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Universal Studios’ Expansion Plan Presented to Panel

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Using clips from Boris Karloff and Steven Spielberg films, futuristic drawings, music and toy models, Universal Studios on Wednesday presented its 25-year, $2-billion expansion plan before a sometimes skeptical county Regional Planning Commission.

The company said the doubling of its studio, office, theme park and hotel space would create 13,000 jobs at Universal and boost tax revenues by $25 million a year.

But commissioners raised concerns over the added noise, traffic, liquor licenses and neighborhood objections to the project, and questioned Universal’s request for blanket approval of a 25-year construction project.

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“I suggest you be prepared to come up with more specific plans than you have now,” said Richard Wulliger, commission vice chairman.

Helen McCann, Universal Studios’ master plan vice president, citing an environmental impact report, told the commission that solutions have been found to combat nearly all the concerns raised by neighborhood groups.

“We have a plan that works,” she said.

The presentation was the first in a series of public hearings and governmental reviews that Universal hopes will lead to city and county approval by the end of the year.

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Universal City spreads across 415 acres, with 296 acres in the unincorporated county area.

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