampant collectivism. Anyway.)

Despite that, 1) what the hell is the City of Santa Clarita up to, 2) When will residents of Sylmar, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch and other communities affected by the massive development in the 661 have a voice, and 3) Why are the politicians who are screaming and yelling about Las Lomas going AWOL on Newhall Ranch?

David Hernandez has crafted the following and it provokes thought that is sure to raise the hackles of those with an agenda. For those of us who are only concerned about the impact of the project (one way or another) on the communities within the City of Los Angeles, I don't think David's points can be ignored.

It does seem to make sense to allow the Las Lomas land to be part of the City of Los Angeles and give us control of it. Why do Angelenos want to turn this part of their destiny over to County or another City which doesn't give a rat's ass about our community?

Again I myself have not taken a final position on the project (other than I question it from a logistical perspective but I like a lot of their ideas). However, no matter what, I don't trust Santa Clarita and don't want to see my friends in the North Valley being used by shady politicians from the 661. We get used enough from the shady politicians in our own city.

Can the case be made for the City of Los Angeles demanding the Los Lomas Project be under its jurisdiction?

David Hernandez writes:

The Las Lomas site sits just outside the city limits, a true fact.

The traffic conditions on the main highways leading in and out of the San Fernando Valley are at rush hour horrific, also a true fact.

What is the cause of this traffic nightmare? Could it be the Development in Newhall, Saugus, Santa Clarita, Valencia, Action, and Agua Dulce; all outside the City of Los Angeles? Did Los Angeles have any voice in these developments and the negative impacts on Los Angeles, NO!

Why are paid lobbyists representing Santa Clarita warning local community groups in the San Fernando Valley about the Las Lomas Development? Why are they warning of horrific impacts to traffic, water and the environment?

The real question is, why weren't they warning us about the other projects? How many of those projects were they or are they involved with?

If the Las Lomas project is such a dreadful development, why have those opposed to it, not made any arguments, protests, or warned us about a project ( Landmark Village development) which was just given the green light in Newhall Ranch? After all, this project is not 5, 800 homes, it is 21,000 homes!

More on the Landmark Village project: http://www.newhallranch.net/index.asp

More on Las Lomas project: http://www.laslomas.com/

How is this going to impact our current traffic and water conditions?

Why haven't the community groups in the San Fernando Valley been given the opportunity to ask questions or lodge complaints or protests since they will pay a price for more traffic and other challenges?

Because they are all outside the City of Los Angeles!

If the Las Lomas folks are willing to give the residents of City of Los Angeles the ability to ask questions and demand mitigation or even nix the project, we would be foolish not to let them.

If the Las Lomas folks want to go forward with the EIR Process, they must be required to pay for it.

Ask yourself, is it better to have a voice or not?
Is it better to have the ability to demand mitigation or not?
Is it better to have the developer pay for the EIR or not?

David Hernandez
Community Advocate

What can you do? Call your City Coucil member and demand we have a voice and a vote in this project!

P.S.

Why have all the politicians opposing Las Lomas be absent in the Newhall Ranch Development debate and its impact on the San Fernando Valley?

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

Politicians want Neighborhood Councils to spend money on security cameras; Walter Moore has the story of how Mayor Villaraigosa wants to spend $17,000 per camera to be loaded into police cars.

Could the City of Santa Clarita's opposition to the Las Lomas project be based on the City's desire to annex the area for local developers before the City of Los Angeles does?

There's a budget crisis yet the city is taking in more money than ever. Check out Walter Moore's latest blog.

The City does not have enough funds to buy security cameras or other things we need but we have enough for Tom LeBong's ego parade called the Hollywood Santa Parade. However they've picked a cool dude, tv host Bob Barker, to be the grand marshall.

If you need a free Thanksgiving dinner, the County of Los Angeles has one for you.

Broadway Downtown has been a bustling center of Hispanic culture for decades. Now Councilman Jose Huizar wants to gentrify the place into a west coast version of its New York namesake. That's great if the property and business owners there buy into the idea; but no city funds should be spent on it.

Mayor Sam's Hot Sheet for Thursday

The City of Santa Clarita Valley is up in arms about a development project near Sylmar. Las Lomas is a major mixed use, transit oriented development that will combine housing, office space, retail and a Metrolink station. It will bring jobs and housing to an area that needs it. Mayor Villaraigosa is being urged not to follow through with the City of Los Angeles' plans to annex the area, but Los Angeles needs to have control over the area, not a bunch of CAVEs and NIMBYs in Santa Clarita who have no business messing around in the Valley. Encourage the Mayor to support this important development which will be a major boon to our local economy.

This is why you don't mess with property owner's rights - developer Rick Caruso has won several million dollars in a lawsuit related to interference with his Americana at Brand development in Glendale. Take heed Sunland-Tujunga!

Mayor Sam's Sunland-Tujunga prediction: Due to actual and perceived conflict of interests between the City Attorney's office and the law firm Latham and Watkins, the City will be forced to hire outside counsel to defend it in the lawsuit filed by Home Depot over the blocking of opening their store in the community. Also, the City will have a tough time defending such a high powered case. Therefore, the City will decide to settle with Home Depot, place a number of cosmetic restrictions on them, perhaps require some donation to the community and grant the retailer the permit to build out and open their store. Game over.