SB9 Could Threaten Pacific Palisades Recovery, Warns Traci Park
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Newsom:
I want to express my deep concerns about the impacts that State density laws are having on the recovery efforts in the Palisades. While your Emergency Orders have paved the way for an accelerated recovery by streamlining and waiving hurdles that have greatly benefitted homeowners, opportunistic developers are now using them in conjunction with state density laws to exploit a devastating disaster for their economic advantage.
Developers are purchasing single family properties and redeveloping them into multi-family developments through SB9. Given that over 5,000 homes were destroyed by the Fire, the redevelopment of even a portion of these sites utilizing SB9 could lead to an unforeseen explosion of density in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (HFHSZ) that has limited ingress and egress.
When SB9 was adopted into State law, it was never intended to capitalize on a horrific disaster. It was intended for infill development, but building in the Pacific Palisades is not consistent with the spirit of urban infill development. Pacific Palisades is a highly unique coastal community situated on challenging terrain with limited ingress and egress. Despite efforts to obtain exceptions from SB 9 and other state density laws in the Very High Fire Severity and Coastal Zones, lawmakers have repeatedly overlooked these overt risks. Evaluation of infrastructure and evacuation routes must be embedded in legislation that increases density to ensure the safety of these communities.
Given the widespread destruction of the Pacific Palisades, its topography, and limitations to infrastructure, ingress, and egress, I am requesting that SB 9 and other laws permitting increases in density be suspended until such time an analysis can be conducted to determine the capacity of our evacuation routes and infrastructure can adequately accommodate this increased density.
With kind regards,
TRACI PARK
Councilmember, 11th District
City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Council
