Tag: los angeles city council

WOODLAND HILLS—On Friday, August 21, the Los Angeles City Council voted against a housing development, and Woodland Hills Country Club due to the presence of mountain lions. The acreage is owned by Arrimus Capital. They own the entire 93-acre facility and were planning to develop the other 20-acres into single family homes, apartments, and some rent-controlled facilities.

Photo Credit: Pricilla du Preez

The housing project was expected to have 175 lots for sale for three-story single-family homes, a four-story, 189 apartment building, and 34 rent-controlled apartments. The Woodland Hills community shared their enthusiasm for the project on their social media pages referencing the job opportunities. Others commented on sharing the beauty of living in Woodland Hills with others. This does not include the money Woodland Hills Country Club would bring in with a new golf course on site.

Los Angeles City councilmember (District 3 2013-Present), Bob Blumenfield spoke out against the project, indicating that the property to be developed is a habitat for mountain lions.

On July 10, Blumenfield made an announcement to an SCNG publication, Daily News, stating his plans to run for the U.S. Senate in 2028.

In a newsletter dated August 20, Blumenfield wrote about the City Council voting against the development. The full text may be read on the Los Angeles City’s government webpage.

“Great news! Today, there was a big announcement from our City Planning Department about the Woodland Hills Country Club. Due to a plethora of documentation from neighbors and a lot of biological and ecological research provided by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and other biological experts, the Planning Department just determined the Woodland Hills Country Club site is ‘wildlife habitat’ for the endangered Mountain Lion.

With concerns including the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, I tried many different ways to secure a discretionary process; not to stop any development, but to make sure that the project would not endanger the health and safety of our community.

While we made sure City Planning did a thorough review of the project application for ministerial approval, we all feared that the Department was on the verge of possibly approving the process ministerially.

Being in a high fire severity zone wasn’t enough to get discretionary review and pointing out that the project is not actually on a commercial corridor (the intended area that is subject to the expedited process under State law) wasn’t enough. However, determining that the project is proposed on endangered species habitat is enough.

Planning was tasked with figuring this out based on available evidence, scientific input and court precedents, and fortunately they determined the site to be Mountain Lion habitat.

It is a huge step to tap the brakes and put the juggernaut proposal (almost 400 units packed into a third of the site) in a high fire zone on a discretionary path. In the eyes of the city, the proposal submitted by the developer does not qualify for AB 2011 ministerial processing.”

By Sharon

WOODLAND HILLS—On June 27, the Los Angeles City Council announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the identification/arrest/conviction of those responsible for the theft of the bronze plaques honoring eleven teachers on the Victory Boulevard Hall of Fame at Canoga Park.

Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield said, “It’s egregious and awful that someone would yank them out of the sidewalk and try to sell them for scrap metal. They have significant financial value, but beyond that, they have community value.

It’s our version in the West Valley of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but instead of glorifying celebrities, we’re glorifying teachers. When you rip these plaques out of the ground, you’re also ripping out part of the soul of this community.”

The non-profit Walk of Hearts group has awarded and installed 77 plaques in the San Fernando Valley over the last 20 years. These 11 plaques honoring teachers were among those placed in Canoga Park for the impact these teachers had on their community at large.

The initial cost of the plaques was an estimated $4,000 per plaque, but the cost of replacing them is expected to be much higher.

The plaques are not the only recent thefts. There have been reports of fire hydrants, and copper wiring from the bridge, there have been thefts at local cemeteries, and the bronze statue at MacArthur Park was also stolen.

Anyone who has more information regarding the thefts or has seen the stolen items is encouraged to call the Los Angeles Police Department at the 24-Hour Anonymous Tip Line
1-877-LAPD 24-7 or (1-877-527-3247)

By Sharon