News Analysis: Galanter's Surprising Plan to Save Wetlands, or Save Face?

By Jorge Casuso

Wednesday, August 4--When it comes to Playa Vista, it seems there's almost nothing Los Angeles City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter won't do to make sure the project moves forward.

Even if it means making a complete political about-face.

Less than two weeks before the City Council is scheduled to vote on a $428 million bond issue to help subsidize the massive $8 billion development project, Galanter announced that she is pushing for public funding to buy some of the land west of Lincoln Boulevard to make sure the entire area closest to the water is preserved as wetlands.

The announcement -- which comes in the wake of Dream Works' pullout last month -- was made in a one-page news release touting "a rare opportunity" to "achieve this important environmental victory."

A consent agreement Galanter reached with Playa Vista years ago called for the setting aside of 216 acres for restoration; the entire west-of-Lincoln portion would add another nearly 200 acres to the mix.

"I call on state and federal agencies as well as private philanthropists to assist me in protecting all that land from further development," Galanter proclaims, "and to expand the efforts already underway to rescue the remaining wetlands from further degradation."

The thing is, Galanter has defended the terms of that settlement agreement since the day it was signed. She's been the one to point out state and federal government officials have agreed that most -- if not all -- the viable wetlands at Playa Vista are included in the areas protected by the settlement agreement. The rest, she has said, are not really viable.

Now Galanter is saying that 200 acres more should be spared -- and might even be restored. Applause. Cheers.

But wait. Doesn't  L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe oversee 160 of those acres? Surely he was one of the state and local officials Galanter said she had been working with on "strategies for acquiring those acres." So what sort of talks have they had?

"None," said Knabe's press deputy John Wallace. "It wasn't us that she's been working with."

If fact, Knabe first heard about Galanter's proposal by reading the press release. "I put in a call to her press person that contrary to the release in the press we had not been contacted," Wallace said. "It certainly should be looked at."

Not surprisingly, the Ballona Valley Preservation League, which has wage a scrappy battle to save the wetlands, wasn't among the environmental groups Galanter contacted.

"Galanter's motivation may have more to do with shoring up support for Playa Vista in a post Dream Works world than an overnight environmental conversion on the issue," League director Bruce Robertson responded in a press release.

So, does the league support Galanter's efforts to save more land?

"We're a little skeptical," Robertson said in an interview. "She's made promises before. Her word's not that good. There's a certain moral victory. On the other hand it's a slap in the face. She doesn't mention any of us. I think it's political coverage."

Still cringing from the DreamWorks pull-out, Galanter needs something to make her look in control of the project. Of course. Ride in as the white knight and save the wetlands west of Lincoln.

Meanwhile, Playa Vista executives also expressed surprise at Galanter's plan.

"While we are somewhat surprised," Playa Vista president Peter Denniston responded in his press release, "this gives us a welcome opportunity to reaffirm our position on that portion of the project." But, Denniston adds, "while we are encouraged by the dialogue this option has sparked, we continue to plan for the development of this area."

Seems Playa Vista - which has been holding firm to their development plans, at least in the press --, has "been engaged in productive negotiations with the County on creating the correct mix of development for that parcel."

Seems they've at least done more than Galanter, whose spokesperson Niki Tennant told the Daily Breeze that the councilwoman has been working for several years to get financing for the plan outlined in her surprise press release. But the timing - and the fact nobody knew about it - seems suspicious. Maybe Galanter concocted the plan to save face. After all, it wouldn't look good for a council ego if Dream Works moved to, say, North Hollywood.