Ballona Wetlands: Lawsuit Could Evict Culver Marina Little League

The activist group Ballona Wetlands Land Trust (BLT) is suing the state in an action that could cause the Culver Marina Little League to be evicted from the ball fields they have leased for 45 years.

Above: The Culver-Marina Little League field

BLT is notorious for suing government agencies and private parties involved in the Ballona Wetlands restoration. Since 2004, BLT filed 19 lawsuits, mostly against state agencies involved in the restoration planning and funding for Ballona.

Above: A list of lawsuits filed by BLT since 2004.

BLT unsuccessfully fought the Playa Vista development, and has delayed the Ballona Wetlands restoration for 3 years and counting with their litigation. They collected over $150,000 in taxpayer funds for “attorney fees” in their recent lawsuit regarding the wetlands restoration project’s environmental review.

Their latest action effectively asks the court to evict the Culver-Marina Little League and the L.A. County Sheriff from state lands in the Marina Del Rey area, long leased for recreational and law enforcement purposes. BLT’s court filing asserts that the state’s land leases to the Little League and Sheriff are unlawful because the lands were later designated as ecological reserve, even though the recreational and law enforcement uses long pre-dated the reserve designation.

The named defendants are the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Fish and Game Commission, which previously determined the Little League and Sheriff activities did not conflict with the function of the ecological reserve.

Above: The L.A. County Sheriff wrote to the state requesting continued use of an existing parking lot adjacent to Fiji Way

The Culver Marina Little League has been a critical recreational outlet for youth in the underserved neighborhoods of Del Rey, including the City of Los Angeles’ Mar Vista Gardens housing development. Studies show that access to outdoor recreation reduces health challenges, particularly for children in economically disadvantaged areas.

A court hearing on the matter, originally scheduled for November, was postponed to January 30, 2025 while the parties confer. Presumably, the state will attempt to persuade BLT that they will lose the case if they proceed, owing to lack of evidence. Neither the state nor the Little League would respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands!

References

Case No. 24STCP03147 and 24STCP03035, Los Angeles Superior Court, Dept. 86.

Opinion: Ballona Wetlands Shakedown. Marina Del Rey Patch https://patch.com/california/marinadelrey/opinion-ballona-wetlands-shakedown

L.A. County Sheriff. Letter to California Fish and Game Commission, April 16, 2024

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Memo documenting determination of little league field use. April 2, 2024.

————-
Author’s disclosure of affiliations:

Dr. David W. Kay served on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Friends of Ballona Wetlands from 2007 until 2015, and served as Board President in 2012-13. He presently serves on the Board of Ballona Discovery Park in Playa Vista. Dr. Kay is a staunch advocate for the state of California's plans to restore the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

From 1984 until 2022, Dr. Kay was employed by Southern California Edison Company, exclusively in the company's environmental services organizations. His many responsibilities included restoration of the 440-acre San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar. He retired in 2022 as Senior Manager for Major Project Environmental Management at the company, after 38 years of service.

Dr. Kay earned bachelor and masters degrees in biology and a doctorate in environmental science.

See Dr. Kay’s Patch Community Contributor profile here.