Rezoning Decision Delayed

The Hawthorne City Council has put off until Aug. 28 a decision on rezoning 80 acres at Rosecrans Avenue and the San Diego Freeway for commercial development.

The land, which now has a mix of residential and industrial uses, was redesignated for freeway-related commercial development in the city’s updated General Plan, which the council approved in April.

Such development could include regional business parks, offices, multifamily residences, restaurants and automobile malls, Planning Director Mike Goodson said.

Several major redevelopment projects are pending on the 80 acres. One, the 38-acre Mattel project recently approved by the Hawthorne council, has been challenged this month in a lawsuit by the city of Lawndale.

Lawndale claims that Hawthorne did not properly assess the cumulative environmental effects of the Mattel project and other major developments planned for the area. Hawthorne officials say Lawndale failed to express its concerns during the 45 days allotted for responses to the environmental impact report on the Mattel project.

The Hawthorne council held a closed session Monday to discuss “potential litigation” against the Mattel project. Later in the meeting, the council voted 3 to 0 to defer a decision on rezoning the 80 acres.

Under questioning from Lawndale activist Nancy Marthens, Hawthorne City Manager R. Kenneth Jue said the Mattel project already has the necessary zoning to proceed, regardless of how the council votes on rezoning the land for freeway-related commercial development.

The Mattel project would include the corporate offices of the toy manufacturer as well as restaurants, a hotel, retail space and up to 500,000 square feet of other office space.