Pedro Reyes and Gloria Acosta of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) filed an appeal Feb. 19 against the Santa Maria Planning Commission’s decision to approve a planned development permit for construction of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in Santa Maria.
In the appeal, LULAC says the Planning Commission erred in voting for the permit because the project violates municipal code. Specifically, LULAC states:
- The sites [sic] main purpose is to detain and process of [sic] undocumented individuals. Not for the use as proposed used in the permit submitted.
- The amount of traffic generated by the project would require installation of a traffic signal.
- The proposed site will have an adverse effect on its surrounding properties.
- The ICE facility would have an adverse effect on the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the people residing or working in the neighborhoods of Santa Maria.
Larry Appel, director of the city’s Community Development Department, said the appeal will be reviewed and included, along with any other filed appeals, in a presentation to the the City Council on March 12.
That meeting will be held at the Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg St. Appel said the city is considering holding it a little earlier in the evening, but has yet to make a final decision.
This article appears in Feb 13-20, 2014.