Report Sees Adverse Impact in Valley Project

The largest redevelopment project planned in Los Angeles could have “significant adverse impacts” on the northeast San Fernando Valley, including pollution and loss of open space, according to a new report.

The environmental impact report released Tuesday calculates that under the proposal, as many as 2 million square feet of commercial and office space and 1,600 homes could be built.

The report, which was released a year behind schedule, was prepared for the Community Redevelopment Agency by Terry A. Hayes Associates.

The conclusions concerned some critics of the plan, including Jim Leahy, vice chairman of a committee set up to advise the CRA.

“The traffic is terrible as it exists now,” Leahy said. “Pollution is a major problem in this city.”

Councilman Alex Padilla, whose district includes the project area, said he will review the report and will insist that the city do everything it can to minimize the negative impacts.

The project includes parts of Pacoima, Sylmar, Mission Hills, Sun Valley, Panorama City, North Hollywood and Sunland-Tujunga. The report has to be certified by the board, the Planning Commission and the City Council as part of the adoption of the redevelopment plan, according to Bob Fazio, an agency official.

The agency has not yet completed its proposed plan for the project area, but the environmental impact report said it looked at different levels of development to determine the effects on the community.

The report found that the “maximum level of development that could occur” during the four- decade life of the proposed plan would result in 1.9 million square feet of net commercial and industrial development, after considering the loss of 430,000 square feet of existing businesses.

About 46 residential units would be bulldozed by the redevelopment program, with 1,646 new units built.