Views on Fryman Canyon
My concerns about purchasing Fred Sahadi’s proposed development in Fryman Canyon are not “last-minute misgivings” as characterized in Sunday’s story. Everyone at the conservancy has known from the beginning how extraordinarily expensive it is to correct a mistaken subdivision approval by buying out the developer.
The July 23, 1990, resolution of the conservancy, confirmed on Oct. 1, 1990, paints a consistent picture of our concern over the cost of this project. The conservancy has insisted upon:
* A new appraisal, approved by the state of California, to assure that the total cost is not above market value.
* An attorney general’s opinion on the legality of the proposal.
* Full repayment of the almost $2 million borrowed from Runyon Trust Fund.
* Use of the fees and bonds to continue construction of Temescal Canyon improvements--instead of a refunding of them to the developer.
* No money should be taken away from already approved park acquisition projects to pay a price above “fair market value.”
Done right, the conservancy wants this acquisition to go forward. This means that the folks in Pacific Palisades should not lose the improvements to Temescal Gateway Park because of Fryman Canyon. The City Council should guarantee that $2 million borrowed from a special trust fund will be replenished for use on other city projects. And, of course, the public must know that the price tag reflects true market value.
The $2.2-million difference between the state-approved value and the figure imposed by the developer’s attorney is no small amount. It represents hundreds of acres of more parkland that could be acquired using the conservancy’s average purchase price.
Deputy Mayor Mark Fabiani no doubt thinks he negotiated a good deal with the developer’s attorney. But the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy spends the money of every taxpayer in California; it cannot be pressured into accepting a price more than five times more expensive than any previous raw land acquisition.
JOSEPH T. EDMISTON
Santa Monica
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
