Proposed Gated Community Threatens L.A. Wildlife, Scientists Claim

Seventeen scientists signed a petition opposing the development of Hidden Creek Estates in the southern Santa Susana Mountains, Louis Sahagun writes. The scientists argue that the 188-home community will threaten local wildlife, including black bears, mountain lions, and California condors.

The project’s developer, Austin Texas’s Forestar Real Estate Group, says that a 19-acre public park and 122-acre nature preserve included in the proposal would mitigate any environmental damage.

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted unanimously to allow Hidden Creek Estates to move forward, patch.com reported. The project must next win approval from the Los Angeles City Council.