Saudi Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah – the son of King Abdullah and deputy Foreign Minister – has sued the city of Los Angeles. In 2009 the King’s third son purchased a 5 1/4 acre plot of land in a wealthy Beverly Hills neighborhood for $12 million through his firm Tower Lane Properties.
But once the surrounding community caught wind of Abdullah’s 85,000 square foot plans (akin to constructing a giant Walmart in their neighborhood, they said), 1,000 residents signed a petition urging the city to ensure that appropriate environmental impact assessments are conducted prior to allowing the project to proceed.
Save Benedict Canyon from Saudi Prince
Although there are many massive developments in this elite southern California neighborhood, the group called Save Benedict Canyon claims that the Prince has proposed a plan that potentially compromises the beauty, safety and quality of life for other residents living in Benedict Canyon.
The group also accuses the Prince of flouting legal, land use, and environmental guidelines by providing inconclusive, vague plans to the city for a single use residence that is more likely to become a giant compound.
Abdullah shrunk the 85,000 square foot development plans by 25,000 square feet, but that has not satisfied the community, who set up a Facebook page to take on the wealthy Prince – a single father with three children.
Saudi Prince vs. Los Angeles
In the latest twist, the Prince’s US lawyers have filed a suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that he is being unfairly targeted and that there is no reason to conduct environmental impact assessments.
The Telegraph reports that the Prince said the city has a “mandatory duty” to issue permits for his palatial residence.
Nickie Miner, a member of the group and longtime resident of Benedict Canyon, said: “The prince appears intent on thumbing his nose at laws that apply to everyone else, as well as to him, in an attempt to build a mega-compound that will pose immense problems for our neighbourhood were he to circumvent his required full environmental review.”
top image via Pakistan Media Watch
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Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
