Conservancy to Proceed With Fryman Canyon Suit

Taking a get-tough tack after unsuccessful attempts to reach agreement on a sales price with the owner of Fryman Canyon in Studio City, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has decided to press on with a lawsuit for title to half the land.

Conservancy officials confirmed Tuesday that the state parks agency has directed its attorneys to proceed with a lawsuit to obtain 31 acres of the canyon for parkland.

The canyon has been the subject of a lengthy battle between the owner, Fred Sahadi, who wants to build a 26-home development there, and environmentalists and neighbors who oppose the project. Opponents of the development are allied with state and city agencies who want to buy the land for park purposes.

The conservancy and Sahadi remain $2.15 million apart on a purchase price. The conservancy values the land at $8.75 million and Sahadi is asking for $10.9 million.

“In no way, shape or form are we going to let them keep our 31 acres. Those are rightfully ours, for open space,” said Carole Stevens, conservancy chairwoman.

The conservancy lawsuit, filed Aug. 31, alleges that the city erred several years ago by not enforcing its requirement that Sahadi donate the 31 acres to the conservancy before receiving permission to go ahead with the development.

The conservancy’s action took place late Monday during an executive session. The lawsuit was filed by the state attorney general’s office, which represents the conservancy in litigation.

Stevens said the lawsuit--if successful--might affect the profitability of Sahadi’s proposed project. The 31 acres claimed by the state separate two portions of the planned project. The developer intends to build a temporary road across the area over which dirt will be hauled to build construction pads for the homes.

If the conservancy owns the 31 acres, it could block construction of the temporary road and force the developer to seek a much more expensive dirt-hauling route on city streets that would require more city permits.

During the conservancy’s executive session, its board also discussed adopting a plan to offer Sahadi $8.75 million for his property, located just north of Mulholland Drive.

Sahadi’s attorney, Neil Papiano, told the conservancy board that its $8.75-million offer was too little. Sahadi previously said he was willing to accept a $10.9-million buyout plan unveiled Sept. 8 by Mayor Tom Bradley and Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Woo.

The Bradley-Woo plan envisioned the conservancy contributing $8.7 million toward the $10.9-million price, the city kicking in $1.96 million and private donors contributing $240,000.

But the conservancy has received a new state-sanctioned appraisal that set the value of the property at $8.75 million. The board subsequently adopted a buyout plan that set a $6.7-million lid on the amount the conservancy would contribute.