L.A. won’t give up Sagebrush Cantina or Leonis Adobe

By Michael Picarella Acorn Staff Writer

In a recent meeting between Calabasas city council members and Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, Zine said the L.A. council isn’t interested in forfeiting to Calabasas the prosperous Sagebrush Cantina restaurant and bar and the historic Leonis Adobe property in Old Town, according to Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian. Both sites are located in the city of Los Angeles and Calabasas wanted to annex them since 1990 for historical and other reasons.

The Calabasas City Council earlier this year decided to meet with Zine to discuss the possible annexation. But from the very beginning, Zine was pessimistic about the proposal. At a recent meeting with Bozajian and Mayor Pro Tem Michael Harrison, Zine expressed no interest, according to Bozajian.

"Zine reiterated this position, making it abundantly clear that Los Angeles is not interested in pursuing the issue of annexation in the near future," Bozajian said. Calabasas can’t annex the Sagebrush/Leonis Adobe land without Los Angeles giving it up.

"Hence, without the consent and active support of Los Angeles, there will be no annexation," Bozajian said.

"It’s a historical landmark for the city of Los Angeles," said Geoffrey L. Garfield, a spokesman for Zine’s office. Back in July, Zine said, "There is no benefit to Los Angeles by giving up this important part of our history."

The city of L.A. will continue to be responsible for law enforcement and fire services and it will still get all tax revenues generated from the properties, which includes a portion of sales taxes, utility taxes and the property tax. Sagebrush produces about $30,000 per year in sales tax revenue, a source said. It’s reportedly one of the most popular restaurant/bars in L.A. County, according to L.A. city officials.

Calabasas and Los Angeles might be working toward a "joint powers authority" or "joint powers administration" for the entire Old Town area, according to Bozajian. "The JPA would consist of representatives from both jurisdictions and would be more advisory than authoritative in nature," Bozajian said.

"The purpose of the JPA would be to work for the common good of the region, which has been complicated by the fact that it lies within two jurisdictions," Bozajian said. "One example of what I mean: The JPA would help ensure that both sides of the street maintain consistent aesthetic standards. Another: Both cities would work together to help preserve historical regional structures and features. Another: Both cities would work toward improving traffic circulation and meeting parking demands."

Other issues could also be addressed by the JPA, Bozajian said.

"I really think that a JPA would be beneficial to Old Town Calabasas and am excited about the prospect of successfully forming a long-standing alliance with Los Angeles at this level," Bozajian said.

Zine’s office—so far—was unaware of any joint powers proposal, according to Garfield.