Save Tara v. City of West Hollywood

Latham & Watkins, James L. Arnone, Stephanie E. Ord and Benjamin J. Hanelin, Los Angeles, for Real Parties in Interest and Respondents.

Respondent City of West Hollywood (City) and real parties in interest WASET, Inc., West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC) and Laurel Place West Hollywood, Inc., (sometimes collectively referred to hereafter as real parties in interest) entered into two agreements to develop property located at 1343 North Laurel Avenue in the City of West Hollywood. (This property, described more fully below, is referred to hereafter as Laurel Place.) The first was an option agreement entered into on June 9, 2003, and the second was an agreement to develop Laurel Place approved by City's council on May 3, 2004. Work on the environmental impact report (EIR) commenced in October 2004; during the pendency of these proceedings, the city council has given final approval to the EIR.

On July 12, 2004, appellant Save Tara, an unincorporated association of individuals that includes residents of Laurel Place, filed a petition for a writ of mandate seeking an order requiring City to set aside the agreements of June 9, 2003, and May 3, 2004. The…