How Will Il Villaggio Toscano Impact Encino?

Encino residents are surely going to be impacted by a proposed Mega Project in Sherman Oaks. Every resident, worker, business owner, public servant and driver will be experiencing longer commutes because of the IL Villaggio Toscano (IVT) Project. To be located on the vacant lot on Sepulveda and Camarillo, which admittedly has been in need of redevelopment. M. David Paul, the developer commissioned a traffic study. On August 9, 2007 the California Dept. of Transportation accepted the study and agreed that 8400 more cars trips for another supermarket, specialty stores and apartments would spew out of the Mega Project (IVT). This study was based on a slightly larger development. Whether its 8400 car trips or 7000 trips a day our surface streets cannot support that additional amount of traffic. IVT own traffic study showed there was no mitigation for 5 of the 8 corners it impacts.The timing of the proposed IVT project could not come at a worse time, as the 405 will continue to suffer through its redevelopment project for another 2 to 3 years. Their constructions and haul routes would probably slow down the 405 project and generally add to commute times.

In a hotly contested vote on the Sherman Oaks Land Use Committee gave its approval to the 52,000 square foot project. The project, in its current form, would incorporate 399 dwelling units and 52,000-square-feet of commercial use, including a 13,000-square-foot public plaza that will run the length of Sepulveda Boulevard. The project developer is seeking to rezone R1 and R3 property to RAS-4. This will allow a massive, high density project in an area that is already beset by bad traffic and poor air quality due to its proximity to the101.

Encino Residents, Business Owners and Stakeholders are urged to come to the Encino Neighborhood Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee (PLU) and let their opinions become known. The next PLU Meeting - 7 pm on Wed. May 2, 2012 at the Encino Community Center, 4935 Balboa Blvd., Encino.  Or email Diane Rosen Chair of the PLU at diane_rosen@sbcglobal.net or Louis Krokover President of the Encino Neighborhood Council at lk2newday@gmail.com .

Eliot Cohen Volunteer Representative

Chair, Outreach & Volunteer Committee

Encino Neighborhood Council