Hearing Scheduled on Proposed Golf Course

A Los Angeles Planning Department official will hold a hearing Monday in Lake View Terrace to take public testimony on a controversial proposal for a private, 18-hole championship golf course in Big Tujunga Wash.

The hearing on the development plan by Cosmo World Inc. will start at 8:30 a.m. at Lake View Terrace Recreation Center, 11075 Foothill Blvd.

Cosmo World, a firm owned by Japanese businessman Minoru Isutani, is seeking two permits from the city, including one to sell liquor at a golf course clubhouse.

After reviewing the testimony presented to its representative at Monday’s hearing, the city Planning Commission will make a decision on Cosmo World’s twin applications at a later date.

Cosmo World’s project has been under environmental scrutiny by the city for several years. Complicating this review was the discovery of an endangered plant species on the 350-acre site in the Big Tujunga Wash, officially designated as one of the city’s very few “ecologically important areas.”

The Times earlier this year reported that Mayor Tom Bradley had interceded with top city planners to urge them to expedite their environmental review of the project, whose corporate sponsors have donated more than $30,000 to Bradley’s political coffers. Bradley denied the contributions influenced his actions and said he only intervened because the project was unreasonably delayed by city planners.