Playa Vista Views Shared

Preachers, wetlands activists, construction workers and retired residents lined up Thursday to air their opinions as city planners held their first public hearing on Playa Vista’s next and final phase of development.

The comments indicated that although the large Westside project has gained some community support, it still faces fierce opposition from activists and neighbors concerned about traffic, pollution and disappearing open space.

Seated at the front of a meeting room at the Furama Hotel in Westchester, Sue Chang of the Los Angeles Planning Department listened patiently as three dozen supporters and opponents spoke for about three minutes each.

The occasion was the first of two so-called scoping meetings, designed to offer interested parties a chance to suggest issues that they believe should be evaluated in the environmental-impact report that will be prepared for the project, known as the Village at Playa Vista.

Setting a calm tone as the two-hour meeting began, Chang reminded the audience that no decisions would be made at that session.

“This is only to hear your concerns,” she said, adding that the comments would help shape the draft environmental-impact report, which is expected to be completed after a 60-day comment period ending Jan. 14.

Last month, Playa Vista described to city planners its proposal for what Playa Vista President Steve Soboroff called a “smaller, greener” development. The Phase 2 portion, which lies along Jefferson Boulevard at the core of the Playa Vista property, would include 2,600 homes as well as retail shops and restaurants in a 162-acre area.

That area lies between apartments, condos and single-family homes under construction at the corner of Lincoln and Jefferson boulevards. With Phases 1and 2 combined, the project would have 55% less housing, than the originally proposed 13,000 units. It would also cut retail space by 70%, to 185,000 square feet.

The plans also formalized Playa Vista’s intention not to build on any of its land west of Lincoln Boulevard, in anticipation that it will sell that acreage to the state to be preserved as wetlands and open space.

Many speakers Thursday praised Playa Vista for bringing jobs and housing to the area.

“This is the last chance in the West L.A. area to have a planned community that meets many of the needs ... while preserving the environment,” said one Marina del Rey resident.

But opponent Steve Friedman of Venice contended that the project has already done great damage to the area.

“It’s an unsightly mess, with dense, block-like buildings that look like an inner-city housing project,” he said.

Speakers urged the city to consider in its environmental review everything from traffic flow to water runoff to bike paths to what would happen to displaced rodents once construction begins on Phase 2.

Marcia Hanscom, executive director of the Wetlands Action Network, asked how Playa Vista intended to meet the school needs of more residents when it has not yet addressed them for Phase 1.

Frank Gleberman, president of the Westchester-LAX-Marina del Rey Chamber of Commerce, praised Playa Vista for taking what he called “a balanced approach” of preserving open space while building much needed housing.