Wonderful New Life Sought for Capra Property

A parcel of land between Westlake Village and Malibu described as “environmentally priceless,” which was deeded to the state to settle $1.2 million in taxes owed by the estate of the late film director Frank Capra, may be converted to parkland to prevent its sale for private use.

The unusual transfer, which requires approval by the state Legislature, is designed to preserve the 160-acre parcel as the key link to completing the Backbone Trail through the Santa Monica Mountains.

A bill by Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) was approved by an appropriations committee last week and is scheduled to be heard by the full Senate this week, Kuehl aide Syrus Devers said Monday.

“It’s really hard to overestimate the value of this land,” Devers said. “It’s environmentally priceless.”

The measure would allow the state controller, who took possession of the tract to satisfy estate taxes, to turn the property over to the state Department of Parks and Recreation. The bill still requires approval by the Assembly and must be signed by the governor by Aug. 31.

Federal, state and local officials have been trying to acquire the property, composed of rugged ridges and undeveloped canyons, since work on the 70-mile Backbone Trail from Will Rogers State Park west to Point Mugu began 20 years ago.

About a quarter-mile of the trail is to be built through the Capra property, located in Encinal Canyon just east of Mulholland Highway. Less than six miles of the entire trail remains unfinished and funding for the final parcels is pending in Congress.

Capra, director of such film classics as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” died in 1991. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in 1993 agreed to buy Capra’s property for $990,000, as well as others needed to complete the Backbone Trail, Devers said. Capra’s heirs turned the deed over to the state controller as payment of estate taxes.

But the conservation authority in 1996 defaulted on payments to the controller because of dwindling financial support from Congress. Consequently, the controller was planning to sell the parcel to collect the estate taxes and interest due, Devers said, probably putting it back in private hands.

Kuehl’s measure would allow the transfer to the parks department instead.

“After years and years and years of attempting to complete the trail, it would be a tragedy of huge proportions if we lost this parcel right in the middle of it,” Devers said. “This way, we can just grab it.”