CENTURY CITY : Council Tentatively OKs Fox Studio Expansion

After 3 1/2 years of public scrutiny, Fox Studio’s proposed $200-million expansion received tentative Los Angeles City Council approval on Wednesday.

The action means that Fox will soon be able to consolidate its movie and television operations, including KTTV-TV--now in Hollywood--and 20th Century Fox Film Corp. at the same 53-acre Century City parcel, creating a 1.9-million-square-foot facility.

The project approved Wednesday mirrors a compromise worked out by Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who represents the area, and studio officials. Some residents of the Cheviot Hills area are upset that the expansion will more than double traffic flowing to and from the studio’s gates.

Wednesday’s vote was 14 to 1. Because the City Charter requires a unanimous vote in order to approve an item the first time the council hears it, final approval must await the outcome of a second vote next week. Councilman Joel Wachs, the lone dissenter, said he voted against it because he opposes moving the TV station, which he said would “drive yet another nail into Hollywood’s coffin.”