CALABASAS : L.A. Planners Split on Annexation Bid

The Los Angeles Planning Commission is split over a request by the city of Calabasas to annex 60.3 acres within the city of Los Angeles, including two cultural monuments, a popular restaurant, half a condominium complex and the Motion Picture and Television Fund.

Two of the four commissioners at a meeting on Thursday at the Sherman Oaks Women’s Club opposed the detachment of any land, citing a report by the city administrative officer that doing so would cost the Los Angeles general fund $150,000 a year in lost property taxes and utility fees.

“I cannot imagine going before the City Council or the mayor and saying we gave up even $1, while they are trying so hard to put 3,000 more cops on the street,” Commissioner Anthony N. R. Zamora said. Commissioner Shelly S. Suzuki was the other member opposed to the annexation request.

The land in question is on the northeast side of Calabasas, bounded to the north by the Ventura Freeway and to the east by Mulholland Drive.

Commission President Marna Schnabel said she would recommend that the council consider allowing Calabasas to annex 55 of the 95 condominiums in the Creekside Calabasas development that are within Los Angeles.

Residents of the neighborhood have complained that their community is needlessly divided, causing confusion over where to go for city services, in some cases.

Commissioner Robert L. Scott said he would support the request by the city of Calabasas to annex half of Creekside Calabasas, as well as the historic Leonis Adobe and Plummer House and the Sagebrush Cantina.

Calabasas officials contend that the cantina and the Old West museum are widely thought to be within their city already, because they make up half of the area known as Old Calabasas. The operators of both establishments support the proposed transfer of their properties to Calabasas.

None of the assembled commissioners supported detaching the Motion Picture and Television Fund from the city. Commissioner Les Hamasaki was absent.

The Los Angeles City Council may consider the proposal by Calabasas, which incorporated two years ago, as early as next month, although no hearing date has been set. The matter would then go before the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission, which oversees boundary changes.

In an impassioned plea to the commission, Calabasas City Councilwoman Lesley Devine said the annexation is crucial to her city’s efforts to turn Old Calabasas into a thriving city center.

“Calabasas has a baby called Old Town that we’re trying to revitalize, but it is being torn asunder,” Devine said. “Sentiment is very strong in Calabasas to keep our community together.”