Playa Vista Loses Major Lawsuit


By John Davis

Playa Vista and the City of Los Angeles lost a major lawsuit filed by myself and a number of other plaintiffs. The court overrode the City Council decision to approve safety measures to prevent the accumulation of explosive underground gas under phase one, the unfinished project.


If not properly vented methane gas can ignite explosively. The methane safety measures are no longer approved at Playa Vista.

Until the City Council can prove at a public hearing those safety precautions will really work the safety of the project will be continually called into question and with good cause.

People living at Playa Vista today count on those safety systems. The City Council in approving those safety measures gave occupants of the project their word it would be safe.

But now the word of the Council is no good and has been tossed out by the Court of Appeals.
Certificates of Occupancy issued by the City ensure the public can live in a place that is as safe as possible. At Playa Vista the court found the City did not prove this.

Councilwoman Ruth Galanter gave away the Ballona Wetlands to Playa Vista. Cindy Miscikowski voted for phase two knowing she and husband Doug Ring had land interests in Marina del Rey. Now it’s Bill Rosendahl’s turn.

In a press release our City Councilman said that, “ Questions of public safety are paramount to me. I will insist that the City officials and the developer do everything in their power to protect the health and safety of the residents of Playa Vista and the residents of neighboring communities.

Now comes the hard part for the new Councilman, staying true to that statement. Insisting on protecting the health and safety of the residents at Playa Vista should now mean the Certificates of Occupancy for everyone living there must be withdrawn if they are based on unproven safety fixes.

Anything less than the immediate evacuation of the affected residents at Playa Vista would be irresponsible and potentially place the public in harms way and the City at grave liability.

Or he, like George Bush before Hurricane Katrina, could simply bury his head in the sand hope for the best while the City and residents of Playa Vista suffer the ravages of untruth.

It is better to be safe than eternally sorry, no matter how much money is involved when human health and safety are at stake.

Posted: Wed - November 2, 2005 at 08:31 PM          


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