Baldwin Park Citizens Against Eminent Domain

For Immediate Release: November 13, 2007

“Baldwin Park City Council fast tracking process for Bisno Development
project will displace hundreds of families and businesses ”

Baldwin Park, CA – Homeowners and Business owners protest at city meeting
WHAT: Homeowners and Business owners will protest city meeting that will study the environmental impacts of 125 acre development; which has identified the demolition of over 600 homes and businesses. The demolition will make way for a mixed use project proposed by Century City based Bisno Development.
WHEN: 7:00p.m., Tuesday, November 13, 2007.
WHERE: Julia McNeil Senior Center, 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Corner of Baldwin Park and Ramona Blvd.)
BACKGROUND:
Homeowners and Business owners have united against the proposed demolition of 125 acres which will make way for a mixed use development proposed by Century City based Bisno Development.
Mayor Lozano has stated that they do not have a plan for the proposed project and that the development may take up to 15+years. City records indicate the contrary, in a letter dated January 5, 2007 Bisno Development cites “the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association initiative” as a threat and urges the city to move quickly.
On February 7, 2007 the Baldwin Park City Council approved an amendment to the Bisno Development Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) that will fast track the entitlement process in an effort to beat the impending state legislation that will go to the voters in 2008.
Councilwoman Marlen Garcia stated at a the Council meeting of September 19, 2007 that anyone who was not in agreement could go to TJ (Tijuana).
Councilman Anthony Bejarano at the same meeting when asked were will the current occupants of the area would go? Bejarano stated “they can go to East Los Angeles”.
Appraisers are currently appraising properties in many cases against the will of the property owners and occupants. Tactics such as the forced appraisals and lack of noticing of meetings are only a few of the extreme
The lack of vision on the Council is evident they have neglected the needs of the community for too long. Now they plan to fix everything by demolishing the homes and businesses of hundreds of stakeholders and starting from scratch. True leaders are visionaries who can take the challenges of an established community and turn it around with progressive planning tools that will stimulate economic growth and prosperity.
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Where is this Baldwin Park redevelopment planned?

Proposed develoment in B.P. raises concerns
By Tania Chatila, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 10/30/2007 11:41:12 PM PDT

BALDWIN PARK - A plan to transform downtown into a trendy "urban village" has sparked outrage from some business owners and residents who could be affected.

Baldwin Park is currently in an exclusive negotiating agreement with Bisno Development Co. for what could be a multi-million dollar face-lift of 125 acres of the city's main commercial corridor, along Maine Avenue and Ramona Boulevard.

The Century City-based company is drafting an environmental report. It will study the feasibility of 8,000 residential units, 3 million square feet of commercial space, 750,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space, a 300-room hotel and a 1000-student charter school, said John DeClercq, executive vice president for Bisno.

"We certainly wouldn't do all of that," he said. "It would be some lesser combination of each of those components."

Some people are already objecting to the city's proposal.

"We are very concerned about what is occurring and we need more information," said Sarah Maga a Withers, a member of the Baldwin Park Business Association, which was formed in opposition to the project.

Maga a Withers is also director of development for the Charles Company, which has a
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structure in the proposed redevelopment area. She said she is a member of the association as a private individual.

"We are in no way in support of this the way it's taking its course," Maga a Withers said.

According to the agreement with the city, Bisno has agreed to front $2 million per acre for the project.

"We have a vision, but it's not concrete," City Councilwoman Marlen Garcia said. "We really need to sit down and look at all the components."

The boundaries stretch from Clark Street on the north, La Rica Avenue on the west, city limits on the east and Sterling Way on the south, said Melecio Picazo, the city's acting redevelopment manager. That area includes a more than 200 businesses and homes that face relocation through eminent domain, depending on how the project pans out, Mayor Manuel Lozano said.

If developed, the project - which could take up to 15 years to build - would be Bisno's first redevelopment project for a city and its largest project ever, DeClercq said.

But many business owners and residents contest that the plans - which envision a downtown with loft-style homes and condos, as well as high-end shops and restaurants - are too "grandiose" for the city's socioeconomic base.

"The residents here don't have that kind of income to support a project like this," Baldwin Park business owner Greg Tuttle said. "(The city) wants to make this a dreamland, and it isn't going to happen."

Opponents also claim the project has been kept "hush hush" and an attempt to force out the city's working class in exchange for residents with higher incomes.

They based that on comments made by Councilman Anthony Bejarano at a September council meeting where he talked about attracting working professionals to the city.

"You're basically saying because I have a large family with legal drivers in my family with multiple cars in my driveway, that you don't want me here?" said E.V. Guerra, owner of Gemma's Jewelers on Maine Avenue. "You basically want to replace me with another family with a husband, wife and 1.2 child."

Bejarano said his words are being twisted.

