Westside : PARK PROPOSAL

Facing continued pressure from residents, the Culver City City Council has asked the city’s Planning Department to explore how the city can turn a 66-acre site in the Blair Hills area--the only large open space in Culver City--into a park.

This week, the council asked city staffers to explore all the funding sources available to the city that would help finance transformation of the grassy hills into parkland. The staff is expected to report back to the council in 90 days.

For the past six years, the City Council has been considering various proposals from Vista Pacifica-Culver City Partners for using the property. The developer first suggested that the hillside property, which is privately owned, be dotted with single-family homes and commercial office space; this summer, Vista Pacifica modified its proposal to include only residential dwellings.

Residents who live near the area have continued to push for a park--a use that also fits with the spirit of the city’s general plan, according to Jay Cunningham, the city planner. But Culver City would have to buy the property and maintain it, and state and county funds are scarce, Cunningham said.