Permit Station No Longer Opening in Rustic Canyon Park

By Laurel Busby

News & Information Editor

A temporary one-stop permit station that had been scheduled to operate out of Rustic Canyon Recreation Center will instead be located in another spot, according to Senior Field Deputy Arus Grigoryan of City Councilmember Traci Park’s office.

“I can confirm that there will not be a permitting center located at Rustic Canyon Park,” Grigoryan said. “The mayor's office is currently exploring alternative locations and options.”

The station was originally scheduled to open at the rec center in January for an estimated six to eight weeks in order to allow construction permit issues to be more easily addressed, said Eric Balfour, president of The Canyon Alliance. Balfour discussed the proposal with Mayor Karen Bass’ office and learned that it might draw 20-25 additional people to the rec center daily.

“I conveyed to the mayor’s office that our biggest concern is increased traffic through Rustic Canyon,” Balfour said. “We are already dealing with heavy construction, remediation, and Department of Water and Power work that causes backups on Mesa, Latimer and Brooktree.”

Balfour also relayed two other community concerns to the mayor’s office. Construction vehicles, such as pickup trucks driven by foremen or construction managers, might have carried debris or toxins from construction sites onto the rec center grounds. In addition, the station might have affected the available space for recreational programs, which is the main purpose of the center.