Universal Studios Unveils 25-Year Expansion Plan

Using clips from Boris Karloff and Steven Spielberg films, futuristic drawings, music and toy models, Universal Studios presented its grand 25-year, $2-billion expansion plan before a sometimes skeptical county Regional Planning Commission on Wednesday.

The company said the doubling of its studio, office, theme park and hotel space would create 13,000 jobs at Universal and boost tax revenues by $25 million a year.

But commissioners raised concerns over the added noise, traffic, liquor licenses and neighborhood objections to the project, and questioned Universal’s request for blanket approval of a 25-year construction project.

“We don’t want to give you carte blanche on the one hand, or micro-manage [the project] on the other,” said Richard Wulliger, vice chairman of the Regional Planning Commission. “I suggest you be prepared to come up with more specific plans than you have now.”

Helen McCann, Universal Studios’ master plan vice president, citing an environmental impact report, told the commission that solutions have been found to combat nearly all the traffic, scenery and noise complaints raised by neighborhood groups. “We have a plan that works,” she said.

Commissioner Donald Toy, however, told McCann that “I’ve never seen an EIR that came back and said there are problems . . . on paper it looks great. [But] I know when they say no impact, there is [actually] impact. Boy, if there’s an event [at Universal], or even CityWalk, that freeway backs up.”

The presentation was the first in a lengthy series of public hearings and governmental reviews that Universal hopes will lead to city and county approval by the end of the year.

Universal City spreads across 415 acres, with 296 acres in the unincorporated area of the county, while the rest is overseen by the city. The county and city planning departments are jointly reviewing the project, though the county is the lead agency.

McCann described in detail Universal’s plans to camouflage parking garages, set height limits on new buildings, add a third entry road into the park and create a 50-acre green buffer zone to help shelter a residential neighborhood. She also cited its many meetings with community groups.

Universal is the largest private employer in the San Fernando Valley, McCann said, and the expansion project would help the area’s economy and allow Universal to stay competitive in the entertainment business.

About 100 spectators attended the hearing, but public comments were continued to a 4 p.m. meeting Tuesday at the Universal City Hilton.

Some homeowners who attended the hearing said later they were not swayed by Universal’s presentation.

Polly Ward, a member of the Studio City Residents Assn., said, “The project is too large. We’re concerned about the traffic impact, the noise, lights. The buildings are too tall, the signs are too large.” She added, “We don’t think it’s possible to project out 25 years and say what the impacts will be.”

Since CityWalk opened at Universal four years ago, Ward complained, “We’ve noticed a lot more foot traffic in the neighborhood and they are garbed in gang attire. And we’ve noticed a spillover in crime.”

Joan Luchs, with the North Hollywood Residents Assn., described Universal’s proposal as “orchestrated fantasy,” and said the project would have a “devastating impact on the neighborhoods.”

One resident in favor of the project is Gloria Gold. A resident of Studio City for 16 years, she called Universal Studios “good neighbors.” And she commended the company for taking steps to reduce noise at the entertainment complex.

The commission asked McCann whether Universal would support setting up a formal outside group to deal with inevitable complaints that would arise during the many years of construction.

McCann said her concern was whether that group’s findings would be “binding or nonbinding.”

“If it’s nonbinding, what’s the use to have it,” Toy countered, prompting applause from the audience.