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Mayor's Proposal That Council Recommend Councilman Austin As LB Rep For "Lower Los Angeles River Working Group" Mocks Open Space Again After Approving "Riverwalk" Development

by Laurie Angel


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[Editor's introduction] Veteran NLB community advocate Laurie Angel recently ran an home brew campaign for the 8th Council district facing a well-funded challenger and incumbent backed by LB's political establishment, organized labor plus independent committees. Ms. Angel says she would never have run except for incumbent Councilman Al Austin's vote to approve the Riverwalk development, which enables two and three story condominiums at a density exceeding common single family home zoning on the site of the former Will J. Reid Scout Park (4747 Daisy Ave.) bordering the L.A. River. The developer argued that its upscale project will help uplift the adjoining residential neighborhood. The Council also approved an ordinance that invites applicants to propose projects with potentially similar density elsewhere, including along the River. Public testimony to the Council was split but mainly opposed; the Council's voted approval was unanimous. Ms. Angel opines below in opposition to Mayor Robert Garcia's proposal, agendized for April 19 Council action, to name Councilman Austin as LB's representative to the Lower Los Angeles River Working Group, a Sacramento created body (AB 530, Rendon) that will supposedly develop, through watershed-based planning, a revitalization plan for the lower L.A. River. Mayor Garcia endorsed Austin's re-election and agendized the item while it was still widely assumed that Austin would face a June runoff (with one of two April challengers against him); instead, Austin avoided a runoff by receiving 50.97% of votes cast.
(April 19, 2016) -- So the question is - what are we going to end up with along our LA River?

We remember when the river was promised for the public - to be our vital and necessary open space. The westside and north have a fraction of the open space of the eastside or along the shore. We need this land for open space. The space is precious. It can not be squandered nor encroached upon. The aesthetic can not be compromised nor threatened.

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In my opinion, the Council-approved Riverwalk development is a slow death blow to what the River was to be for us. I would never have run for office but for that project, and the manner in which it was brought before the public and supported by the entire council.

A petition signed by 250 residents was ignored. "I don't see any problems..." is what Councilman Austin stated.

This is who Mayor Garcia proposes that the Council appoint for a working group to revitalize the river. Why? What sort of vision do you want for the river? Is Riverwalk your idea of what we should have - a poorly contrived high density housing project that becomes our eastern view from the river? Is that the look you are going for and improvement you are expecting?

How well would that fly next to El Dorado Park and the San Gabriel River?

In my view, the Riverwalk site and the Dominguez Gap neighborhood were simply squandered with the Council's approval of this project.

What will become of other sites abutting even closer to the river? Will we see Council-approved housing development upon housing development where once we had some open vista to escape our urban confines?

I believe our representatives are caving into pressure by developers. Building high density housing along this precious and limited open space. Where is the beauty and vision in this? Where are we going with all of this? And who is really going to look out for the public interest?

In my view, the Mayor's choice of Councilman Austin for the L.A. River Working Group has the same feel as the recent lynching on the California Coastal Commission (removing its Executive Director on a 7-5 vote.)

The public has much greater expectations for the LA River than recent projects, actions and appointments would suggest. The DeForest Wetlands project has been in the works longer than any Council incumbent has served; the expectation was that this type of natural open space improvement would occur all along the river - not as lone examples of what open space could be.

The Council should be more sensitive to this space and recognize how its choices will have long term and lasting impacts to us, our visitors and this region. This is precious space. We need a Council that will see the absolute best open space and public use for this resource, not the development of high density housing along our river.


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