Developer, Groups Reach Accord Over Wetlands
The developer of the Playa Vista development settled a longstanding dispute with environmental groups over preservation of the Ballona Wetlands on Thursday, paving the way for the giant residential and commercial project to proceed with applications for city, county and state approval. The development site is a square-mile tract between Marina del Rey and the Westchester bluffs.
Under the terms of the settlement, 269 acres of land will be set aside and restored as a marshland. The developer, Maguire Thomas Partners, will pay $10 million toward restoring the area and unspecified legal fees for the groups that brought suit in 1984, headed by Friends of Ballona Wetlands.
The city, county and state Coastal Commission are among those still involved in the lawsuit, but the allegiance between the developer and the environmental groups is expected to be a key factor in gaining support for the project.
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