Backup Plan Would Guide Warner Center Land Use

The City Council is expected to consider a motion that would establish a backup plan to guide development in Warner Center if the area’s Specific Plan is invalidated.

The motion, introduced Wednesday by Councilwoman Laura Chick, instructs the planning department to draw up an Interim Control Ordinance to ensure that new development in Warner Center would conform to existing standards.

The action is in response to an appellate court ruling that directed the city to withdraw approval of the Warner Center Specific Plan because its environmental impact report did not adequately consider traffic and air pollution impacts on Canoga Park High School and Parkman Middle School in Woodland Hills.

“We want to ensure that in addressing the issues of this lawsuit, we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water and lose the ability to control development in Warner Center,” said Ken Bernstein, Chick’s planning deputy.

The Warner Center Specific Plan remains valid until the trial court takes final action on it, which it cannot do until all appeals are exhausted.

Bernstein said the city is considering taking the case to the state Supreme Court and is in negotiations with the Los Angeles Unified School District to settle the matter.

The Warner Center Specific Plan was adopted in 1993 to guide land use in the area of Woodland Hills bounded by Vanowen Street, the Ventura Freeway, De Soto Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Bernstein said the Interim Control Ordinance would contain many of the same zoning restrictions and design criteria in the current Specific Plan, including setback, parking, sign and height restrictions. Excluded would be issues related to the effects of development on the schools, he said.

City officials said the full council will act on the motion at the Dec. 9 meeting. If it gains council support, the ordinance will be sent to the planning commission for completion. Following that, the ordinance would need full council approval.