Council, Shopping Center Plan Sharply Criticized

Opposition to the proposed La Canada Village shopping center reached a new peak Monday when angry residents disrupted the La Canada Flintridge City Council meeting, demanding that the city allow voters to decide the matter through the election of new council members in April.

The project calls for a 163,995-square-foot shopping center on 11.75 acres at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Angeles Crest Highway. The $25-million development would contain a Sport Chalet sporting goods store, a market, a restaurant and a number of shops.

The council, in response to Sport Chalet’s appeal of portions of the conditional use permit, voted 4 to 1 to hold new public hearings. Council members, who will consider the entire proposal from the beginning, scheduled the first public hearing for 7:30 p.m. on March 29 in the Lanterman Auditorium.

About 200 residents attended the Monday meeting, which was frequently disrupted by audience members. At one point, Mayor Edward Krause asked a sheriff’s deputy to escort a speaker to his seat after the man refused to leave the microphone stand.

Speakers generally supported deciding the Sport Chalet issue through their choice of new City Council members.

Three terms on the five-member council will expire this year, including that held by incumbent Joan Feehan, who is seeking reelection. The election of at least two new members could substantially change the distribution of power in the council.

Several speakers said they thought the council was trying to rush the Sport Chalet project because of the closeness of the April 10 election and said the council has been unresponsive to the wishes of city residents. Many asked that the council table action on the project and allow the residents to decide the issue at the ballot box.

“The only conscionable thing the council can do is throw it to the voters,” said resident Charles LaRue. “I feel it is my civil right to have a vote.”

LaRue cited a petition signed by more than 2,000 city residents, expressing opposition to the size of the proposed shopping center.

“You are saying our petition effort meant nothing,” Robbie Monsma told the council members. “You are saying you don’t care.”

Councilman Ed Phelps, who cast the only no vote, said further public hearings should be delayed until after new council members are sworn in.

Phelps said the Planning Commission requires 15 meetings to hear residents respond to the proposal, and that the council could not expect to conclude its own hearings prior to the election.

Councilman O. Warren Hillgren said he rejected the notion that the council is rushing. “All we are trying to do is move this forward in a logical manner,” he said.

Council members Feehan and Chris Valente agreed the council should move ahead with the hearings.

The council scheduled a second public hearing and study session for 6:30 p.m., April 2, before the regular City Council meeting.