CITY MUST OMIT LAND FROM PLAN.Byline: Phillip W. Browne Staff Writer County officials declared a minor victory Tuesday in the legal battle over the proposed City Center redevelopment project after an appellate court A court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. An unsuccessful party in a lawsuit must file an appeal with an appellate court in order to have the decision reviewed. ruled that the city of Los Angeles
A three-judge panel from the 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled April 19 that the City Center project can proceed if it excludes 760 acres that were already redeveloped as part of the Central Business District plan. The ruling was part of an ongoing lawsuit in which Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County claims it would lose $1 billion in property tax revenue if the project moves forward. ``I think this is a victory of the county. We went to court because the city was trying to siphon off Verb 1. siphon off - convey, draw off, or empty by or as if by a siphon siphon, syphon draw, take out - take liquid out of a container or well; "She drew water from the barrel" property taxes to keep it in downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or ,'' County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky (born December 21, 1948) is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman. said. ``The plan would have deprived the county and the rest of the city of vital money needed for things like school funding and hiring more police and other services.'' Deputy Mayor Renata Simril said the city is analyzing the ruling and will soon meet to discuss its next course of action. She added that the city needs the revenue from the redevelopment area to continue its efforts to build affordable housing. ``Our hands are tied with these ongoing lawsuits,'' Simril said. ``We've been trying to work with the courts and those filing the lawsuits to find solutions. It's in our best interest to face these challenges ... and our objective is to prevail in these lawsuits.'' In May 2002, the City Council approved the City Center project, an 879-acre area in which the Community Redevelopment Agency hoped to build more than 12,000 dwellings, plus 6.7 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. The plan called for spending $2.4 billion over 30 years to assist developers in the construction. City Center also included 760 acres that were part of the Central Business District, a redevelopment zone established in 1975. A 1977 court judgment limited the CRA See Community Reinvestment Act. to receiving no more than $750 million in property tax revenue from the Central Business District - a cap that was reached in 2000. Once the City Center plan was revealed, Los Angeles County filed suit, saying the city was trying to get around the $750 million cap by transferring much of the old project area into the new area. The county also said the plan would illegally deprive de·prive v. 1. To take something from someone or something. 2. To keep from possessing or enjoying something. the county of $1 billion in property tax revenue that would be diverted to the redevelopment program. In June 2003, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marvin M. Lager ruled that the city could not transfer the 760-acre parcel from the Central Business District into City Center. County Counsel Thomas M. Tyrrell said all parties are reviewing and interpreting the appellate Relating to appeals; reviews by superior courts of decisions of inferior courts or administrative agencies and other proceedings. ruling, and he expects the lawsuit will return to the trial courts to resolve several more issues. ``There will be several more challenges from many areas, including challenges from advocates of low-income housing,'' Tyrrell said. ``There are many issues that will have to be resolved in some fashion. ``I am very pleased that the court has upheld the contention that the city breached its obligation of good faith and fair dealing in trying to evade e·vade v. e·vad·ed, e·vad·ing, e·vades v.tr. 1. To escape or avoid by cleverness or deceit: evade arrest. 2. a. an agreement that it made in 1977.'' Phillip W. Browne, (818) 713-3707 phillip.browne(at)dailynews.com |
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