Warning Letter Sent to Chancellor, Regents, Real Estate Agent on Disclosure to Buyers of Japanese Garden

A group pushing for preservation of UCLA’s Hannah Carter Garden sent a letter to Chancellor Block, the Regents, and the real estate agent handling the sale noting that potential buyers should be warned about the controversy and possible roadblocks to modifying or removing the garden.  Real estate agents are required to disclose complications regarding sales to such buyers.  Readers of this blog will know that the sale has been delayed until August.  Excerpt from the letter:


Should the University choose to proceed with the sale and transfer ownership to a private entity, the Coalition is prepared to submit an application and seek Historic-Cultural Monument designation of the historic garden. Local landmark designation will ensure that this historic garden receives protection from both wholesale eradication and inappropriate alterations via design review by the Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources and the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission. Additionally, because of its documented historic significance, the Coalition believes the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden qualifies as a historical resource for the purposes of future project review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  This process will require public agencies to deny approval of a project with significant adverse impacts on historical resources when there are feasible alternatives or mitigation measures that can substantially lessen such effects.