Judge Finds City Liable in Warner Ridge Lawsuit

In another in a string of losses for the city of Los Angeles, a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that the city is liable for damages in the Warner Ridge lawsuit, saying the city had illegally denied the developers “all economically viable use” of their property.

Unless overturned on appeal, the ruling by Judge Kathryn Doi Todd means the only legal issue left in the Warner Ridge lawsuit is how much money the city owes the builders in damages, attorneys for both sides agreed.

The suit was brought by the developers hoping to build an office complex on the 21.5-acre Warner Ridge site in Woodland Hills. The builders argued that the council illegally zoned the property for 65 single-family homes when its community plan called for commercial development.

The developer is seeking damages ranging as high as $100 million if the city remains steadfast in refusing to allow a commercial project on the site, said Robert McMurry, attorney for the owners, who held a champagne victory party in his law offices after the ruling.