PUBLIC NOTICE: ELEPHANT HILL MEETING Tuesday June 12 (2pm, Room 350, City Hall)

REMINDER: The rescheduled PLUM hearing on Elephant Hill takes place at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 12, 2007, in Room 350, City Hall. It is item #3 on the PLUM agenda; the File Number for this item is #04-1413. This is a critical meeting; please make every effort to attend. Thank you!

* * * * URGENT * Action Alert * Elephant Hill Update * URGENT * Action Alert

Urge Huizar to Require Full Environmental Review for Elephant Hill

In his recent campaign for re-election, Councilmember Jose Huizar ran on an
environmental platform. He promised to make our communities safer, cleaner and
greener. He vowed to expand green and open space. Last summer as the campaign heated up, he responded to El Sereno residents' pleas for help to ensure equitable services from City agencies responsible for residential developments by introducing a motion to investigate the need for a supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR) for Tract 35022, the controversial development of 24 luxury homes on Elephant Hill.

Now, under the threat of a lawsuit by the developers of Elephant Hill, the City
agencies charged with undertaking this investigation recommended NO SEIR for Tract 35022 at the May 22nd Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) hearing.

Councilmember Huizar sits on that powerful committee. The report, developed under direction of the Planning Dept., argues that no supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR) is required because there are no pending *discretionary* approvals for this Tract.
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At the hearing, the issue of equity in planning decision-making for low-income
communities like El Sereno hit home when Joe Edmiston of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy testified that similar situations in Westside communities
have been decided in favor of residents. Fortunately, PLUM extended the hearing, allowing residents the opportunity to review and respond to the report.

Residents have informed PLUM of the inaccuracies and problems with the report.

The National Resources Defense Council and Chatten-Brown & Carstens submitted
comments that building permits are a discretionary action, thereby allowing the
City to require a SEIR for Tract 35022 under state law.

Councilmember Huizar needs the backing of his constituents, as well as the EJ
and environmental communities to stand firm in his commitment to environmental
justice and stop this illegal expansion of a luxury home development in a low-income community. Please help send a clear message to Councilmember Huizar that our community expects him exercise his considerable authority to ensure that El Sereno residents receive equitable and fair services from City agencies responsible for residential developments. These developers must be accountable and follow the rules just like everyone else, despite their wealth, influence and threats.

What You Can Do:

1. Attend the next PLUM hearing on Elephant Hill at 2 p.m., Tuesday, June 12,
2007, in Room 350, City Hall. The File Number for this item is #04-1413.

2. Write or Councilmember Huizar and tell him you will stand with him as he fights for environmental justice in El Sereno by ensuring fair and equitable services from the agencies responsible for residential development on Elephant Hill. SEE THE SAMPLE LETTER BELOW.

Also, if the B-permit is approved by the Bureau of Engineering, he must issue a
stop work order so that the hillside is not destroyed before this issue is resolved.
* Email: councilmember.huizar@lacity.org or Call 213-473-7014

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