Judge Invalidates Measure to Revoke Historic Status
SIERRA MADRE — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has invalidated a ballot measure approved by voters in Sierra Madre last April, ruling the city violated the state elections code.
The ballot measure approved by 65% of voters removed historic landmark designation from 29 properties.
A landmark designation places restrictions on improvements. For example, it requires city approval for new windows.
The Sierra Madre City Council late Monday voted to appeal the ruling by Judge Robert O’Brien. Councilwoman Kris Miller Fisher dissented.
O’Brien ruled that the city violated a section of the state Elections Code when it sent out a letter explaining that the City Council had changed the language on the measure, which had already been printed in its original form on the ballots.
He ruled that the mailing sent to 7,000 households violated the law because it did not provide a sample ballot and amounted to an addition to the ballot.
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