Alhambra Planning Commission Rejects “The Villages” (Photo – Graphics Dept.)
Last night, in a 7-3 vote, the Alhambra Planning Commission rejected Elite International Investment and Ratkovich Company’s proposal to build The Villages, despite some changes offered by the applicant.
By Melissa Michelson
In the hopes of approval from the Commission, and after getting clear signals from the Planning Commission at the October 19 meeting, the developer’s spokeswoman, Megan Meloughney, who is Vice President of The Ratkovich Company and also the Vice President of Alhambra’s Chamber of Commerce, presented a few changes, which included reducing the total number of units from 1,061 to 839, a ½ acre of green space on the 38- acre site and 84 units rather than 55 units to be set aside for moderate-income affordable housing.
The Villages has been Alhambra’s largest, most controversial development to date. 491 Alhambra residents and 50 from outside of Alhambra have signed a petition against the development.
The majority of the Commission rejected the development on the grounds that the changes were still not significant and it lacked adequate affordable housing and environmental and traffic mitigation. Commissioners Lucy Banuelos, former long-time Alhambra City Councilwoman and now Planning Commissioner Barbara Messina and local real estate agent, President of Alhambra’s Chamber of Commerce and Planning Commissioner Suzi Dunkel Soto were the only three on the 10-member Planning Commission to support the developers.
Dunkel-Soto has recently come under fire from the public for not recusing herself from deliberations on this lucrative luxury development on the grounds of conflict of interest and violation of Article 9 in Alhambra’s Code of Ethics, which reads:
Each Councilmember, Appointed Official, City employee and City Volunteer should aspire to … Avoid even the appearance of conflict between public duties and personal interests and activities. If elected or appointed officials have personal or financial interests in matters coming before them, they shall disqualify themselves from making, participating in the making of, or seeking to influence any decision respecting such matter.
The Ratkovich Company is the minority stake holder in The Villages development, and represents the Elite-TRC Alhambra Community LLC for the majority owners, ELITE International Investment Fund, which is a privately-owned international real estate investment firm. Future Land Holdings Inc. owns an undisclosed stake in the project.
The developer’s proposal now heads to the Alhambra City Council, where City Councilman Ross Maza is also a real estate agent.
With the Planning Commission recommendation for denial, all eyes are now on the City Council to make the final decision.
Wow, what a big win for the residents of Alhambra who fought to stop The Villages. They bring up valid concerns and once you take a look at the Ratkovich company’s website, you can see they are completely profit driven hoping to dismiss the concerns from the residents surrounding the site area. Big congrats to the activists who made a change! ✊✊✊
I would like to thank both Planning Commissioners Danny Tang and Noya Wang for thoroughly understanding all the concerns of your constituents and not caving to the bullying tactics of the current establishment.
We support your tenacity throughout this months long ordeal.
I am appalled by the attack on your character exhibited by your female colleagues. Going forward it is my hope that the commissioner’s that haven’t been recognized to speak will be muted by the president until it is their turn to speak. Last nights mumbling by Ms Messina while Ms. Wang asked questions re: the new educational facility that will be relocating to Main St was extremely unprofessional and I am thankful that you called her out for her unprofessional behavior. The snide sound effects have got to stop!
Ms. Messina has long been part of the good ole boys club in our city. Over the past 20 years she has violated the Brown Act and no one has held her feet to the fire for fear of her wrath.
Ms. Soto has a lot to gain if this project progresses in a positive way i.e. commissions off of the sales of the housing units. I do wonder why the City hasn’t addressed the nepotism that exists between she and the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Mejia’s slam dunk appointee Ms. Banuelos, had the audacity to scream, scold and demean the intelligence of all the commissioners that voiced a denial vote of the project.
I applaud your efforts to stand by your beliefs of transparency within our city and we look forward to your posts. Onward and upward and don’t look back. You are supported more than you know.
From Commissioner Tang about the decision last night: “The Village” Vesting Tentative Tract Map TT 74194, Residential Planned Development Permit RP-17-7, Conditional Use Permit CU-17-9 & Development Agreement Planning.
Project Location: 1000 South Fremont Avenue; 2215 West Mission Road; 629, 635, 701, 825 and 1003 South Date Avenue
Roll Call – 7 Yes: 3 No
District 1 – Katherine Lee’s appointees:
PC Danny Tang: Denied, PC Noya Wang: Denied
District 2 – Ross Maza
PC Debra Garcia: Denied, PC Barbara Messina: Approved
District 3 – Jeff Maloney
PC Eric Garcia: Denied, PC Scott Chan: Denied
District 4 – David Mejia
PC Suzi Dunkel-Soto: Approved, PC Lucy Banuelos: Approved
District 5- Adele Andrade-Stadler
PC Ron Sahu: Denied, PC Antonio Gardea: Denied
Most of [his] concerns were not met:
•PARKING REDUCTION shall not be granted for new development (originally over 2,200 parking reduction , staff approved).
•Require PARK SPACE of 2.5 acre per 1000 residents and shall be open for all Alhambrans.
•Increase the number of Affordable Housing Units to meet the IHO.
•Required VAPOR BARRIER to mitigate the site due to health concerns.
•Maximum of 24-unit per acre (high density per General Plan in R-3 Zone), not 40 units or 75-units per acre.
•Revise the EIR and Traffic Analysis.
[His] thoughts:
•PC Debra Garcia, PC Barbara Messina and PC Suzi Dunkel-Soto discouraged me from posting Planning Commission Meeting on social media and called me a liar. They bullied and attacked me because they don’t like what I’m doing. They want the City Attorney to discourage me from posting anything regarding the Planning Commission Meeting. PC Debra Garcia threatened to file to CODE OF ETHICS which I welcome with an open arm.
•I’m disappointed in our City Staff and Director of Community Development, Marc Castagnola, who recommended the project AS-IS.
•I’m disappointed in our City Staff and Director of Community Development, Marc Castagnola, as they did not do their job(s) to the best of their ability. Many of the critical technical concerns were addressed by some of the Planning Commissioners. Staff is paid to check the technical report which they did not.
•ig thanks to our City Attorney, Gregory Murphy, in supporting the Planning Commission on the legal issues and clarifying the process. Awesome job!
One of the commissioners (Messina) voices her concern that the Alhambra resident who challenges powerful City Council members is unwelcome at her city’s celebrations.
https://youtu.be/8BgdCaZ6xgA
Lucy Banuelos is an appointee of City Councilman David Mejia. He is running for re-election today, against challenger Sasha Renee Perez.
Incidentally, Suzi Dunkel Soto is also an appointee of David Mejia.
This decision should wait until after the election and the new council members are sworn in.
Because we all know the Messina appointees and her handpicked, current councilboys are going to all vote down the line to approve.