West Hollywood : Sunset Complex in Doubt

Residents opposed to Raleigh Enterprises’ shopping and office complex on Sunset Boulevard have won a key court victory, placing in doubt the future of the big project, one of only a few major developments proposed on Sunset Strip in decades.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O’Brien last week invalidated West Hollywood’s approval of the project, siding with residents’ claims that the project is too big and that an environmental review of the 125,000-square-foot complex did not adequately consider air pollution.

Pamela Albers, an attorney for the city, said the city and Raleigh are awaiting a details of the judgment before deciding whether to appeal or make changes in the plans to comply with the order.

The brief order said without explanation that the project, which was approved by the City Council in March, does not match the city’s general land-use goals and was inadequately reviewed.

Corin Kahn, the attorney for Residents Organized Against Raleigh, declared the order “a grand-slam home run” for neighbors of the proposed upscale shopping complex at Sunset and Alta Loma Road. They had complained that it would greatly aggravate traffic and parking problems and block views.