Price of Fryman Canyon

I am writing regarding the enduring battle over the “Cellular Phone Park.” You know the one, where the battlefield is 62 acres of some of the most expensive undeveloped land in Los Angeles, among the mansions of Fryman Canyon, and where the weapons are Mercedes and car phones?

As many know, there is a discrepancy between the state appraisal of Fryman Canyon and the appraisal commissioned by the developer, Fred Sahadi. Some argue that the land is so important that it is worth the full price Sahadi demands, while others seek to obtain a compromise.

I question the ethics of the terms of this negotiation. First of all, there are regulations in place to prohibit developers from overcharging publicly funded institutions trying to acquire their lands. And when these regulations are violated, people are legally punished.

If the public rejects these rules and makes exceptions because it wants a piece of property regardless of the price, then we are playing right into the hands of the developers and just asking for others in the future to jack up the price of property.

Fryman Canyon is a worthwhile acquisition, but it is not worth making exceptions to laws set up to protect public money, in order to pay an inflated price to cater to a wealthy developer.

In addition, the more of our tax money that is spent on the acquisition of the “Cellular Phone Park,” the less money we will have to acquire other valuable open space and potential park areas benefiting lower-income residents and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, such as trail and recreation areas along the Rim of the Valley Corridor and Lake Hollywood.

JOSCELYN HERZBERG, Los Angeles