Centennial Update

We have a quick and important update for those of you following the campaign to stop the Centennial Development in northern Los Angeles County.

First, thank you to all of you who have emailed, made calls, and provided testimony to help stop Centennial! Now, the work continues.

Early this month, the LA County Regional Planning Commission postponed its decision of whether or not to recommend the Centennial Development for approval by the LA County Board of Supervisors. Now, on July 11, the Commission will be hearing additional public testimony and voting on a project that CNPS and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) warn is leap-frog development with an enormous cost to the environment, quality of life, and safety. (Please see our Centennial background story for a full recap of the issues.)

CNPS is working with CBD to organize a strong environmental community presence on July 11. We are lining up expert testimony and ask that our supporters show up, so we can stand strong together. Here are the details:

Please Join Us!

What:  LA County Regional Planning Commission Hearing

When: July 11, (CNPS and CBD supporters will meet in front of the Commission Building at 8 a.m.)

Where:  320 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles (Room 150)

If you can’t make it the hearing please:
Call. If you live in Los Angeles County, please call your Board of Supervisors representative and ask them to oppose the Centennial Specific Plan. Don’t live in LA? You can still call the commission to tell them you oppose the plan, (213) 974-6411.
Email. Send an email to the commission’s senior planner Mr. Jodie Sackett at, jsackett@planning.lacounty.gov. The Center for Biological Diversity also has customizable email ready to send.

For more information and talking points for your outreach, please see our comprehensive document:  Centennial Specific Plan Facts and Talking Points.

Good to Know

Barry Zoeller, vice president of corporate communications and investor relations for the Tejon Ranch Company,  says the Centennial project is “infill” that helps solve the region’s housing crisis. Sadly, it comes far shy of meeting the definition of infill development, which the National League of Cities describes as development sited within an existing community that is enclosed  by other types of development.  “The term ‘urban infill’ itself implies that existing land is mostly built out and what is being built is in effect ‘filling in’ the gaps.” (NLC.org, March 7, 2017)

CNPS and CBD are working hard to ensure that LA County leaders consider scientific data and expert testimony over the developer’s false assurances that this project helps solve the very real need for affordable housing near work centers. We want to see solutions that are both respectful of our natural resources and good for people. In a recent op-ed for The Sacramento Bee, Allen Hernandez, executive director of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice in Riverside said, “California needs affordable housing. But legislators must follow the data, not anecdotal evidence from monied interests, to find a legislative fix that will encourage development consistent with California’s priorities.” We couldn’t agree more, and this applies to local leadership as well.

The facts are that the Centennial Project:

• Proposes to build a city for 55,000 people on one of the finest and last remaining native grasslands in California.
• Threatens to destroy more than 5,000 acres of habitat for rare and common plant and animal species
• Severs habitat connectivity between three ecological regions.
• Adds an estimated 75,000 more cars to congested highways.
• Is sited on an area prone to high winds, earthquake, and wildfire.

Recent Coverage

Read this Op-Ed by CNPS Southern California Conservation Analyst Nick Jensen.

Listen to CBD Senior Scientist and former CNPS Southern California Conservation Analyst on KPCC AirTalk

Please join us in LA on July 11th!!