Marina del Rey : Condo Conversion Hearing

Despite the objections of a tenant activist and two members of Los Angeles County’s Small Craft Harbor Commission, a public hearing will be held as early as next month on the issue of converting Marina del Rey apartments to condominiums.

In an indication of the deep differences on the question, commission Chairman William Pagen ordered the hearing in response to pressure from the County Board of Supervisors to increase revenues from the county-owned marina, and blocked a vote on a motion to prevent the hearing.

John Rizzo, president of the Marina Tenants Assn., protested that holding a hearing would “start the process” of changing county policy to allow the conversion to condominiums of the low-rise wood frame and stucco buildings that make up most of the marina’s housing.

Rizzo said the majority of marina residents at earlier hearings opposed condo conversions, but county officials approved a policy that allows conversion of high-rise concrete and steel buildings.