Dear Friend:
Thank you all so much for signing up for updates on the proposed development at the Woodland Hills Country Club. Your continued advocacy and attention is going to be a critical part of righting this wrong.
Right now, my team and I are continuing to pursue paths that we believe can withstand legal muster. The issue of whether the Country Club land is vacant or not appears to be one of the roads that could prove successful. As I wrote in my newsletter earlier today, I sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom formally requesting that he direct the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to clarify the undefined term “vacant site” in Government Code § 65912.121(j). The easiest route to get this project off the ministerial path is for the Governor to work with HCD to firmly define vacant sites in such a way that includes the golf course — so that should be our immediate goal right now.
I have discussed this issue several times in the past week with Mayor Bass and she fully understands the issue and wants to help. She and I are scheduling a call with the Governor to reinforce the importance of the request made in my letter. My staff has also connected with the Governor’s team, so they are briefed on our concerns and he will be prior to the call.
I’m very grateful to the Mayor for her help in making this happen.
In addition, the City Council approved my motion directing City departments to develop a definition of “vacant site” under the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022 that includes golf courses located in Very High Fire Severity Zones, unless a different definition is formally issued by HCD. This action ensures that City departments are fully engaged and working alongside my office on this issue.
Many neighbors have reached out to ask how they can help. As we continue going down multiple paths, the most important thing at the moment is writing to the Governor and sharing your concerns and your stories about our community and the dangers that this project would cause. Contact the Governor here. At the end of this email, there is a template that can be used with space to include your story and concerns about the project.
My team has been building a website to host a comprehensive history regarding this issue which includes all of my letters and updates. The website will continue to grow and it can be found here. As more clarity and information become available, I will continue to share updates. Also, you can contact my Planning Director Elizabeth Ene at elizabeth.ene@lacity.org or my Communications Director Jake Flynn at jake.flynn@lacity.org with any questions or concerns about this location and proposal.
Thank you for your advocacy and standing up for our community,
