Sale Of Vacant South Central Farm Could Fund Local Parks
July 5, 2006: A protester attempts to place a flag in the exhaust of a bulldozer at the South Central Farm in Los Angeles. Workers began bulldozing a 14-acre urban garden, and 10 protesters were arrested as they tried to stop the demolition. AP Photo.
The sale of a deserted 14-acre property on the industrial 800 block of North Coronado could produce funds for other local parks, according to NBC LA. Councilwoman Jan Perry supports the property's sale over building a park.
A new, amended agreement with the current owner would "allow the property to be fully utilized for job creation and provide support to existing recreation facilities," Perry wrote.
The land has been seized and sold several times over the past few years. Local farmers of urban gardens at the South Central Farm, along with protestors - including actress Daryl Hannah - were evicted from the site by sheriff's deputies about five years ago. The Garden, an Oscar nominated documentary, exposes this incident.
Here's a little history on the property. The city acquired the land from developer Ralph Horowitz using eminent domain laws and planned to build a trash incinerator on the site. Due to resident protests, the eco-unfriendly plan was abandoned. The city then leased the site to a local food bank who allowed the farmers to benefit from the land. The plot was later sold to the Port of Los Angeles in an effort to balance the budget. Since the city failed to build on the land per the eminent domain rules, Horowitz sued and bought the property back under one stipulation - 2.6 acres must be set aside for a park.
After the eviction, farmers fought back for nearly five years. The lot sat vacant during this time. The California Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2009, and the deal was confirmed.
Tezozomoc, one of the evicted farmers, explained in June that the episode was "devastating."
"Anything that requires us to move forward in beautifying our neighborhoods, we're always overlooked," said Tezozomoc. "We're very angry about that."
Horowitz plans to sell the property to a developer with plans to build a garment business. The developer needs the entire 14-acre site, and a new environmental report suggests the heavily polluted area deems unsatisfactory for recreational use.
Perry wrote to the Board requesting an amendment to the original pledge. In lieu of a park, the value of the land - $3.6 million - was requested. The funds would go toward funding improvements and activities in other parks throughout the city.
