Six days after a lawsuit was filed, a settlement agreement has been drafted between West Los Angeles College and the city of Culver City. For the next several weeks, the document will be passed back and forth, continuing to be refined.
The news is that the years’-long crisis likely is over — as soon as the complex of disputed environmental issues plaguing West’s expansion plans can be satisfied.
“We are making progress even though a few issues still need to be dealt with,” Charles Herbertson, City Hall’s lead negotiator and Acting City Manager, said this afternoon.
One of the thorniest hurdles en route to a compromise has been the historically smoldering relations between three homeowners groups, whose members’ residences ring the campus, and the college.
Mr. Herbertson said homeowner representatives who participated in the last face-to-face meeting, eight days ago, have brought the settlement terms to their members for ratification.
“Otherwise, there is some final work being done on language, going back and forth with the (Los Angeles Community College District),” said Mr. Herbertson, who also is the Public Works Director.
A low-key personality, he also was a principal negotiator five years ago when the last major agreement was reached with West L.A.
“It looks pretty hopeful,” he said. “Not all issues are settled, but we are moving in the right direction.”
No Dramatic Instant of Change
Mr. Herbertson said there was not a single pivotal moment or concession that cooled down the chronically fierce feelings.
“We had a really good 3½-hour meeting last week,” and since then emails have been flying among the parties.
“Both sides came into that meeting openminded,” he said. “And both sides had done a lot of work in advance of the meeting. Everyone seemed to approach (the crisis) in a spirit of compromise, and they were willing to give. Those attitudes helped us move our positions closer together on different issues. At the meeting, we resolved a number of issues. A few were left, but we weren’t, and aren’t, far apart.
“The whole thing is a big package. So you pretty much must have everything worked out. The momentum is there. I really believe we are headed toward a resolution.”
For the first time since he came here from the South Bay as Public Works Director, the soft-spoken Mr. Herbertson has been regularly visible this late summer season.
Both City Hall and the college have changed leaders this summer. But the new faces seem to have filled the role of observers rather than gritty participants.
Throughout months of dealings, Mr. Herbertson has been the one constant at the top for Culver City.
In reprising his crucial assignment of five years ago, once again he seems to have transcended deep-seated ill feelings on all sides of the table and driven home an elusive compromise.
Further, he also has been the face of the city this week while new City Manager John Nachbar is attending a series of out-of-town meetings.
