Bid to Disband Valley Redevelopment Panel Advances

Los Angeles City Council members on Friday formally began the process of disbanding an elected committee overseeing creation of a controversial redevelopment program in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

But some on the panel threatened to continue meeting, even if they are not sanctioned.

Councilman Alex Padilla, whose district includes the northeast Valley, was joined by Councilman Nick Pacheco in submitting a motion to the City Council that would disband the Project Area Committee.

Padilla acted after the committee voted 12 to 4 last week to dissolve because it was hopelessly divided over a proposal to designate 6,835 acres as a redevelopment project, which would allow the Community Redevelopment Agency to help developers buy and build on blighted properties.

“The PAC voted to disband, and I am simply carrying out their wishes,” Padilla said. “My commitment is to make sure there continues to be public input and a community participation process.”

However, redevelopment agency opponents on the losing side of the vote said Friday that they are making plans to continue meeting on the redevelopment proposal, fearing that otherwise Padilla will appoint an advisory committee to push the controversial plan through.

“We have decided to stay on and hold another PAC meeting to continue with the work,” said Victor Carreon, a member of the committee. “We feel we represent the community. I don’t want to turn this over to some rubber-stamp group.”

Dick Symonds, another member of the panel, said keeping the committee in operation is essential to make sure the public is involved in the process of deciding whether to go forward with redevelopment.

“We want the people to know what is going on,” he said.

Symonds said the vote to disband was not legal, but city officials said the council can legally eliminate the panel.

A small group of committee members, including Symonds and Carreon, said they have proposed that the panel meet Monday night. But CRA officials have refused to call the meeting as an official session because it does not have the backing of the PAC executive committee, which supported disbanding.

“By definition of the PAC’s action to disband, they canceled all future meetings,” said Bob Fazio of the CRA.

Carreon said the group is prepared to hold meetings on its own, even if not officially sanctioned by the city.

Caron Caines, who chaired the committee, said she has refused to sanction additional meetings. “I can’t stop a meeting from happening, but I won’t be there,” she said.

The motion to disband the committee was sent to the council’s Housing and Community Redevelopment Committee, which Pacheco heads, to be considered along with a separate motion that would prohibit the CRA from using its power of eminent domain to force property owners to sell their land.