Lawndale to Sue Hawthorne

Lawndale has decided to file suit against the city of Hawthorne in a dispute over the environmental impact of a $150-million redevelopment project approved two weeks ago by the Hawthorne City Council.

Officials from the two cities met Tuesday in an attempt to resolve the conflict but after a closed session Thursday night, the Lawndale council directed City Atty. David J. Aleshire to file suit.

Lawndale officials contend that Hawthorne failed to assess the cumulative traffic impact of several major developments in the Rosecrans Avenue-405 Freeway area, including the $150-million Mattel project, Aleshire said in a telephone interview Friday.

Aleshire said Hawthorne also failed to assess the impact of traffic on 147th Street, one of the major access points to the Mattel project, and the street on which Lawndale’s City Hall is located, just south of Hawthorne.

Mayor Sarann Kruse and a representative of Aleshire’s office attended the Hawthorne City Council meeting July 24 and urged the council to delay approval. But the council voted 4-0 for the project, which is expected to produce millions of dollars in revenue for the city of Hawthorne.

The 36-acre project will include a renovation and expansion of Mattel’s corporate headquarters, a hotel, two restaurants, a retail center and offices.

Bud Cormier, Hawthorne assistant redevelopment director, said Friday that the city of Lawndale had a 45-day review period in which to comment on the project before the Hawthorne council voted on it.

“It’s unfortunate that they would make an eleventh-hour thing out of it,” he said.