City of LA Kills Entitlement Process for Safady’s Bulgari Hotel

The Los Angeles City Council has killed the entitlement process for the Bulgari Hotel, a luxury development in Benedict Canyon that has been met with opposition from environmental groups and some city officials.

The decision: The council voted 13-0 on Tuesday to request that the city planning director rescind an entitlement process that began nearly six years ago. The vote came after months of debate over the project, which would have required a zoning amendment because the area does not allow commercial projects.

Who wins: The council's decision was a victory for environmental groups, who argued that the hotel would increase the risk of wildfires in the area. The groups also raised concerns about the project's impact on traffic and water resources.

Who loses: The council's decision was also a setback for the project's developer, Gary Safady. Safady had spent years and millions of dollars trying to get the project approved. He had also secured the support of some celebrities, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

In a statement, Safady said he was "disappointed" by the council's decision. He said the project would have created hundreds of jobs and generated millions of dollars in tax revenue for the city.

A last chance: The council's decision is not the final word on the project. Safady could still appeal the decision to the City Planning Commission or the California Court of Appeals.

Some of the reasons why the council decided to kill the entitlement process:

• Environmental concerns: The project was met with opposition from environmental groups, who argued that it would increase the risk of wildfires in the area.
• Traffic concerns: The project was also met with concerns about its impact on traffic in the area.
• Water resource concerns: The project was also met with concerns about its impact on water resources in the area.
• Ethics concerns: Some council members raised concerns about ethics and conflict of interest issues related to the project team's lobbying efforts.