HAHN CALLS FOR BROADER INQUIRY INTO SECESSION.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

Los Angeles officials on Friday sharply criticized plans for an environmental study of San Fernando Valley cityhood, saying it needs to be expanded and should even look at alternate forms of government for the city such as boroughs.

But secession leaders accused Mayor James Hahn of trying to delay the process by creating too much work for the agency studying secession.

The Local Agency Formation Commission plans to pay $323,274 to a Riverside consultant to study the potential environmental impacts if the Valley, as well as the Harbor area and Hollywood, become their own cities.

But Hahn said in a letter to LAFCO that the scope of the planned environmental impact study was insufficient. He said the study should look at the environmental effects on the remainder of Los Angeles as well as the Valley.

He also said the study should extend to the environmental impacts of alternatives to Valley cityhood, including the impact of cityhood not occurring, and other scenarios that would achieve cityhood's goal, such as establishing a different form of government for Los Angeles without breaking up the city.

The City Council unanimously approved Hahn's letter Friday, without discussion.

Deputy Mayor Felipe Fuentes said Hahn was not specifically proposing or advocating changes to Los Angeles government, but that the environmental effects of such changes should be studied as possible alternatives to secession.

State law requires that environmental studies look at alternatives to a proposed project. Fuentes said changing the form of local government might address secessionists' concerns about lack of city services while still keeping Los Angeles intact.

For example, he noted, some secession supporters have also proposed changing Los Angeles to a borough system similar to New York City's.

``All we're saying is you have to look at other things if you're trying to accomplish the same goal,'' Fuentes said.

The Valley environmental study is expected to be complete by April 15, while the Harbor and Hollywood studies are expected in May.

Richard Close, chairman of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment, said that by seeking to expand the study, Hahn was trying to delay the process.

``Hahn's goals are very transparent,'' Close said. ``He just wants to create so much work that this never gets on the ballot.''

Hahn has consistently said he wants the issue to be on the November ballot, but secessionists have frequently accused him of secretly trying to delay it by expanding the amount of work for LAFCO and its consultants.

Fuentes said that was not the case.

``I wouldn't say we're trying to put up any roadblocks,'' Fuentes said. ``This is just saying, 'Look, there's some things in your document we've noticed you've omitted.'''

LAFCO executive director Larry Calemine declined to comment Friday when asked whether following Hahn's suggestions would delay the time line for secession. The consultants performing the study also declined to comment.