SOC.. has won at least a temporary victory in Los Angeles County Superior Court. SOC had filed suit against Wal-Mart and the City of Rosemead earlier this year, challenging bout a dozen points contained in thie environmental impact report for the project.
On Thurdsay (June 30), Judge Andrew Yaffe ordered a halt to all activity related to the Wal-Mart development until the company and the city correct inadequacies that he identified in two sections of the report.
The judge required these parts of the report, which concern 24-hour store operation and possible alternative sites, to be reworked and once again brought to the Planning Commission and the City Council in public hearings before they can be adopted.
Yaffe's ruling will probably delay the project for several months, while SOC continues gathering signatures on petitions asking for the recall of council members Jay Imperial and Gary Taylor. The two men help make up the 3-2 majority which favors Wal-Mart.
SGV Trib story
Friday, July 01, 2005 - ROSEMEAD -- A decision by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge Thursday on the environmental impact report prepared for a proposed Wal-Mart has added fuel to opponents' fire.
Judge David Yaffe upheld his previous ruling that the report was inadequate and didn't address Wal-Mart's 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operations or provide an alternative site for the project, said Larry Bevington, chairman of Save Our Community, a group that opposes the project.
Bevington said construction was to begin in February. This latest ruling could delay the project for another year. The delay will allow his group to gather signatures to recall Rosemead City Councilmen Jay Imperial and Gary Taylor, who support the proposed Wal-Mart.
Imperial said Thursday's ruling may delay Wal-Mart, but it won't make the company abandon Rosemead.
Wal-Mart officials could not be reached for comment.
-- Marianne Love
Wal-Mart won't abandon Rosemead
This is the creepiest comment I have ever read.
If you want to read the judge's decision. . .
. . . or if you want to read the formal pleadings of both Save Our Community and the City of Rosemead, you can. They are posted at
http://www.briggslawcorp.com/cases.html#socrose
A list of other major cases litigated by the Briggs law firm are at:
http://www.briggslawcorp.com/cases.html
At the moment, material from Save Our Community v. City of Rosemead, et al, is sixth from the top.
[edited 12/22/05]