LOS ANGELES – City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky called Friday for the city to purchase Senderos Canyon, a 260-acre parcel of land in the Bel-Air neighborhood, according to a motion.
The canyon, also called Hoag Canyon, is one of the “largest and last remaining undeveloped parcels” and currently is up for auction.
The land opened for auction for $39 million on Jan. 24 with a close date of March 15 — though it has been on the market for a decade without successfully finding a buyer, according to Yaroslavsky’s motion.
In 2013, the property was listed for $125 million with “limitless development potential”.
But “limitless” it’s not, as Curbed LA pointed out. Development, especially on such a grand scale, could be impeded by your equally wealthy neighbors, as Beverly Hills homeowner Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud (of the Saudi royal family) is discovering. Saud has been in a protracted legal battle with his neighbors over his plans to outshine them with a brand new 52,000 square feet mega-compound since 2011. Not even princes have it easy when it comes to real estate in Los Angeles.
Bel-Air Canyon Site Listed For $125 Million (PHOTOS)
Senderos Canyon would be able to be used for wildlife and public access to open and recreational space. The land could also extend the Westridge- Canyonback Wilderness Park and the greater Santa Monica Mountains nature preserve, according to Yaroslavsky.
“Over the decades, we have seen so much of our open space lost to development,” Yaroslavksy said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save what little we have left.”
If the property hasn’t been able to be developed in over a decade and with a robust homeowners association standing in the way of development, how would this purchase benefit Los Angeles taxpayers?
Yaroslavksy’s motion seeks for the Recreation and Parks Department to report back with strategies to preserve the property and for funding sources to be identified.
The motion didn’t detail how this purchase would benefit taxpayers, particularly considering Controller Kenneth Mejia recently published the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report noting “finances are stable but significant challenges” could be on the horizon.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has embarked on an ambitious and costly homeless plan that although the City has received $60 million in federal dollars to use towards homelessness, Mejia’s report highlighted increased costs in the fire and sanitation departments and rising pension costs as a concern.
How else should the city spend $39 million?
City News Service contributed to this report.
1 Comment
The motion to save Senderos Canyon is a critical step towards maintaining open space for Angelenos as well as ecosystem services such as carbon storage and flood/debris flow control. We have a moral obligation to save Senderos and maintain the health of our city.