San Gabriel : Special Election Set Dec. 15

A divided City Council has scheduled a special election for Dec. 15 to decide whether the city should impose a one-year moratorium on multiunit residential and commercial development.

Citizens for Responsible Development, a grass-roots group that has criticized the rapid pace of development in the city, had collected enough signatures on petitions to force the issue on the ballot.

The council also imposed some stringent new restrictions on development, reducing the number of residential units that can be built on each lot and requiring recreational facilities for larger projects. “It makes some of the arguments for the initiative less persuasive,” said City Manager Robert Clute.

The new building measures go into effect immediately, but they will be the subject of a public hearing on Oct. 20.

Two councilmen, Sabino Cici and Edward Lara, argued against scheduling the special election, contending that the initiative is illegal and that it would expose the city to litigation from property owners. But City Atty. Graham Ritchie advised that the ballot measure be left up to the voters, allowing property owners to test its legality in the courts. The council voted 3 to 2 to approve the election.