Councilmember Tells Metro to Cut Back Development Plan

About 25 community activists from Toluca Lake, Valley Village and the surrounding area backed Councilmember LaBonge in his opposition to the proposed Metro Universal development.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge called on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to scale back the Metro Universal development project that is proposed for Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.
“I’m calling on the Mayor and the Metro board to do the right thing and reduce the density of this project planned for my district,” the Councilmember told reporters at a press conference near the proposed development site this morning. “The MTA’s mission is provide public transit, not to develop overly dense speculative projects.”
The Councilmember presented a letter to the Mayor that outlines his objections to the proposed 1.5-million-square-foot commercial development. The Councilman has received an overwhelmingly negative reaction from the public on this proposal, which would include taking land from neighboring Weddington Park South by eminent domain. Phase I of the project would include a 22-story office tower, studios and parking lots.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report for this project is available online by clicking here. The Councilmember urged residents to respond to the Draft EIR before the Nov. 24 deadline. He called on the Mayor and the MTA board to renegotiate the development deal, reduce the size of the project and limit it to the parcel already owned by the MTA.
Joining the Councilmember were community activists from several area neighborhoods, including Roy Disney and Richard Bogy of the Toluca Lake Chamber of Commerce; and Terry Davis, president of the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council.