Politics & Government

Diamond Bar City Council to Vote on Marketing Study for Honda Site

The council meets tonight at 6:30 p.m.

City officials hope to figure out a plan for the shuttered Diamond Bar Honda site.

The Diamond Bar City Council tonight will consider approving a $49,000 agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for a market analysis of the site.

In April 2012, the council adopted an interim ordinance that placed a 45-day moratorium on issuing land use permits for the northwest corner of Grand Avenue at the State Route 60 onramp.

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A month later, the council extended the ordinance for a year.  The ban expires next month.

The Honda dealership closed in 2006, as Caltrans started its plans to construct a direct westbound onramp to the freeway, according to city officials.  Plans for the property are further complicated by a proposed NFL stadium project that could be built next door, which officially is in the City of Industry.

Find out what's happening in Diamond Bar-Walnutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Consequently, the viability of the site to attract stable land uses that will benefit both the property owners and the City of Diamond Bar is unclear at this time,” Greg Gubman, community development director, wrote in a report to the council.

“Because of its prominent, freeway-adjacent location, proper development of the site is critically important to the City for reasons including, but not limited to, aesthetics, services available to Diamond Bar residents, and economic impacts on residents and the City itself.” 

Caltrans’ plan to revamp the onramp would take just under an acre of land from the current property.  However, the city has an agreement with Industry to grant right-of-way to a stadium, if it is built, that would offset the loss.

When the council approved the ordinance, a representative from the company that bought property in 2007 said that with the dealership gone, the only source of income from the site was the Burger King.

About three weeks ago, the Burger King closed its doors.  Representatives from the fast food chain did not return an email seeking comment.

The proposed study would evaluate the best use for the land with three scenarios in mind - current conditions, if an NFL stadium gets constructed, and if Industry builds a business center, according to the staff report.

The analysis will take about four months to complete.

The Diamond City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the Air Quality Management District/Government Center, 21865 Copley Drive.


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