Suit Seeks to Limit Growth

A coalition of homeowner activists has sued Los Angeles, claiming the city’s plan to accommodate 611,000 more residents by the year 2010 fails to adequately protect existing Angelenos from traffic gridlock, an attorney said Monday.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by the Federation of Hillside and Canyon Assns. and the Coalition Against the Pipeline, also alleges the city has insufficient water, sewage facilities and open space to accommodate the city’s projected growth.

Attorney Lawrence Teeter, who represents both groups, said the lawsuit filed late Friday contends the Citywide General Plan Framework acknowledges the city may not get the federal and state funds necessary to make transportation improvements to accommodate the projected growth.

“We are asking the city to adopt measures that will curtail development in the event that there is a funding shortfall for mitigation,” Teeter said.

The lawsuit asks the court to set aside and order the revision of the framework, which provides overarching goals for accommodating growth.

The suit also seeks to cease development plans based on the framework, which Teeter said could affect such major projects as Playa Vista and construction of an entertainment and hotel project near Staples Center.

The City Council adopted the framework Aug. 8 after revising it in response to a court order stemming from a previous lawsuit filed by Teeter and his clients.

To comply with that court ruling, council members adopted a finding that the benefits of growth may outweigh the potential environmental problems if the city cannot afford improvements to accommodate the growth.

Council members also noted at the time that they are requiring a review every six months to determine if transportation and other improvements are keeping up with the growth.

“That’s important to have in there,” Councilman Jack Weiss said Monday. “We can evaluate what changes we are able to make to the transportation infrastructure and then decide if any changes should be made.”