Westside : Group Drops Fight Over Development

An environmental group has thrown in the towel in its court challenge to the planned $7-billion Playa Vista development near Marina del Rey.

The group, Save Ballona Wetlands, couldn’t persuade a judge last year to block the project’s first stage on environmental grounds. The group is concerned that developer Maguire Thomas Partners’ plans to build more than 3,000 residential units, 1.25 million square feet of office space, 35,000 square feet of retail space and 300 hotel rooms will further diminish the wetlands.

Its appeal of the court decision has disrupted the developer’s efforts to secure financing.

Now the group has agreed to drop its appeal in exchange for the developer paying about $23,000 of their legal expenses, although a spokeswoman for Save Ballona Wetlands said the group reserves the right to challenge the project in the future. Construction at Playa Vista has been on hold despite approval of the initial phase in September, 1993.

As part of the council’s approval, Maguire Thomas agreed to spend up to $10 million to restore the wetlands. . . .