Environmentalists and Developers Finally Find Common Ground 

Carolanne Sudderth

Mirror Staff Writer

   The environmentalists opposed to the Playa Vista development south of Marina del Rey and its principals are enemies in the battle for the Ballona Wetlands, but both Playa Vista Capital executives and the Wetlands Action Network were taken aback by Los Angeles City Council member Ruth Galanter’s August 2 announcement that she intends “to seek public acquisition of property owned by Playa Vista west of Lincoln Boulevard that has not yet been set aside for restoration” (see story, col 1) 
The move is just short of a political U-turn for Galanter who has previously supported Playa Vista’s efforts to acquire and build on the contested property.
   When asked for his reaction, David Herbst, vice-president of Playa Vista Capital answered with one word, “Surprised.”
   Surprised, but resolute. According to Herbst, Galanter’s decision will have no effect on Playa Vista Capital, which has no plans to relinquish any of the property, and construction will proceed as planned. “We are not a willing seller,” he told the Mirror.
   The contested area consists of 181 acres west of Lincoln Boulevard. Herbst said that of these, the 138 acres between Ballona Creek and Marina del Rey are fully unincorporated county land, not within the City of Los Angeles and out of reach of the long arm of eminent domain. 
   “I think you need to have a willing seller to be able to buy something, and we are not a willing seller. The property is not for sale.”
   The other 43 acres lie within Los Angeles proper.
   “We have had discussions about possibly expanding restoration into that area,” he said, “but we are committed to developing west of Lincoln Boulevard per our plans. More importantly, we are committed to the settlement agreement with the Friends of the Ballona Wetlands”. 
   According to Herbst, the settlement agreement, which was approved by Galanter, created a mechanism for restoring parts of the wetlands and reduced development. Densities were reduced and plans to build an 18-hole golf course and a regional shopping center “as large, if not larger [than Santa Monica Place or Fox Hills Mall], were eliminated, Herbst said, as were plans to extend Falmouth Avenue down the Westchester bluffs and across the Ballona flood plain.
   Marcia Hanscom, Director of the Wetlands Action Network was also surprised, and a little wary. She pointed to an opinion piece in the Argonaut that hinted that Galanter’s change of heart may have been an attempt to bolster her fading credibility in light of Dreamworks SKG’s recent abandonment of its part in the Playa Vista Plan. 
   “We’re glad that she has seen that there are more wetlands over here. That’s good. Now we’re waiting for her to find the wetlands east of Lincoln Boulevard.” 
   Hanscom voiced her approval of Galanter’s plans to seek funding for the acquisition and restoration of the Ballona Wetlands “But not if the deal includes acceptance of the Playa Vista development and its devastating impacts on more than half of the remaining land.”
   “We are not interested in another compromise on Ballona. The Ballona Estuary was substantially compromised when Marina del Rey was built; it can withstand no further concessions. “