Opposed to Over-Development in Lake Balboa

By Cindy Montanez

As a former City Planning Commissioner, I fought against Over-Development and worked on down-zoning areas and developing community plans that preserved single-family residential neighborhoods and open space. If given the opportunity to serve as your next councilwoman, I pledge to pursue preserving the character of our idyllic Lake Balboa neighborhoods and work with you to develop a vision for Lake Balboa that reflects the community's interests.

Like many of you, I attended the meetings regarding the proposed 187-unit apartment structure at 17100 Victory Blvd. this past month in Lake Balboa and heard our neighbors express my similar opposition to out-of-scale development near our residential neighborhoods. The concerns are numerous:

• Increased traffic congestion;
• Over-Development in our single family residential neighborhoods;
• Safety of pedestrians and our children's path to more than three nearby schools;
• Loss of public open space;
• Pressure on our aging water pipes, sewer lines, and other infrastructure; and
• Destruction of our small, suburban Valley neighborhood.

It is moderately relieving that the developer (Moss Group) has temporarily suspended moving forward with the proposal to build this large apartment complex; however, I have great concerns with the push to increase the zoning at that location. I do not agree with LA Metro selling the property to any private developer who wants to up-zone and overdevelop. As a local resident who works in the neighborhood and frequently enjoys the many uses in our Sepulveda Basin, I strongly oppose up-zoning and would rather see the property remain open, passive space to preserve the character of our community. I would encourage the City of Los Angeles to actively pursue the possibility of purchasing the site to preserve it as open space.

As a former City Planning Commissioner, I fought against overdevelopment and worked on down-zoning areas and developing community plans that preserved single-family residential neighborhoods and open space. If given the opportunity to serve as your next councilwoman, I pledge to pursue preserving the character of our idyllic Lake Balboa neighborhoods and work with you to develop a vision for Lake Balboa that reflects the community's interests.

I hope you will consider voting for me, Cindy Montaņez for City Council in the March 3rd election. Vote-by-mail has already begun. Please feel free to call me directly or visit me in our Lake Balboa office at 7100 Hayvenhurst #112 if you have any questions. My number is (818)794-9466.

Warmly, Cindy Montanez