Hotel Construction Ban Is Extended
A spokesman for the owners of the closed Horseshoe Club poker casino told Gardena City Council members this week that plans to develop the club site could be delayed if the city extends its moratorium on new hotel and motel construction.
Nonetheless, the council voted unanimously this week to extend the moratorium, imposed last September, for another year while the city staff continues to study whether Gardena needs to restrict the size and number of its hotels and motels.
“The intent of the ordinance is a good one and a needed one,” said Councilman Mas Fukai. “I think we have too many (motels) in this town, and I don’t want to see any more. Unless we do this now, we are going to have a hotel we don’t need in every block of this city.”
The city staff is studying land-use issues, including a possible requirement for a minimum lot size for new hotels, City Manager Kenneth Landau said. The report will probably be completed and submitted to the Planning Commission within 90 days, he said.
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