A court hearing today will provide clarification on Judge James Chalfant's July ruling that stopped progress on an upscale mall proposed by developer Rick Caruso at the Santa Anita Park parking lot. The proposed mall is known as the Shops at Santa Anita. In July, Judge Chalfant ruled that the environmental impact report (EIR) that Arcadia officials relied upon in approving the mall was faulty in 11 areas and would have to be revised before the project can move forward. Chalfant could modify his ruling today, or allow the existing ruling to become final judgment.
Judge James A. Chalfant heard arguments yesterday on two petitions challenging the adequacy of an environmental impact study done for a proposed upscale Arcadia mall, known as The Shops at Santa Anita, developed by Rick Caruso of Caruso Affiliated. The complicated nature of the case could delay a ruling.
In a 50-page ruling issued Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant found the environmental impact report (EIR) faulty in 11 areas ranging from traffic to air quality. This means Caruso's mall project is stalled until changes are made to the EIR.
Rick Caruso has agreed to pay for a revision of the environmental impact report for the Shops at Santa Anita, the proposed mall development on the parking lot of the Santa Anita Park race track. The original environmental impact report cost almost $1 million. The new revision will require new studies and new public meetings and could cost another 6-figure amount.
Developer Caruso Affiliated has submitted a revised plan and environmental impact report (EIR) for review for the proposed development on the parking lot of the Santa Anita Park race track, called The Shops at Santa Anita.
As ordered by the Los Angeles Superior Court, Arcadia city officials were expected to finalize the repeal of all approvals related to the Shops at Santa Anita mall project and the decertification of the environmental impact report (EIR). Jason Kruckeberg, Development Services Director for the City of Arcadia, said city officials are just starting the potentially year-long process of fixing the 11 faulty areas of the EIR. City officials have begun talks with CalTrans and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts asking for their cooperation in fleshing out traffic and sewage studies.
Gail Marshall, former City Council member, was hired by Caruso Affiliated to consult on The Shops at Santa Anita mall project. The revised plan and environmental impact report (EIR) is now available to the public at the Arcadia Public Library in hardcopy and a CD-ROM is available for a fee at City Hall.
The city has extended the comment period for the Shops at Santa Anita environmental impact report. The public will have until February 27 to file questions and observations.
The environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed Shops at Santa Anita is now available. The report must be reviewed by the City Council before the development can be built. The report includes traffic studies of certain intersections and the economic effect on Westfield Shoppingtown.
Westfield, Santa Anita Shoppingtown, and Santa Anita Fashion Park, are the three plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the City of Arcadia, the City Council, and developer Rick Caruso, aimed at stopping the new mall The Shops at Santa Anita. Plaintiffs allege the environmental study done was flawed. Assistant City Manager Don Penman said the study was the most thorough one he had ever seen.
Westfield Group, owner of Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, plans to sue the City of Arcadia and developer Caruso Affiliated to prevent The Shops at Santa Anita, the outdoor mall, from being built.
Judge Dzintra I. Janavs said she will likely hold a non-jury trial on the two petitions, one by Westfield, another by Arcadia First!, against Caruso Affiliated next April. The two legal challenges will not be consolidated but will have joint hearings to save time. Plaintiffs allege the environmental study for the proposed The Shops at Santa Anita mall is flawed.
Westfield Group is funding a new "grass roots" coalition to oppose the Santa Anita Park race track mall development by Caruso Affiliated. The coalition is called Arcadia First! but includes Westfield representatives, Westfield tenants and downtown businesses, and not only citizens, as the membership in a grass roots organization might suggest.
A full page advertisement authorized by Arcadia First! speaks out against Caruso Affiliated's plans to build a mall on the parking lot of Santa Anita Park race track.
A crowd of people showed up at the Planning Commission meeting to show their support of and opposition to the proposed Shops at Santa Anita mall project.
Caruso Affiliated's proposed mall, The Shops at Santa Anita, may be hit with a second lawsuit. Anti-development group Arcadia First! said it will sue on the grounds that the environmental impacts of the project have not been fully addressed. The suit will make a ballot referendum unnecessary.
Westfield Shoppingtown has hired one of the largest law firms in Los Angeles--Latham and Watkins, to slow developer Rick Caruso's proposal to build a mall on he grounds of the adjacent Santa Anita Park race track.
Westfield Group has vowed not to donate to City Council campaigns in the April 2006 election, joining mall rival Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated, who made a similar pledge in September.
Seen as retaliation for Westfield tactics, Caruso Affiliated announced it would ask Arcadia voters to block mall rival Westfield from leasing space to Target Stores or a similar "big box" discounter.