Development Plan for Mountains in Works

The Los Angeles City Council approved a motion Wednesday asking that the planning department and a citizens advisory committee create a plan to guide development near the Verdugo Hills and San Gabriel Mountains.

The Scenic Highways Corridor Specific Plan would establish planning and development standards to ensure that new development in Sunland, Tujunga, Lake View Terrace, La Tuna Canyon and Shadow Hills is consistent with the surrounding hillsides.

“There are so many mountains in our district and once they are developed, they can’t be replaced,” said Arline DeSanctis, chief field deputy to Councilman Joel Wachs, who spearheaded the effort to draft the plan.

City officials estimate it will take one to two years to complete the process, which will include several public hearings to gather ideas and get final council approval.

The committee will study the area around the Verdugo and San Gabriel mountains, near Big Tujunga Canyon Road, the Foothill Freeway, La Tuna Canyon Road, Stonehurst Avenue, Sunland Boulevard and Wentworth Street.

The document will dictate restrictions on height, landscaping, building design, billboards and parking, as well as regulate grading and protect the views of ridgelines, domes and spurs.

It also will provide for equestrian, hiking and bicycle trails, staging areas and overnight recreation areas.

DeSanctis said the council district office is just now taking up the cause for the plan because, thus far, there has been little interest in developing the area.

“As the economy picks up, so does development,” she said. “We anticipate receiving a lot of proposals and a lot of those will be on the hillsides. If you don’t [develop] correctly, you can really destroy the hillsides.”