Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City Council approves Pico Plaza project after neighborhood protections added
Summary
The City Council approved a long-disputed redevelopment of the former Sears site on Pico Boulevard — including Home Depot and Costco — after requiring traffic mitigations, a $300,000 neighborhood protection fund and DOT-led driveway controls. The vote followed hours of public comment from residents and business groups.
The Los Angeles City Council on Thursday approved the redevelopment of the blighted Sears site on Pico Boulevard, a project that will include large-format retail (Home Depot and Costco), after adding conditions intended to limit traffic impacts on adjacent residential streets.
Council members voted to adopt the Planning and Land Use recommendations as amended after a lengthy public hearing in which opponents and proponents each were given equal time to present their positions. The council approved the project as amended by a roll-call vote of 10 ayes, 0 nos recorded at the time of final tabulation (three members previously recorded noes during discussion), following an earlier amending motion approved 13–0.
The amendment adopted by the council requires: a physical barrier (described in the meeting as a “pork‑chop” or similar curb/median treatment) at the project driveway on Pico Boulevard to prevent vehicles from entering or exiting the site by going straight across into Rimpau Boulevard; Department of Transportation (DOT) design of the ingress/egress in coordination with the applicant and with MTA sign-off because the project includes a relocated transit center; left‑turn‑only ingress and left‑/right‑turn‑only egress at the Pico/Rimpau driveway; and a $300,000 neighborhood protection fund to address traffic impacts, available for five years.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the scale of the project and the proposed alignment of the main driveway would divert substantial traffic down narrow, historic residential streets such as Rimpau Boulevard and nearby Muirfield, Hudson and West Boulevard. Supporters said the site is a long-standing eyesore, that the development will bring jobs, sales tax revenue and local retail options, and that the added conditions will protect adjacent neighborhoods.
Opponents, several of whom said they would not oppose redevelopment per se, urged the council either to require a full environmental impact report under the federal funding rules (the project has a reported $10 million federal subsidy), to limit building height to existing zoning, or to prohibit truck access on West Boulevard. Jay Jermaine, president of Victoria Park Neighborhood Association, told the council: "Truck access to or from the development to or from West Boulevard must be prohibited before the approval is granted or accidents will happen and folks will be injured or die." That statement was given as public comment and is recorded in the hearing transcript.
Proponents, including representatives from neighborhood associations and the project applicant, said the site is blighted and that the project has broad local support: speakers offered signed letters and neighborhood-association endorsements. Ben Resnick, counsel for the applicant, said the developer agreed to the driveway control condition and will implement it subject to DOT and MTA approvals; he asked the council for speedy approval.
The council directed DOT to design the physical barrier and driveway controls in coordination with the applicant and to secure MTA concurrence because of the new transit center. The approval is subject to conditions listed in the Planning Department and PLUM committee report and to any requirements from DOT and MTA completion of their design work.
What remains: Several residents said they would pursue appeals or litigation if neighborhood protections prove inadequate; the council and the developer committed on the record to continue working with residents to refine traffic mitigation. The project also requires remaining administrative approvals (DOT, MTA sign‑off) before construction can proceed.
Votes and next steps: The council first approved an amending motion (13 ayes) that incorporated a Ridley Thomas motion; the full item as amended passed on the final roll call 10 ayes, 3 noes. Council members said they will continue to monitor implementation and mitigation measures and directed staff to report back on DOT and MTA approvals and the neighborhood fund.
