Changes in Calabasas Tug of War

Under increasing financial pressure and with new members on its board, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy may end up doing what it angrily rejected a year ago--striking a deal with Soka University to acquire a part of Soka’s scenic Calabasas property. While many local environmentalists and residents oppose any compromise that would permit continued operation of the 660-acre campus there, neither Soka nor the conservancy may have much choice at this point. Each side, for different reasons, is effectively blocked from pursuing its goals for the property. And the recreational public is the big loser.

The conservancy and the university have alternately fought and negotiated over use and ownership of this magnificent, oak-studded parcel for years. Soka, which runs a 200-student language school on the site, intended to create a 3,500-student liberal arts college. The conservancy has long coveted the land, with its historic buildings, as the headquarters for the chain of hiking trails and open space that make up the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area.

Soka’s expansion plans have been stalled in part by the conservancy’s victory last year in its condemnation suit to acquire a 245-acre piece of the land. But a jury has yet to determine how much Soka should be paid for the land. That price is likely to be higher than the conservancy can now afford, and if it fails to pay up it will lose the property and Soka could then sue for damages.

Several unspecified compromise scenarios to settle the condemnation suit are now under discussion. Two new members on the conservancy’s board are reportedly more willing to settle than their predecessors. And if the choice is between losing the property or gaining public access to much of it, a deal may make sense.

However, Soka earlier this year bought 100 acres in the unincorporated Orange County community of Aliso Viejo, and this might offer the best course for all concerned. Local officials there have warmly welcomed the university’s proposal to build a 2,500-student campus. If Soka was to move its school entirely to Orange County, perhaps the conservancy could more easily acquire the headquarters site. And we would be the first to applaud such a win-win situation.