"I am not trying to displace the residents of Baldwin Park, or exchange them ... I just don't want to see another cul-de-sac with too many homes and too many cars," he said. "We are built out."

This project could also help attract business professionals who grew up in Baldwin Park but have since moved out of the city because of a lack of better housing and amenities, Bejarano said.

"If we get a sizeable base of people (with higher incomes) that provides services for everyone and increases the tax base," he said.

Officials say their vision of a centralized, pedestrian-oriented urban village will not only boost the city's look and feel, but also increase sales tax revenue and make better use of the transit station.

"Obviously, we are looking forward to the future of Baldwin Park," Lozano said, "and let's make it clear, the residents of Baldwin Park are looking for a new change and a new opportunity."

If the project were built, it would include affordable and senior housing, said Ricardo Monroy, vice president of public affairs for Bisno.

"There are thousands that will benefit at the cost of a (few)," DeClercq said.

tania.chatila@sgvn.com

(It sounds like it's mostly a controversy between small businesses and the city. The city wants to develop into Pasadena, so rich folks might move in. Local small business wants to hold on to what they've got. Other small business, most likely not locally owned, doesn't want to see their business taken and replaced by fancier stores. The article doesn't say how much is being spent within the city by residents, and how much is being spent outside the city. Also, it's not stated how many houses are planned to be taken. If there are a total of 200, then, how many are houses? 50? 20? Usually, in Eminent Domain, you consolidate commercial properties. Zoning restricts what you can do with the land. The "taking houses" argument is just an emotional appeal by the local businesses to get some political traction. -sgv)

The controversy is not being generated by the small businesses. As the daughter of a property owner in the area, I can tell you that the homeowners and tenants in the area are also organizing and are very upset about the attitude from the Baldwin Park city council. The #1 problem with the push is the fact that the city council and people that they hired are doing things illegally (trespassing on private land, lying about the process, sending notices for meetings that have already occured, etc. ) and without regard to the current residents of the area. Additionally, they have made it very clear that they are not doing it for the benefit of the current residents, but rather have this idea that current residents will be moved out and they will attract rich professionals (it's in the minutes...). This is just wrong.

Its the city hall

WHEN: 7:00p.m., Tuesday, November 13, 2007.
WHERE: Julia McNeil Senior Center, 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Corner of Baldwin Park and Ramona Blvd.)

I just came across this article and I have to say that I concerned and saddened with what is being proposed here, especially with the city council’s disregard for the lives and well-being of residents who are directly affected by this. Being a native of B.P. and therefore well aware of the issues that this city has struggled with for years (violence, criminality, and low SES), I have to say that this plan will not attract "working professionals." As a grad student who is currently contemplating whether I will return to BP upon receiving my professional degree, I have to say that it is not the businesses nor homes which are dissuading me from moving back. It’s the city’s perpetual violence, criminality, and unsafe living conditions. This is where the city council has to focus if they want to attract working professionals who grew up in BP. Cause the way the city is going, with high end shops or not, most working professionals do not and will not return to BP. Probably only to hit up Star Burgers. Just keeping real.

It's possible that this plan intends to cut up or demolish ganged out areas. So far, I haven't located a map of the project, so can't say, but someone probably knows.

They did this in LA, where they tore down the projects, and built new housing, but didn't offer any spaces to gangsters.

http://www.baldwinparkfuture.com/index.php

Found it - the promotional site for the project.

The site didn't include a map of the proposed project. So here's one. I was wrong. The area covers a lot of homes as well as businesses. There is definitely a gentrification plan here, as a working-class community will be impacted.

This protest looks like the difference between short-term personal concerns and long-term community concerns. If this development is aimed at improving the community long term (which, from what I've seen it is), it shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing.

Growth is invevitable. The only question is whether it will be smart growth.

O.k., so who does the reporting for this website? I'll say that I dont' always agree with Bejarano, and have had my issues with Garcia, but I was at the meeting on the 19th (I always go to the meetings) and I've never heard either of them make the comments this article claims they made about east l.a. and tj.

This article is suspect.

O.k., so who does the reporting for this website? I'll say that I dont' always agree with Bejarano, and have had my issues with Garcia, but I was at the meeting on the 19th (I always go to the meetings) and I've never heard either of them make the comments this article claims they made about east l.a. and tj.

This article is suspect.

The people posting the stories are usually the people who have taken a side in the issue. This site is like a "soapbox" where people can discuss.

I've said in another comment about this situation:

It appears that the prop 98 backers (mostly wealthy landlords) have been focusing on getting votes in BP.

While the people in BP need power against the developers, prop 98 goes too far, and would cost people too much money. Prop 99 is a less aggressive law that protects homeowners against ED but doesn't cause government expenses to rise.

The problem with prop 98 is that it gives property owners so much power that they could get a lot more money for their property than the fair market value, if ED were to be used.

No on 98, yes on 99.