The Third District Court of Appeal issued a second unanimous ruling in favor of appellant Save the Capitol, Save the Trees, an environmental and preservation group, reversing a decision of the Sacramento Superior Court regarding the State Capitol Annex Project. The writ is reversed and the matter sent back to the trial court. The trial court must determine that the revised EIR is consistent with all legal challenges before discharging the preemptory writ.
TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP TODAY!
1. Help us continue our legal efforts and legislative advocacy to save our Capitol’s West Lawn and promote historic preservation of our State Capitol generally. Donate to the California Capitol Historic Preservation Society at the link below. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law
https://catree.us/save-our-capitol
You can also mail a check made out to the California Capitol Historic Preservation Society and send to PO Box 188155, Sacramento, Ca 95818
2. Join the California Preservation Foundation, California’s largest preservation organization: reach out to key legislators to voice support for saving the West Lawn. It’s easy – just click on the link below. Follow instructions and use suggested letter to send to state leaders.
WHY SAVE THE WEST LAWN? VISITOR CENTER IMPACTS ON WEST LAWN
• Destroys approximately 40% of the only remaining original 1870s Capitol Park.
• Even worse, prevents large events, celebrations, rallies, and marches in the future.
• Destroys an historic site -- the only remaining part of the original 1870s park -- used by Californians from Caesar Chavez's La Raza March in 1966, and other major rallies and legislative events for over 150 years.
• Eliminates direct access to the historic 1870s Capitol, forcing people to walk to L and N Street to reach the historic Capitol
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO RELOCATE THE VISITOR CENTER! WHY?
• The Visitor Center on the West Lawn was not approved by the Department of General Services (DGS) and Joint Rules Committee (JRC), even though the final environmental document still proposes it on the West Lawn.
• The 3rd Court of Appeals directed DGS and JRC to redo portions of their environmental review to reduce the impacts to the historic West Lawn.
• DGS and JRC agreed in the final environmental document that relocation of the visitor center is feasible on the north or south of the historic Capitol.
• Relocating and building the Visitor Center on either the north or south side of the historic Capitol will preserve the West Lawn, Plaza, and Steps for the future and meet the Legislature’s stated project objectives.