Councilman Would Sell Saugus Land to Aid Police

Los Angeles City Councilman Gilbert W. Lindsay on Tuesday proposed selling 520 city-owned acres in Saugus for private development and using the proceeds to beef up the police.

Lindsay, who represents crime-plagued South-Central Los Angeles, said sale of the property would provide at least $10 million “for the expansion of the police force in areas of the city which have experienced high levels of major crime.”

Lindsay’s proposal comes at a time when the city, which has been searching for years in vain for a buyer for the property, suddenly has been inundated with inquiries about it, most from developers seeking to build housing.

City Administrative Officer Keith Comrie said there have been more than half a dozen feelers about the land, situated in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County just north of the San Fernando Valley. He credited the recent interest to a building boom in the Santa Clarita Valley.

In a report to the council last week, Comrie recommended that the property be sold at a public action to “guarantee that the city gets the highest price.”

But Lindsay called for a sale without competitive bidding so that development of the property would benefit the nonprofit Watts Labor Community Action Committee, an organization that provides services to low-income residents of his district.

The property, known as “Old Saugus Drunk Farm” because it was previously used for an alcohol rehabilitation center, was offered to the state by Mayor Tom Bradley during his gubernatorial campaign last year as a site for a prison. His opponent, Gov. George Deukmejian, rejected the site as unacceptable for a prison because of its proximity to homes.

Part of the land, at 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road east of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park, is leased to a farmer. The rest is unused.

Negotiations With County

The city has been negotiating with the county on a plan to sell the property and split the proceeds. The county has been sought as a partner because it controls zoning for the land, which will eventually determine the property’s value. It is now zoned for public uses, such as for an institution or park.

In his report to the council, however, Comrie recommended that the city cut off negotiations with the county and sell the property on its own.

Comrie noted that, until recently, any offers for the property were contingent on county rezoning for housing or other development. But the Watts Labor Community Action Committee asked for no guarantee in its proposal to buy the site for $10 million in a joint venture with the Chastain Companies and Santa Monica-based Watt Industries.

Lindsay introduced a separate motion to enable the group to buy the property without competitive bidding.

Ted Watkins, president of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee, said Tuesday that the organization wants to develop and sell at least 1,000 residential units on the property and use its share of profits to finance community programs.

Lindsay said the sale “would be a substantial benefit to the city, not only because the city would receive fair market value for the property in a timely manner, but also because the city would benefit from the infusion of capital into South-Central Los Angeles.”

But his proposal to sell the property to the group drew criticism Tuesday from Councilman Ernani Bernardi, who said the site should be used to relocate mobile homes that have been displaced because of other development in Los Angeles.

Mayor Tom Bradley wants to study Lindsay’s proposals further, a spokesman said.

Lindsay’s motion to sell the property to the Watts Labor Community Action Committee was referred to the council’s Public Works Committee, which Lindsay chairs. His proposal to use the proceeds from the sale to beef up the police force was referred to the Police, Fire and Public Safety Committee.

Police Cmdr. William Booth said that, if the council and mayor approve Lindsay’s proposals, the money will be used to pay for police overtime. Some would be used to form task forces to “focus on particular crime problems,” in various parts of the city, Booth said.