Calabasas : City Ponders Appeal of Annexation Ruling

Calabasas’ bid to annex Mountain Gate is on hold as the city considers whether to appeal a judge’s ruling last month that blocked the annexation move on technical grounds.

The city’s legal staff is preparing a report for the City Council, which will meet next month to discuss the matter, city officials said.

Residents of Mountain Gate, a gated community off Mureau Road near City Hall, have sought annexation for more than two years. Ahmanson Land Co., which wants to build a mini-city just north of Mountain Gate, sued Calabasas to block annexation, reportedly because company officials fear annexation would endanger plans to build an access road near Mountain Gate.

Ahmanson says the city should conduct an environmental study on the annexation proposal. The city argues it does not need one because Mountain Gate is an existing community.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O’Brien said in a ruling that Calabasas should have conducted an environmental review before filing a resolution of intention to annex, said Steve Quintanilla, an attorney for Calabasas. According to Quintanilla, the resolution traditionally is the first step in the process.

The judge’s decision, if allowed to stand, Quintanilla said, would set a precedent in Los Angeles County in that all cities considering annexation would have to conduct a full environmental review before any decision is made.

Quintanilla said the city could appeal the ruling, which could take up to a year, or comply with the court order and begin again.