Tesoro hearing to revisit affordable housing
Meeting to take place today in downtown L.A.
County regional planning commissioners reviewing plans to add 820 homes to Tesoro del Valle, who in August asked the developer to make room in the project for affordable housing, are returning to that discussion today.
On Aug. 1, members of the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission listened to at least 18 people speak either for or against the plan to build on the vacant land next to Tesoro.
Speakers that day were evenly split between those concerned about increased traffic and diminished traffic safety who opposed the project and those who urged the commission to approve the plans, with many saying the project will boost the Santa Clarita Valley’s economy.
It was the issue of homelessness, however, that convinced commissioners to continue the discussion. They voted for a continuance of the public hearing, settling on a date of
Nov. 7.
Today’s hearing takes place in the Hall of Records, 320 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, beginning at 9 a.m.
In August, after having shared his thoughts on the need for affordable housing and the creation of an emergency homeless housing facility, Commissioner Doug Smith said: “They need to be included in your development.”
He asked Michael Schlesinger, vice president of community development for the Bristol Land Co.: “Is it possible to place emergency homeless housing within the project?”
Schlesinger replied: “Right now there is no site appropriate for that. …We don’t think it would be appropriate to be held out to the community.”
Bristol Land Co. wants to create 811 lots with 820 dwelling units and associated public facility, recreation/open space on 1,274.6 acres, all as part of the original Tesoro Master Planned Development.
It plans to build northwest of the existing Tesoro community, north of Copper Hill Drive — opposite the Albertsons store. It calls for nine multi-family lots, 12 water-quality basin lots, three water-tank lots, one helipad lot, six senior-recreation area lots, 15 private parks, a senior recreation center, 29 lots reserved for open space and 24 private driveways.