Council Free to Vote on Project, City Attorney Says

The city attorney has determined that City Council members would not face conflict of interest in voting on a huge housing development that is near the homes of all five members.

The potential conflict of interest could have disqualified every council member from voting on the proposed 2,000-home Rosedale project by Lewis Homes in northeast Azusa. But an appraiser determined that the 520-acre development would have little or no impact on the values of the council members’ houses.

City Atty. Sonia Rubio Carvalho advised the council to forward the appraiser’s findings to the Fair Political Practices Commission for review. If the commission approves the findings, council members could vote on the project with immunity from legal challenges.

The proposed development is within 2,500 feet of each council member’s property. In the case of Councilman Dick Stanford, the project is less than 300 feet away. Under state law, officials who own property within 2,500 feet of a project cannot vote if their property value would change by more than $10,000, while those within 300 feet are disqualified if any change would occur.

An independent appraiser hired by the city found that the property values of none of the council members would change by $10,000. In Stanford’s case, the value of his townhouse would not be affected, the appraiser found.

If the entire five-member council has a conflict, members would have to draw straws for three of them to vote on the project.