Judge finalizes Walmart ruling
A tentative ruling that halted Walmart’s plans —at least temporarily — for a store near the Empire Center was finalized Friday.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Allan J. Goodman’s final judgment confirms that Burbank officials must rescind building permits issued to Walmart to open a store adjacent to the Empire Center, and set aside the California Environmental Quality Act exemption made for the project in 2012.
The lawsuit was filed by three Burbank residents — Shanna Ingalsbee, Katherine Olson and Yvette Ziraldo — in an effort to block the opening of the store until street improvements outlined in an ordinance approved by the Burbank City Council a dozen years ago are completed and another environmental impact review is conducted.
The ruling confirms that the city of Burbank must reconsider its action on the project under its own code — that it must go back to the requirements delineated in the original ordinance approving the center and complete the street improvements or conclusively show that they are not needed.
Walmart was set to open a store in the former Great Indoors this year.
--
Follow Daniel Siegal on Google+ and on Twitter: @Daniel_Siegal.
ALSO:
Memorial honoring five killed in car crash keeps growing
Crash survivor devastated over loss of friends