LOCAL : Protesters End 5-Hour Standoff at Development Site in Tarzana

A five-hour standoff between a Tarzana developer and protesters who chained themselves to bulldozers ended shortly before noon today when the builder agreed to halt his project until Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude can mediate the dispute.

A coalition of environmentalists is opposed to a city requirement that developer Harlan Lee pave an extension of Reseda Boulevard southward into the Santa Monica Mountains as part of a 178-home luxury subdivision Lee plans to build.

Earthmovers starting construction of the road were halted about 6:15 a.m. when 10 protesters jumped in front of bulldozers and chained themselves to the equipment. About 15 other protesters chanted slogans and howled like coyotes to condemn the road extension and warn that extension of the boulevard will hasten development in the mountains.

The protest was called off about 11:30 a.m. when Jill Swift, a Sierra Club leader, used a news reporter’s car phone to arrange a showdown meeting for Thursday with Braude.

Cheering protesters unchained themselves when Lee pledged that the project will be halted until then. “We’re trying to be fair and work this out a little bit,” said Lee, who did not call police during the protest.

“We hope we can get a continued moratorium,” said Deborah Widel, a Northridge resident who had padlocked herself to the front of a 20-ton earthmover. “I still have my chain. I’m definitely prepared to do what I have to do again.”