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Commission OKs Studio City project despite community opposition
San Fernando Valley Aug 25, 2023
Harvard-Westlake River Park project site plan. | Rendering courtesy of Harvard-Westlake School
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After four hours of public comment, during which many Studio City residents expressed their opposition to the proposed Harvard-Westlake River Park project, a city commission Thursday approved a conditional-use permit for the project.
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted 7-0 in support of the 17.2-acre development project that would bring an athletic and recreational facility to the Studio City area. Commissioners Monique Lawshe and Helen Leung were absent during Thursday’s meeting.
Rick Commons, Harvard-Westlake School president, issued a statement following the vote, sharing his gratitude for the commission’s approval and the “diverse array of speakers” who supported the project.
“At River Park, all of the facilities will be built to the highest standards of accessibility, for athletes and non-athletes alike. That’s being inclusive, and it is just one of the many ways in which we will strive to fulfill the school’s mission of purpose beyond ourselves,” Commons said.
A group of Studio City residents, who organized under the name Save Weddington, said they will appeal the project’s approval.
“While the Planning Commission has approved this development project — with non-binding conditions — we are confident that this ill-conceived plan, which serves the interests of a small private school at the expense of thousands of everyday Angelenos, will be stopped via appeal,” according to a statement from Save Weddington.
“We will stand tall to stop the destruction of green open space and natural habitat so that a few hundred `student-athletes,’ none of whom attend our city’s woefully underfunded public schools, can play lacrosse, water polo, or fence in a $140 million dollar artificial turf sports complex better suited to a major university or professional sports franchise,” according to the group.
The group also noted that in the first hour of Thursday’s hearing, City Planning Commission President Samantha Millman and Vice President Caroline Choe, both Harvard-Westlake alumni, disclosed their affiliation with their alma mater, but refused to recuse themselves from voting on the River Project.
Millman and Choe expressed that they felt far-enough removed from Harvard-Westlake to vote on this project.
Millman said she didn’t see the project removing “something from the community because those assets will continue to exist in some cases or for public use and exist in other places throughout the valley.”
In October 2017, Harvard-Westlake — an independent college preparatory school for grades 7-12 — purchased Weddington Golf & Tennis, a 16-acre property in Studio City bounded by Whitsett Avenue and the Los Angeles River, less than a mile from Harvard-Westlake’s upper school campus.
Harvard-Westlake has plans to “transform” the property into an athletic, recreational and park center that would be used by the school and public, according to planning documents.
The project would replace the existing par-3 golf course, driving range and tennis courts with two soccer fields, a running track, a pool, a gymnasium and eight tennis courts.
Nearly six acres of River Park would be set aside for public use daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., including a picnic area, a walking path, cafe and putting green. The public would have daily access to the tennis courts as well as all other facilities when not in use by the school, Harvard-Westlake officials noted.
It also includes various environmentally friendly elements, such as a storm water capture system, solar power, additional trees, native landscaping and preserving some of the land as “open space.”
More than 100 Studio City residents showed up at Van Nuys City Hall to share their concerns with the project.
Many residents said they fear the project is just too big, and it will exacerbate local traffic and parking issues, as well as increase neighborhood noise. Residents also opposed the proposed 80-foot light poles that would be installed to illuminate the tennis courts and soccer fields, the use of artificial turf, and the loss of more than 200 trees.
Teri Austin, a resident of Studio City and member of Save Weddington, called the project a “zero-line, McMansion sports villa,” which “does not belong in a single-family residential area.”
Harvard-Westlake representatives said they would address those concerns in several ways, such as implementing a shuttle service and other plans to mitigate traffic, installing LED lights, and planting 393 new trees.
They also emphasized that the facilities and 5.4 acres of “publicly accessible open space” will be open to the public from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the tennis courts will be open until 9 p.m. Members of the public will be able to reserve a court online for use.
In addition, Harvard-Westlake representatives said they plan to use artificial turf for its “significant advantages” and expect their fields to be used by their students and even more by companies and organizations, such as Angel City Sports and the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley — who had representatives support the project during public comment.
The school will comply with any new state laws regulating artificial turf, and swap out the turf if necessary, officials said.
Davis Marks, a senior at Harvard-Westlake, said he appreciates that the project will be open to the community and nonprofit organizations.
“I grew up playing tennis in Weddington, but it’s easy to recognize the positive impact of this project,” Marks said. “I really look forward to seeing how the Studio City community both present and future will use this facility. I hope the city approves it.”
Samantha Butler, a professor at UCLA and a parent of students who attend Harvard-Westlake, urged the committee to approve the River Park. Butler, who lives in the adjacent Council District 5, said the project would support kids who live outside of Studio City and are in need of a nearby recreational center.
The project received support from the Valley Industry & Commerce Association as well.
“This project will not only benefit the students of Harvard-Westlake School, but also opens its doors to the broader community while enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike,” Stuart Waldman, president of the association, said in a statement. “The River Park development is an investment in the well-being of our community, guaranteeing a legacy of recreation and enjoyment for Studio City patrons.”
The River Park will be considered by the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee at a future date.
Austin said opponents will continue to fight the project. She hopes the five-panel committee of council members will understand the historical importance and what Weddington Golf & Tennis truly means to the community.
“Nowadays kids are put under so much pressure. Mental health and depression is a real problem,” Austin said. “If Harvard-Westlake was really trying to do something noble or a good thing, they would keep this as it is. (The school) would use it for the students and the public use.”
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