War erupts over plan to build 221 luxury homes on stunning California mountainside

War has broken out over plans to build 221 luxury homes on a scenic California hillside.

Opponents of the plan say the Canyon Hills project will not only harm the fragile ecosystem of the Verdugo Mountains, but also contribute to the gentrification of the area.

Protest group No Canyon Hills, which is campaigning against the development, claims a previous environmental study from 2004 is outdated and does not take into account wildlife such as mountain lions and bees that they documented on site.

“We have to say no to a project like ‘Canyon Hills’ that does far more damage than it heals; that devalues ​​(destroys) life in favor of profit,” reads a statement on the group’s website.

However, developers Whitebird, led by Rick Percell, have now sued the group over claims that its members entered the land to set up illegal surveillance cameras to obtain this information.

“The Canyon Hills property is private property, not a public space,” said Christopher Frost, Whitebird’s attorney Los Angeles Times.

“Like all California property owners, our client has the exclusive right to use the land he has owned for more than twenty years, and the expectation of privacy on that land without disruption.

“The violations and unauthorized surveillance we describe in the lawsuit occur in violation of those rights.”

Developers Whitebird have already reduced the size of the development from 900 to 300 hectares after protests

“Certain parts of the original impact report, conducted 20 years ago, do not reflect the current status of the land,” said Emma Kemp, co-founder of No Canyon Hills.

“Our goal is to encourage city officials and state agencies to conduct an updated environmental review.”

Plans for a development were approved by the Los Angeles City Council in 2005 with a completion date of 20 years through October 2026.

Whitebird has already reduced the size of the development from 900 to 300 hectares after protests, despite promising to leave the remaining land as publicly accessible, protected space.

But campaigners are still not satisfied and a petition against the development has collected almost 178,000 signatures.

“We cannot stand by as an outdated development proposal pushes already endangered wildlife onto the 210 Freeway, as this plan proposes,” the petition said.

It adds that the area has been decimated by bushfires in recent years.

“Charred remains of buildings burned in this fire are a stark indication of the absurdity of the Canyon Hills proposal,” the petition reads.

Opponents of the plan say the Canyon Hills project will not only harm the fragile ecosystem of the Verdugo Mountains, but also contribute to the gentrification of the area.

The developers are now suing campaign group No Canyon Hills over claims they have trespassed on their land to record data about the wildlife living on the site, in a bid to prevent the project from progressing.

Whitebird has accused opponents of the plan to delay construction and tarnish its reputation.

“Every month that they don’t have the permit, we get closer to the 2026 deadline, and that’s partly because of the lobbying work we’ve done,” Kemp added.

Frost, meanwhile, said the company is not opposed to selling the land and that No Canyon Hills has already begun a $12 million fundraising campaign.

However, Frost said this is far less than what would be needed to secure a sale.

Taking legal action against the activists is seen as an unusual step by those in the industry.

Doug Carstens, a former attorney for No Canyon Hills, believes the lawsuit is intended to intimidate the campaign group.

But he warned it could backfire for Whitebird and bring more attention and support to the cause.