La Crescenta residents cite fire evacuation concerns in battle against affordable housing project
Concerned residents and La Crescenta city leaders are urging Los Angeles County to take another look at a proposed five-story affordable housing site. They say Briggs Avenue and Foothill Boulevard offer only one way out, and with the proposed development, there would be a dangerous evacuation bottleneck and no safe way to escape danger. The neighborhood is in an area designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by the state fire marshal. The proposed five-story apartment complex would replace an 80-year-old motel at the corner of Briggs Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. The development would include 66 units and potentially house hundreds of residents. Tatyana Esmaelian, a La Crescenta resident, said the location could create serious problems during a wildfire evacuation. “I see this as a disaster happening, where it’s a repeat of Palisades Fire meets Eaton Fire, where people will get gridlocked to come out,” Esmaelian said. Residents say the intersection is already a potential evacuation choke point. Above the proposed development are already hundreds of homes, with Briggs Avenue serving as a primary evacuation route. Chris Kilpatrick of the Crescenta Valley Town Council called the proposed location particularly problematic. “This is probably the worst place in the
Los Angeles County, CA · 14h
