Playa Vista Challenged By New Suit

Mirror Staff

Ten days ago, Dreamworks, SKG, abandoned its plans to build a movie studio in Playa Vista. Monday, July 12, Wetlands Action Network filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles City Council for the April 14, 1999, approval of two final tract maps for the Dreamworks studio site because conditions mandated by the Council under Phase I approvals were not met.
   The required conditions had to do with stormwater and drainage systems that cannot be met owing to a federal court order issued in July, 1998, protecting all federally designated wetlands in the Phase I project site, according to the July 12 filing.
   In addition, according to the Wetlands Action Network, “new information released by the Regional Water Quality Control Board describing the failure of Playa Vista’s soil and groundwater remediation program, indicates further noncompliance with conditions of approval the City originally required.”
   At the April 14 City Council hearing, the Wetlands Action Network alleges that “the City Attorney’s office and Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, in efforts to push forward approvals for Dreamworks....both informed the City Council that the approval of these tract maps was a ‘ministerial’ action. While final tract map approvals are ministerial if all conditions of approval are met, California case law supports the contention that this City Council action was discretionary, not ministerial...Moreover, at least eight conditions of the two vesting tentative tract maps have not been met, according to (our) complaint.”
   Marcia Hanscom, executive director of Wetlands Action Network, said, “The City of L.A. has been complicit with Playa Vista developers in moving this project full speed ahead, regardless of the legality of their actions...When this lawsuit is fully unveiled, we hope that more people will have their eyes opened to the twisted process that has continually put mega profits ahead of the public interest.”
   The Network filed suit last March, charging violation of the California Subdivision Map Act for a part of the Playa Vista project area that would include a portion of the development’s proposed 13,000 residential units. It has also filed a lawsuit, along with CALPIRG and the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, under California’s Unfair Competition Act (aka “Unfair Business Practices.”)
   A federal lawsuit previously filed by the Network and charging violations of the National Environmental Policy Act was decided in its favor. It has been appealed by developers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
   A second federal lawsuit, filed under the Endangered Species Act, was dismissed, due, in the Networks’ words, “to the absence of a federal permit after the National Environmental Policy Act suit was won.”
   The Mirror asked Playa Vista officials to comment on the new lawsuit, but at press time had not had a response.