SCOPE and other environmental groups win a battle, but the war is far from over:
A Los Angeles County Superior Court has issued a preliminary decision finding flaws in an environmental review of Newhall Ranch, a residential project planned to be built next to Ventura County.
In June 2011, environmental groups filed a lawsuit challenging the California Department of Fish and Game's analysis of the project's potential environmental impacts. The review is required by under the California Environmental Quality Act, a law aimed at protecting the environment.What it means for Newhall Ranch is more delays. The massive project is seemingly always "2 years" from ground breaking, and I imagine this ruling doesn't help.
It's unclear what the tentative decision could mean for the project along the Santa Clara River, which includes 19,000 new homes and 5 million square feet of commercial space. Attorneys have a chance to review and object to the proposed ruling, which could change before a final judgment is filed.
Marlee Lauffer:
"We are disappointed the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled that the California Department of Fish and Game's permit issued in December of 2010 regarding Newhall Ranch was based on insufficient analysis," according to a statement emailed by Newhall Land & Farming Co. spokeswoman Marlee Lauffer.I liked this part of the article:
The review also did not make clear whether the large development is needed, according to the court's preliminary analysis.That's got to grate on Newhall Land developers. Who's the court to question whether or not a home development is needed? If Newhall Land wants to assume the risk of building a huge auto-dependent suburb in an era of $4+ gas in the hopes that they can repeat the success of Valencia, then who are we to question it?
I would think it would become clear early on in the development of the Ranch whether the traditional suburban model still sells. It's not like Newhall Land is going to build all phases of the Ranch simultaneously.
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