Families Lose Battle Over Park

Leaning out her front door in Alhambra, Laura De La Fuente furrowed her brows at the vacant dirt lot across the street and threw her arms up in despair.

Once, all the children on the block, including her 7-year-old son, Steven, played there, chasing one another, playing baseball and flying kites. In working-class neighborhoods of tiny apartments and modest houses like these, where clothes sometimes hang on lines and children often outnumber adults, a threadbare plot of land can be more than just a communal frontyard. It can be a little piece of heaven.

But a chain-link fence now surrounds this land. Its owner, an influential businessman, plans to build an auto body shop. Residents like De La Fuente have mobilized, fought City Hall--and lost. Groundbreaking on their makeshift park is but a permit or two away.

“People around here don’t have much money,” De La Fuente said. “The kids don’t go anywhere. This is their playground. This is all we have.”

Earlier this year, businessman Paul Wondries won a conditional-use permit to build the body shop on the lot, which was already zoned for commercial use.

Wondries, whose family has been in Alhambra for 50 years, runs four car dealerships that generate more sales tax revenue than almost any business in the city. He is also a regular and generous contributor to City Council members’ election campaigns.

For two years, the residents in this neighborhood of mostly Latinos and Asian immigrants fought against the man they refer to as Mr. Wondries. They have complained about fumes and potential toxic substances and traffic and noise that the body shop would generate. Those who own their homes have worried about lower property values.

“Who wants to live next door to a body shop?” said Meehar Tom, who lives a block away.

Wondries says the residents’ fears are misplaced. He calls his proposal a state-of-the-art collision center that will pound out dents and repaint cars in an enclosed area with the most stringent pollution control system in the state. Emission levels in all body shops are monitored by the Air Quality Management District, he said.

Parker Williams, a former councilman and a current Alhambra school district board member, tried to lobby the council on behalf of the residents after hearing about their plight.

“As body shops go, it’s probably top of the class. The problem is its location,” he said. “Every guy has his castle, whether you’re on relief or sitting on top of the hill.”

A study funded by Wondries concluded that the proposed 22-foot-tall building would block noise from a Home Depot down the street, which neighbors frequently complain about. A city study predicted that the shop would generate much less traffic than a retailer on the same lot.

“This will be our first fully enclosed body shop in the city,” said Michael Martin, director of development services. “We have other body shops and we’ve never received complaints.”

Residents didn’t believe it. They railed against the body shop at Planning Commission meetings and testified at City Council hearings, bringing their own experts who raised health concerns and questioned the validity of the studies. They gathered signatures for petitions and they staged demonstrations.

Even children protested. Vianca Solares, 10, spoke before the council on behalf of her mother, Ana, who does not speak much English. Travis Espinoza, 7, marched with a picket sign alongside his grandmother, Lupe Delgado, in front of the vacant lot.

Outrage over the project rose to such a feverish pitch that it divided a City Council usually known for its unanimity.

“This man bought the property and he has a right to develop it,” Councilwoman Barbara Messina, whose term on the council ended Monday, said in an interview. “Legally, there’s no reason to deny him the body shop.”

Residents noted that the council exercises wide discretion over land use. For instance, the council recently denied a beauty shop’s request to offer massage services. The city is also forcing some mom-and-pop shops to vacate a prime downtown commercial area so that a private developer can build a theater there. To obtain land for that project, the council voted to initiate eminent domain against two property owners.

“Why can’t they take this land away through eminent domain?” said Isaias Rodriguez, who lives a block away. Several other residents suggested building a small park there.

A motion for the council to overturn Planning Commission approval of the body shop failed on a 2-2 vote. In the wake of that decision, some residents have given up. According to neighbors, two families have moved away. Others say they are also considering moving.

“What can we do? [City Hall] won’t listen to us. They don’t care. They only care about business and the people with money,” said Sandra Esparza, whose family of six lives across the street.

Others, such as De La Fuente, cannot afford to move and feel resigned to stay. “We’ve gone to meetings. We’ve picketed.” she said. “We can only do so much.”

Former Councilman Williams said: “When David fought Goliath, David prevailed. David lost in this one.”

A few are holding out hope. Meehar Tom and neighbor Lillian Anaya continue speaking out against the project at virtually every City Council meeting.

“As long as there’s not a foundation, we still have a fighting chance,” Rodriguez said.