A Local & Regional Monitor v. City of Los Angeles

I. Introduction

Plaintiff, A Local and Regional Monitor (ALARM) appeals from the denial of its petition for writ of mandate to compel the City of Los Angeles to set aside and rescind the certification of an environmental impact report (EIR) which was adopted for a 40-story commercial office building project located on the northwest corner of Sixth and Boylston Streets which was proposed by real party in interest, UC Land Associates, as part of its Los Angeles Center Master Plan project. Plaintiff contends on appeal we should order the trial court to issue a writ of mandate commanding the city: (1) to set aside its approval of the first portions of the Los Angeles center project until the EIR examines the environmental impact of the project as a whole and the city’s general plan complies with state law, and (2) to complete and update its general plan as required by state law. For the reasons stated below, we affirm.

II. Factual and Procedural History

A. The Central City West Specific Plan

In order to assess the issues in this case, we begin by discussing briefly the background of how the project at issue originated and its relationship to Los Angeles’s Central City…