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Health & Fitness

LA CITY COUNCIL SHOULD DELAY LOS ANGELES RIVER REVITALIZATION

UNITED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ASKS THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DELAY ACTION ON THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORP OF ENGINEER LOS ANGELES RIVER REVITALIZATION PROJECT

Monday, November 4th, 2013, Sherman Oaks, California; The United Chambers of Commerce recommends that the City of Los Angeles delay any action on the Los Angeles River Revitalization plans as presented by the United States Army Corp or Engineers and extend the overall study period for the following reasons: 

The Business community was not adequately represented in the study phrase. While a presentation of the revitalization of the Los Angeles River in concept was made 7 years ago. The proposed plan is radically different from the one presented. Originally the project was to cover all 51 miles of the Los Angeles River, included all of the cities through which the river runs and at an anticipated cost of $1 Billion. Now the project is just 11 miles, is limited exclusively to the City of Los Angeles and at a cost of over $1 Billion.    

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Los Angeles County is under a requirement to clean storm water released into the Pacific Ocean. The river plan appears to be a park project not a water reclamation project. City taxpayers should not be required to pay for a new park project and a county tax to clean storm water.

The plan requires acquisition of private property, possibly by eminent domain in the plan area.

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The plan will impose unspecified restrictions on licensed business engaged in legal activities along the LA River plan area. As a result the City of Los Angeles will incur legal expenses while driving tax paying businesses out of the City of Los Angeles.

The plan would require the City of Los Angeles to pays hundreds of millions of dollars in development expense. The options described in the Los Angeles River Revitalization plan range in cost from $1 Billion to $413 Million. The plan fails to take into consideration the current economic times and the dire budget circumstances facing the City of Los Angeles.

The plan is vague as to who will pay the bulk of the costs of construction which would be important in garnering public support for the Los Angeles River Revitalization project.

Has the master plan for restoration, completed by LA County in 1996, or the City’s own 2007 blueprint been considered?

Based on the preceding, we believe that the plan currently under consideration has not been adequately evaluated are inadequate.

Therefore the United Chambers of Commerce opposed the adoption of any of the proposed redevelopment plans. Further United Chambers of Commerce requests that the City and County of Los Angeles ask that the U.S. Army Corp of engineers restudy their plan and answer the questions raised by United Chambers of Commerce. In addition, United Chambers of Commerce requests that Army Corp of Engineers include credible business groups like United Chambers of Commerce in any future presentations. 

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