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Council approves stipulated agreement with West Hollywood for Sunset Millennium project, rejects filing suit now
Summary
After days of public testimony and intergovernmental negotiations, the council voted to approve a stipulated agreement with West Hollywood and the project developer that adds traffic and safety mitigations, requires developer guarantees for cost overruns, and preserves limited enforcement remedies; a proposal to file suit but hold service failed.
The Los Angeles City Council narrowly approved a committee report adopting a stipulated agreement with the City of West Hollywood and the Sunset Millennium Project developer that adds traffic and public-safety mitigations for intersections and emergency response along Sunset Boulevard. The council rejected a motion to file a lawsuit today while withholding service, and instead approved the agreement as amended with guarantees from the developer to cover specified mitigation costs.
Councilmember Michael Feuer, who led negotiations for Los Angeles, opened discussion by stressing the council—s reluctance to sue a neighboring city but said litigation remains an available option if mitigations proved inadequate. Feuer proposed a compromise: file suit but not serve it to give the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT), the Fire Department and Police time to analyze mitigation proposals. That substitute motion failed on a 4-10 vote.
The council then considered the committee recommendation to accept a stipulated agreement negotiated with West Hollywood. The agreement includes installation and coordination of an Automated Traffic Control System (ATCS) across the corridor, emergency-vehicle signal preemption for fire response, and other transportation improvements. Cindy Starrett, representing the project, said the package included $480,000 in direct contributions to the City of Los Angeles plus $7 million in project-wide improvements and a $315,000 contribution toward ATCS work. Council members secured a developer assurance that it would pay any cost overruns on the ATCS contribution.
Speakers for both sides urged the council to consider public safety and neighborhood access. Residents from the hills raised concerns about Alta Loma, a one-block street that provides access to the hills, saying a proposed cul-de-sac would remove access and imperil emergency response. West Hollywood officials and the developer said cul-de-sacing Alta Loma was critical to preserving the residential character of that street.
Council debated multiple amending motions. A motion to prohibit the cul-de-sac on Alta Loma failed (4-10). A motion requiring the developer and West Hollywood to guarantee payment of full mitigation costs passed (13-1). The committee report as amended was then approved by roll call, 12 ayes and 2 noes.
The council relied on reports and letters from DOT, the fire chief and police command that warned of potential traffic increases and public-safety impacts; members said those agencies still needed time to analyze the newly proposed mitigations. The final action binds the developer to specified mitigation commitments and requires coordination among city departments and West Hollywood; the council preserved the city's CEQA and litigation rights should later analysis find the measures inadequate.
Votes at a glance: Substitute motion (file suit but do not serve) failed 4 ayes, 10 noes; motion requiring developer guarantee of mitigation costs passed 13 ayes, 1 no; committee report as amended passed 12 ayes, 2 noes.
Council instructed the City Attorney and DOT to finalize the stipulated agreement for the city and directed staff to return if DOT, police or fire report that mitigations do not adequately address the city's safety and traffic concerns.
