GRANADA HILLS : New Theater OKd Despite Local Protests

Mann Theaters won preliminary approval for a nine-screen theater complex in Granada Hills Monday despite the objections of neighbors.

At a hearing Monday, neighbors raised concerns ranging from wind-born litter to the problem of thugs and drag-racing to oppose the complex, proposed in the existing JC Penney Co. store in a shopping mall at 16830 Devonshire St.

“The area is at a pivotal time. More and more graffiti is showing up on our walls,” said one neighbor, Irwin Spolter, one of about 40 who turned out to try to stop the project. “The community has to do something to ensure that more of this element doesn’t continue.”

Another neighbor, Helen Riske, was more succinct: “If this monstrosity is built I will sell out right away.”

Mann Theaters wants to demolish the Penney’s and replace it with a 40,000-square-foot, 2,400-seat theater complex. The firm was requesting an occupancy permit for the business. A public hearing and land-use review are among the permit requirements.

The firm plans to build a security tower in the back of the building and provide security guards during operating hours. Richard Gervais, land-use analyst for Mann Theaters, rejected the arguments by opponents. “I’m sure that no one can say that a movie theater is going to create more crime than the existing Penney’s,” he said.

As an extra measure to assuage neighbors’ fears, city Associate Zoning Administrator Albert Landini approved the permit on the condition that the theater would not show movies past 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and asked for some modifications to the parking lot to avert traffic problems. Mann had proposed showing films as late as 11 p.m. every day.

Landini told the opponents that the city could not justify halting the project simply because neighbors felt that “society is going to hell.”

“Where did the Valley go? It went to Agoura,” he said, adding, “This business is trying to make money. This is a founding premise of capitalistic beliefs.”