Fightbundyvillage.org: Bundy Village Developer Caught Misrepresenting Councilman's Position

LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Lombardi, the developer for the massive Bundy Village and Medical Park project, was forced to retract a statement crediting Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl for getting a procedural approval for his highly contentious project.  The Bundy Village project would, if approved as proposed, add 21,000 daily car trips to one of the most congested areas of Los Angeles. 

In a story published this afternoon in the LA Weekly, Lombardi was quoted in a statement as saying "this approval would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of our team, Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and his office, and the community..."

According to the story, Rosendahl claims to have "hit the roof" before contacting the LA Weekly to express his contempt at mischaracterizing his position on the project.  He reiterated his opposition to the proposed development in light of its significant traffic impacts on the community.

"People have been trying to manipulate my role in this," Rosendahl told the paper, suggesting "that I've been collaborating and working with" Lombardi, he said. "My position has been very clear from day one: I do not support the project as-is."

Today's incident marks yet another questionable action by Lombardi regarding his Bundy Village project.  Among the many deceptions and mischaracterizations that have marred Lombardi and his team's effort to ram this project through the City approval process, recent examples include:

• A December email from Councilman Rosendahl's office that informed a Westside homeowner's group that Mr. Lombardi agreed to fund "up to $20,000" toward a time delay study to measure changes in travel time caused by increased traffic.  Lombardi later reneged on the agreement.
• Last month, when the City Planning Commission postponed a decision on the project, the developer promised in a written statement to meet with community groups, in response to requests from Planning Commissioners and the Councilman.  Rosendahl set up an ad hoc community group but Lombardi went back on his word and refused community requests to meet.
• Lombardi promised the community that Bundy Village would not include a psychiatric facility and then refused to exclude it as a potential use.  

"The City Planning Commission's approval today of the massive Bundy Village development is unconscionably irresponsible in light of the significant negative impacts on Westside communities," stated Lauren Cole, chair of the ad hoc committee.  "But the audacity of the developer to state that Councilman Rosendahl supports this project is offensive to everyone," Cole added.

Westside residents and businesses regard the Planning Commission's decision to approve this project as evidence of its irrelevance in addressing Los Angeles' problems through its common practice of "ad hoc" planning.  Despite today's commission actions, the process is far from over.  The project must now go to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee before a final vote at the City Council.  Further, the project in its current state is so vulnerable to legal challenge that it could be delayed for many years.

The Bundy Village and Medical Park would, if approved as proposed, add 21,000 traffic trips to one of the most congested areas of Los Angeles.  The developer's own traffic study indicates that 31 Westside intersections would be severely impacted and could not be fixed.  Opponents are urged to call Councilman Rosendahl at (213) 473-7011.  For more information, contact www.fightbundyvillage.org.

SOURCE Fightbundyvillage.org