Azusa : Group Fights Development

Azusa First, a group of residents opposed to the construction of 67 multifamily units on land next to Azusa Greens Country Club, has begun a petition drive that could force the City Council to repeal decisions allowing the project or put the issue on the ballot.

At its Nov. 6 meeting, the council voted to change the zoning on the 8.4-acre parcel from water conservation to multifamily residential. It also adopted a resolution to amend the General Plan and approved the design and tentative tract map proposed by D & D development and developer Johnny Johnson.

The group is circulating two petitions, one against the zone change and one against the General Plan amendment. If it is successful in gathering the signatures of 1,413 registered voters by Dec. 6, the council could either repeal the decisions or submit them to voters in the April election.

Christopher Sutton, the group’s attorney, said the zone change goes against an April, 1988, initiative in which residents voted to keep the golf course and surrounding lots as recreational areas until 1992.

Last January, however, a court ruled that the 8.4-acre parcel was exempt from the moratorium imposed by the initiative.

Sutton also said the density of the development is excessive and challenged the environmental impact report.