Judge Deals Defeat to Foes of Playa Vista Development
A federal court judge on Thursday handed a case-crippling defeat to environmentalists opposed to the Playa Vista development, lifting a bulldozing ban, throwing out one claim against Playa Capital Corp. and indicating he would probably dismiss the rest of the case.
U.S. District Judge Ronald S.M. Lew also took the trial off the calendar, telling both sides he would rule on a summary judgment motion regarding the environmentalists’ charges that Playa Capital Corp.’s actions are a violation of the National Environmental Protection Act.
Wetlands Action Network, Ballona Wetlands Trust and California Public Interest Research Group had contended that the development near Marina del Rey violated the federal Clean Water Act. Lew said Thursday that he was dismissing that charge because of insufficient evidence.
Lew also lifted a temporary restraining order barring the developers from grading a willow grove along Centinela Creek, saying there was no proof that the grading would cause irreparable harm.
Playa had said the grading was necessary preparation for an anticipated rainy winter. Environmentalists said the work threatened several endangered species.
Lew gave the plaintiffs until midnight Thursday to seek an immediate stay of his order from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
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