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Published on: February 8, 2013

Saudi Prince Files a $25 Million Lawsuit Against the City of Los Angeles for Illegally Blocking Construction of His Family Residential Estate in Benedict Canyon

by Benjamin M. Reznik of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP

On February 5, 2013, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell (JMBM) filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court (Case # BS141623) against the City of Los Angeles on behalf of Tower Lane Properties LLP whose beneficial owner is Saudi prince Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdul-Aziz al Saud, the current Deputy Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia. The lawsuit seeks a writ of mandate to compel the city to issue the building permits and damages in the amount of $25 million caused by the city’s allegedly illegal and discriminatory conduct.

According to the complaint, the city has engaged in continuous efforts to block the project. In 2012, the city refused to apply its grading permit rules to the Tower Lane project in the same manner it had been applied to other projects for the past 40 years. In so doing, the city attempted to force Tower Lane to undergo a long and extensive process never before applied to other similarly situated projects. Tower Lane sued and prevailed in Tower Lane Properties, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No.BS137339. According to JMBM lawyer Benjamin M. Reznik, the city has now manufactured new illegal obstacles to the issuance of the building permits thereby necessitating the filing of this lawsuit.

“Our client had hoped that following last year’s victory in court the city would treat his application fairly and process it without further delay. Needless to say, he is greatly disappointed and disheartened by the overt discriminatory treatment he has received,” said Reznik. “We are compelled to file this lawsuit because without judicial intervention this illegal conduct will continue unchecked,” he said.

In 2009 the prince purchased three separate but adjoining legal parcels on Tower Lane in the Benedict Canyon neighborhood. Since the mid-1920’s, these properties housed the estate of famous Hollywood film director and producer King W. Vidor. The current plans call for a single family residence on each of the three parcels and are designed in strict conformance with the city building and zoning codes.

Contact
Benjamin M. Reznik BMR@jmbm.com 310.201.3572

Benjamin M. Reznik

Ben Reznik is the founder and chair of the Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP. Ben's practice emphasizes real estate development entitlements, zoning and environmental issues. He appears regularly before planning commissions, city councils and other governmental boards and agencies, as well as the courts. Ben and his work have been featured in the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Business Journal, and he has been included in the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of California's "Top 100" lawyers. Ben leads a group of distinguished attorneys whose work has resulted in JMBM's inclusion in the U.S. News & World Report / Best Lawyers® list of Best Law Firms (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015) with a National First-Tier Ranking and a Metropolitan First-Tier Ranking (Los Angeles) in the area of Land Use and Zoning Law. Contact Ben at BMR@jmbm.com or 310.201.3572.

Kerry Shapiro

Kerry Shapiro has a comprehensive government, land use, environmental, and natural resources practice, with extensive experience working with NEPA, CEQA, the Endangered Species Acts, the Mining Law of 1872, FLPMA, the Mineral Materials Act, SMARA, and the Clean Water Act, in relation to various entitlements and public land matters and related litigation, at federal, state, and local levels. Kerry has also specialized in representing the construction and building materials industry on mineral extraction and land development projects for over 20 years, and has secured entitlements for the largest federally-approved sand and gravel project in the United States, obtained the first-ever vested rights confirmation from the State of California for the largest construction aggregate deposit in California, and successfully represented clients before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on federal endangered species and mining law matters. Contact Kerry at KShapiro@jmbm.com or 415.398.8080.

Sheri Bonstelle

sherriBonstelle

Sheri Bonstelle's practice focuses on land use, zoning, environmental, litigation and construction matters. She manages all aspects of the entitlement process, including representing clients before local and state agencies, commissions and councils. She coordinates environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and obtains permits and approvals necessary under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, California Coastal Act, and historic preservation laws. She also negotiates participation and development agreements with the Community Redevelopment Agency, and obtains approval of adaptive reuse projects in historic buildings in Los Angeles. She coordinates land use and environmental diligence review for large multi-property portfolio sales and represents signage companies and building owners with respect to preserving signage rights in Los Angeles. Sheri is a licensed architect in the State of New York. Contact Sheri at SBonstelle@jmbm.com or 310.712.6847.

Neill Brower

Neill Brower represents JMBM's clients in environmental and land use issues, including permitting and regulatory compliance under CEQA, NEPA, CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, and the California Fish and Game Code. Prior to his legal career, Neill worked for 10 years managing and preparing a variety of environmental and urban planning documents, including environmental impact reports and statements, archaeological and historic resources technical studies, and natural resources permit applications. He also provided peer review of planning and technical documents. During this time, Neill worked extensively with local and state agencies as clients and as regulators. Contact Neill at NBrower@jmbm.com or 310.712.6833.

Matthew Hinks

Matthew Hinks is a litigator with a wide-ranging practice that focuses primarily on the representation of real estate developers in difficult land use cases. Matt has extensive experience litigating complex mandamus actions and other claims involving signage disputes, governmental takings, CEQA challenges, planning and zoning law, civil rights violations, eminent domain issues, title disputes, lease disputes and community redevelopment and density bonus law. He has extensive experience in both federal and state courts, including trial courts and courts of appeal, as well as in arbitration, mediation and administrative settings. Contact Matt at MHinks@jmbm.com or 310.201.3558.