Large-scale Apartment Project Raises Fire Safety Concerns
A heated debate is unfolding in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles regarding a proposal to build 398 apartment units on land that was formerly the Woodland Hills Country Club golf course. This area is currently classified as a "Very High Fire Severity Zone," raising significant safety concerns for future residents.
According to City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, developers are leveraging a provision in AB 2011 to fast-track housing projects on commercially zoned land. This regulation allows projects to shorten or bypass many environmental reviews and public input steps, a move Blumenfield calls "ridiculous" for an area with unique topography and significant natural disaster risks.
The proposed site is located near the Santa Monica Mountains, adjacent to an area previously ravaged by the Palisades Fire, which claimed 12 lives in the past. Allowing high-density residential development here without a full vetting process is considered a major risk for local fire prevention, firefighting, and rescue operations.
Infrastructure Risks and Legal Hurdles
Residents in the vicinity express concerns that the current transportation infrastructure cannot accommodate a sudden surge in population density. With narrow, winding roads and numerous cul-de-sacs, adding hundreds of apartments could make evacuation during a fire extremely dangerous and chaotic.
In response, the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved a motion to classify the golf course site as "vacant land." Under California state law, projects on vacant land in very high fire risk zones are not eligible for automatic approval, requiring developers to adhere to more rigorous review processes.
If this motion is confirmed, the project will have to undergo a standard approval process, including a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and public hearings. Currently, the developer's application is on hold due to missing documentation, and the issue is expected to be brought for an official vote before the full City Council in the near future.
