A controversial luxury hotel that a developer wants to build on the hillsides of Benedict Canyon, nestled among the Santa Monica Mountains, is set to come before the Los Angeles City Council again on Wednesday, Aug. 16, three months after the councilmember representing that area tried to kill the project.
The proposed Bulgari Resort & Estates Los Angeles would feature a 58-room hotel, the Bulgari’s signature restaurant, an exclusive eight-seat sushi bar, a state-of-the-art gym, a 10,000-square-foot spa and a private cinema. The venue is expected to host special events such as weddings and corporate functions.
In addition, eight single-family homes, ranging from 12,000 to 48,000 square feet, would be built on the property, which spans nearly 33 acres along West Oak Pass Road, West Wanda Park Drive and North Hutton Drive in an area susceptible to wildfires.
Supporters maintain the resort would respect the environment and wildlife, create jobs for construction and hotel workers, and improve fire safety in the area.
But opponents worry about the impacts to an environmentally sensitive area, and to nearby residents, due to potential noise and traffic — and alleged ethical conflicts involving a former L.A. City Hall staffer during the early stage of the application process.
The land is zoned for “very low” or “minimum” residential use, not commercial use. The developer is seeking an amendment to the Los Angeles General Plan to allow “high-medium residential” development on the property, according to a motion opposing the development made by Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, whose Westside district includes Benedict Canyon.
Yaroslavsky’s motion in March states, “The proposed six-star hotel will strain infrastructure in a community otherwise planned and developed for low-density, single-family development. … Due to the remote hillside location and other reasons … the project will not enhance the built environment in the surrounding…
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