Update # 28 -Lawsuit Update/New Picture/Timeline/Party
In This Issue
Lawsuit status - still waiting
New picture of development - bigger than we thought
Timeline - how long does this whole process take?
Neighborhood party - meet your neighbors
Lawsuit status
As of today, there still has been no additional movement on the lawsuit between the developer Jha and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. We are still waiting for the court to publish a “briefing schedule” that will set dates for each of the next steps for the case. Once that step is done, it’s likely to be several months before there is any conclusion to the case. We are communicating regularly with city officials to stay in the loop. We believe the city is presenting several valid legal reasons that this project should be prohibited in the canyon.
New Picture of Development
We’ve been working with Google Earth to get the most accurate depictions of the massive size of the development, and the attached picture is our most recent version. You’ll notice the buildings are bigger than in previous presentations for that reason. The previous pictures, which generated so much strong reaction, actually understated the size of these buildings. Some have asked why the buildings don’t appear to be 11 stories tall; that is because several of the stories are not visible from this angle as they are below the rim of the canyon, with some of the parking levels below ground.
Timeline
My last update was a bit ago, but if you recall, I promised a rough timeline so you can know what to expect down the road. The exact timeline is a little difficult to know because we still aren’t sure which rules will apply to this project, at least until the lawsuit with the city is over. So below is our best guess. The main point is every step will take a bit of time, and there are several steps where it will be helpful for us citizens to get involved to show our opposition to the project. Most of that is during the "City Review" (step 5)
1. Possible Archeological survey mandated by Indigenous Nations – unknown time frame
2. Possible Mitigation Agreement with Indigenous Nations – unknown timeframe
3. Biological Survey for Endangered/Threatened species - unknown timeframe
4. Environmental Impact Report (unless SB 35 Expedited Review is granted) - unknown timeline
5. CITY REVIEW OF PROJECT (EXPEDITED REVIEW)
1. Application Completeness Review by City – 30 days
2. Consistency Review (Objective Standards) – 90 days
3. Public Hearings/Environmental Review (if Jha gets SB 35 expedited review he may be able to both bypass requirement for an environmental impact report AND get “ministerial approval” which means project is automatically approved regardless of public input) – 60 -90 days.
6. Final Approval
7. CONSTRUCTION BEGINS and PROCEEDS for up to 10 YEARS (phased construction) - must begin construction within 2 years.
Neighborhood Party
All recipients of this email are invited to attend the neighborhood party in Grandview Estates! (Everyone welcome, even if you aren't a resident of Grandview Estates). Come meet your neighbors! Sunday Oct 19th 4-6 pm at Silver Spur Elementary. Bring a finger food to share and your favorite beverage. RSVP Totran.radke@gmail.com