Neighborhood Council and Stakeholders in Mar Vista Appeal Foul Playa Vista

by Ken Marsh

July 2004

Never count out a spurned neighbor when it comes to facing down developers in Los Angeles, especially when that neighbor is a community of some 55,000 people.

Mar Vista, the spurned neighbor, sits northeast of Playa Vista, the multi-phased development that for two-decades has fought off opponents continuously. A quiet West LA mostly-bedroom community west of the 405 and south of the 10, Mar Vista has been anything but quiet about its objections to Playa Vista.

Earlier this month, The Los Angles Planning Commission gave its approval for work to begin on Phase II of the development. The Mar Vista Community Council, and individual activist neighbors have objected to it due to the predicted negative impact on the community from greatly increased traffic through its neighborhood streets and an increase of pollution.

And with Playa Vista buildings planned for heights of over 100 feet, Mar Vista will lose character-defining views that have been a feature of certain of its neighborhoods for almost a century.

One more level of approval stands as a battleground between Mar Vista's David and Playa Vista's Goliath. The City Council makes its final deliberations sometime in early fall. In anticipation, the Mar Vista Community Council Board of Directors voted unanimously in a special meeting Sunday night, July 18, to appeal the decision of the Planning Commission.

Individual neighbors in Mar Vista have also submitted a separate appeal to the city, acting with the Council's board in time to make the July 19 filing deadline. The appeal guarantees the community one more chance to present their case before the City Council.

"The Playa Vista Mega-Development is upon us and we can't stop it," admitted Tom Ponton, Mar Vista Community Council chair, "the best we can do is demand Mar Vista receive some of the multi-millions of dollars being passed out for traffic mitigation."

"Very little consideration has been given to the impact on Mar Vista schools, area hospitals, fire, police, sewers, water supply, roads, and air quality," continued Mr. Ponton.

"The developer estimates 80,000 more car trips every day from Playa Vista, with 24% flowing northward. This will cause gridlock on Lincoln and Centinela, not to mention the Santa Monica and San Diego freeways. It will spill over into nearby neighborhoods, on streets like Inglewood, Sawtelle, McLaughlin, Palms, National, and Walgrove, Mar Vista streets that are already congested," lamented Ponton.

To bolster their appeal, the Mar Vista Community Council Board of Directors has announced a campaign for a community-wide petition in support of the Council's appeal and demands for mitigation funds. The board hopes to show just how passionate and far-reaching community feeling is about defending and preserving the quality of life in Mar Vista.

At the next Council meeting on August 10 at the Mar Vista Park auditorium, a number of Playa Vista-related proposals will be considered for action by the Mar Vista Community Council Board of Directors.

"While final approval is still in play," concluded the Council's chair, "it's no time for quiet in Mar Vista."

The neighborhood councils are mandated as grass roots voices the city wants to hear from. It will be telling to see just how this 55,000- voice community's voice is heard.