Cambria Spring Co. v. City of Pico Rivera

Plaintiff and appellant, Cambria Spring Company (Cambria), has appealed from a judgment entered after trial before the court, sitting without a jury, in favor of defendants and respondents, the City of Pico Rivera and its redevelopment agency (Pico Rivera).

Cambria complains that it was damaged by unreasonable conduct and delays occurring after adoption on December 23, 1974, of a redevelopment plan for the Whittier Boulevard area of Pico Rivera, which included the property on which Cambria operated a business manufacturing automotive and other springs. During the pendency of this action, Cambria filed chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and ceased its business operations, but it retained its real property.

Procedural History

On June 22, 1982, Cambria filed a complaint for inverse condemnation and precondemnation damages. The complaint alleged that various delays and unreasonable conduct by Pico Rivera after adoption of a redevelopment plan had rendered unmarketable, and caused a diminution in value of Cambria’s real property, which consisted of 5.58 acres of land zoned for industrial use and improved with six buildings.

On July 28, 1982, Pico Rivera demurred to the…