Lancaster Delays Vote on Giant Development
The Lancaster City Council postponed action Monday night on a proposal for the largest housing development in the city’s history because of conflict-of-interest questions about a councilman who is already the subject of political ethics investigations.
A scheduled vote on the Serrano Ranch project--a planned 4,732-house, 1,775-acre master-planned community--was delayed two weeks at the request of Councilman William Pursley after reporters raised questions about ties between the project’s developer and the real estate office where the councilman works as an agent.
“Quite frankly, I’m nervous to discuss it or vote on it,” said Pursley, who is already being investigated by the Los Angeles County district attorney and the state Fair Political Practices Commission in connection with past conflict-of-interest questions.
The partnership that hopes to develop the Serrano Ranch project has hired Jim Gilley, a co-owner of Mid-Valley Real Estate in Lancaster--where Pursley is an agent--as its representative. And if the project proceeds, Gilley said, the office expects to handle land sales for the partnership.
Pursley said he has no direct financial ties to the project. But under state regulations, he might also be required to disqualify himself from voting on the project if the decision would have a substantial financial effect, such as through commissions, on Mid-Valley and Gilley, his employer and source of income.
City Attorney David McEwen was absent from Monday night’s council meeting, and Pursley said he wanted to confer with him before deciding whether or not to vote on the project. Pursley also noted that only three of the five council members were present Monday, although they still could have held the vote.
At issue before the council Monday was a proposed 25-year agreement that would lock in the development rights for Serrano Ranch, a project several years in planning that includes plans for a 211-acre golf course, parks, schools, and a mix of housing and commercial projects.
The project is planned for mostly undeveloped, tumbleweed-covered land between Avenues J and L, and 40th and 70th Streets East. The developer is the Serrano Valley limited partnership led by B.K Cho and his son, Y.S. Cho, and the U.S. Supply Co. of Los Angeles.
Pursley acknowledged he has become more sensitive to conflict-of-interest questions because of the twin investigations. The district attorney’s criminal probe is looking at Pursley’s vote for a project in 1990 on land for which he later received a $9,780 sales commission.
The state FPPC is examining that issue as well as Pursley’s failure in the past to fully report his extensive property holdings, real estate commissions and investments, as required by state law. Officials of both agencies said their inquiries are continuing.
