Pico Rivera : 3 Served With Recall Notice Over Repealed Renewal Plan

Residents who opposed an ambitious redevelopment plan more than 16 months ago took the first step Tuesday recently in an effort to recall three City Council members.

Petitioners accused Mayor John G. Chavez and Councilmen Garth G. Gardner and Alberto Natividad of plotting to revive the controversial plan.

In October, 1991, the council repealed an ordinance that would have expanded Pico Rivera’s redevelopment area to include about 30% of the city. Critics feared that the city would condemn homes and businesses in the new redevelopment zone. They collected enough signatures from registered voters to force a citywide vote on the issue, so the council agreed to repeal the ordinance.

Natividad said he was surprised to receive the recall notice because no Pico Rivera official has attempted to expand the redevelopment area since the ordinance was repealed.

“We have not indicated or taken any steps whatsoever to enlarge the area,” he said. Petitioners may be confused by city efforts to upgrade its General Plan by 1994, he said.

“People are afraid that we’re embarking again on some kind of scheme of eminent domain to take their homes from them,” Natividad said. “This is not the case.”

Ofelia Rodriguez, a community activist who is leading the recall effort, said she has no specific evidence that the council members were planning to revive the plan. However, she said members of about 30 local groups oppose the councilmen.

Recall notices were served to the councilman Feb. 16. Residents must submit samples of the petition to the city clerk’s office before they can circulate it in the community.

Signatures of 20% of the city’s about 24,000 registered voters must be gathered and verified before a recall election could be held.