By Mary O’KEEFE

For over 13 years the fate of the property that previously housed the Verdugo Hills Golf Course has been in flux. On Tuesday a rezoning ordinance was denied by the City of LA PLUM, the Planning and Land Use Management committee, leaving the development proposed by the Snowball Investments company stalled ¬– maybe even at its end.

“We [went] to the [Los Angeles] City Council [on Wednesday] and made sure the council voted to approve the PLUM denial,” said Yvonne Columbaro, a member of Protecting Our Foothill Community committee. “Good news: the vote was 14 to 0 in favor of PLUM denial of rezone.”

The question before the committee on Tuesday was whether it would approve the rezoning thereby changing a portion of the proposed development. The proposed plan for the land would be to develop the currently open space into 211 single-family homes with an additional 18 homes to be built farther to the north, between the Verdugo Wash right-of-way on the west and Tujunga Canyon Road to the east.

For many years, the fight to save the land has called upon its historic significance to protect it. The site was most famously Tuna Canyon Detention Station, a clearing house for Japanese and other male immigrants whose countries of origin were U.S. enemies during World War II from 1941-1943. These men from all over Southern California, as well as immigrants shipped in from around the country, were deemed “enemy aliens.”

Prior to the TCDS, it was reportedly a Native American village. As stated on the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition website, which in turn quotes “The First Angelinos” by William McCawley, “The Tongva village of Wiqangna was located at the west end of the Verdugo Mountains.” This area more likely refers to the area of Las Barras Canyon and La Tuna Canyon approximately where the Verdugo Hills Golf Course is presently located, and the site of Vernal Springs.

In May 2019 the LA City Planning Commission voted to approve the housing project on the property. The Commission was met with about 80 opponents to the project, many of whom spoke. At that time the project was approved to have 215 housing lots and would include 30 acres of public space. Back then, as it was on Tuesday, the concern for many residents and members of the committee were wildfires. Signs stating “No Way Out” were held by members who traveled by bus to city hall on Tuesday to voice their concerns to the PLUM committee.

“We are hoping to stop the rezoning,” said Mark Dutton, Protecting Our Foothill Community member, on Tuesday before the meeting began.

About 50 neighbors with signs stood outside LA city hall to protest the possible rezoning.

Dutton added that with the new laws concerning Accessory Dwelling Units [ADUs] 215 homes could turn into many more. His concerns included wildfires and that the proposed community had only one way in and out, that it was placed in a high risk wildfire area and there needed to be a more extensive traffic study.

“They are creating a life threatening situation,” he said. “I can’t believe we have to say this but no new homes in a fire zone.”

With the 2017 La Tuna Canyon wildfire fresh in everyone’s memory the real concern of fire threat was on the mind of every attending resident.

Many at the meeting were against the development and spoke at the meeting including a representative from LA City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, and Liliana Sanchez, president of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council. Other speakers read from a list of those who were against the development. These included local fire and police stations and Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said in reports the project was “too big.”

Columbaro said that initially there was talk about having to move a fire station closer to the property to ensure a quicker response in the case of a fire.

Many were vocal about a retired fire chief who spoke at previous meetings and “used his influence” to contradict the residents’ concerns. According to Columbaro, he spoke on behalf of the developer and not representing the LA Fire Dept.

During the Tuesday meeting Councilmember Gilbert Cedillo voiced concerns about the Housing Accountable Act and the push for more housing throughout the city. The crowd responded negatively to his concerns citing that new housing should not be built in fire zones. Other members of the council found it unusual that the city had initially approved the development despite all the information shared by the speakers.

In the end, PLUM Committee Chair Marqueece Harris-Dawson denied the rezoning.

The Protecting Our Foothill Community committee members are happy about the decision and are looking toward the future.

“Elated and relieved. I cried happy tears,” Columbaro said of hearing the votes on Tuesday and Wednesday. “We would like the city/county/state to purchase the property at a reasonable price from Snowball and make it a regional park.”

  Mary Okeefe