Developers of the La Paz shopping and office center received unfavorable news from the State Water Resources Control Board on Friday. The SWRCB executive director sent a notice to La Paz that the board refuses to hear a complaint that the regional board had “failed to act” by not issuing a permit for wastewater discharge. La Paz also has an appeal pending before the state board similar to the complaint.
The notice stated, “After careful consideration, it is concluded that the petition in this matter fails to raise substantial issues that are appropriate for review by the State Water Resources Control Board.” A spokesperson for the state board declined to elaborate on the denial.
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has refused to issue the wastewater permit because, among other reasons, it says the La Paz application is incomplete. Tracy Egoscue, executive officer of the RWQCB, said on Tuesday La Paz officials have an opportunity to work with regional board staff to complete the application. This is what RWQCB voting members had told La Paz to do when refusing to issue a permit. La Paz officials did not return calls for comment.
The Chicago developers have struggled for more than a decade to get the approval process completed for their project at the corner of Civic Center Way and Cross Creek Road.
They reached a milestone in November 2008 when the City Council approved both an 112,000-square-foot and a 99,000-square-foot version of the development.
The larger option requires a coastal development permit and must receive the California Coastal Commission’s blessing, but the smaller one does not. A feature of the larger development, but not the complete project, is going before the Coastal Commission next week.
Santa Monica Baykeeper, an environmental group that is frequently at odds with the city government, filed a lawsuit in 2008 against the La Paz approval. A judge late last year ruled in the city’s favor.