Center for Biological Diversity

For Immediate Release, December 11, 2018

Contact:  J.P. Rose, (408) 497-7675, JRose@biologicaldiversity.org

L.A. County Approves City-sized Development in High Fire Area

LOS ANGELES— The L.A. County Board of Supervisors today voted 4-1 in favor of the controversial Centennial development, with Supervisor Sheila Kuehl casting the lone no vote. Supervisors Barger, Hahn, Solis and Ridley-Thomas voted to approve.

Proposed for the northern edge of L.A. County in an area subject to high wildfire risk, Centennial would spread over 6,700 acres (the equivalent of about 5,000 football fields). 

The development would destroy a large portion of the Antelope Valley Wildlands, which contain some of the most beautiful wildflower fields left in California. Rare wildlife like the San Joaquin kit fox and California condor would lose their homes.

The development also would add 75,000 new vehicle trips a day to the region’s already-clogged freeways, undermining California’s climate goals and generating air pollution.

“Supervisors just approved one of the most destructive sprawl projects in county history,” said J.P. Rose, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Centennial will pave over thousands of acres of irreplaceable wildlands, put residents at extreme wildfire risk, and clog our already congested freeways. Our county needs housing near existing job centers, not isolated developments in remote wildlands.”

In approving Centennial the board disregarded the opposition of thousands of county residents, dozens of environmental and community organizations, state agencies, experts in fire safety and public health and the L.A. Times editorial board.

“Supervisors just showed they’re not serious about fostering a sustainable and livable future for county residents,” said Rose. “The consequences of their vote will be more sprawl, soul-crushing traffic jams and habitat destruction. Sprawl like this is creates a truly ugly legacy for the next generation of Californians.”

The Center and allies repeatedly raised these concerns in comment letters, public hearings and meetings with the county. Today’s vote leaves the public with approximately 30 days to file litigation challenging the county’s environmental review of the project.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

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