Check Clocks: Firing Squad Time
Steve, this is very, very naïve. I already have the blindfold on and their guns are drawn. You did not address the issue of, “What happened to Les Surfas’ basic,fundamental legal right to own and keep private property?” It’s called the "American Dream," and government should not be in the business of destroying the dream. It is wrong to take possession of land, business and homes from one individual to give to another individual. You joked about how the train is coming and the train will go where it wants. The train does not want my property. The city wants my property so they and a private developer can profit from it because it will be near the station not part of it. The real bandits in your story here are (Redevelopment Agency Chair) Steve Rose, (City Councilwoman) Carol Gross, (soon-to-depart Community Development Director Susan Evans and (Project Administrator) Todd Tipton.
Look at It This Way
Steve, do you realize how much the city would benefit if you sold them your house at a reduced value because, of course, you would have to pay legal fees to get true market value. You would have to move to Lancaster, as you would no longer be able to afford to stay in your neighborhood with what you get for your property. The city could have their friendly developer then build a bigger home on land that used to belong to you — but the new home would generate more tax revenue. You, like many others, think it will never happen to you. So why fight it? Not my problem. Since the U. S. Supreme Court decision last year regarding homeowners in New London, Conn., where private homes were taken and given to a private developer, that is exactly what is going on in many cities in this state, and in our country. A strong reminder of what was going on in 1939 Nazi Germany. Not what I expected of Culver City.
A “yes” vote on Prop 90 on Nov. 7 is California’s chance to redeem their property rights. It will stop eminent domain except for true public use. It will stop land and property seizures for the profit of city agencies, developers and lawyers.
Surfas Scenario: Too Complex for a Country Lawyer to Figure Out
Written by Steven Gourley
I set out recently to learn more about the dispute between Les Surfas and the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. When I expressed surprise in print about the dispute, Mr. Surfas emailed me and invited me down to visit his business. I enjoyed meeting Mr. Surfas and his son. I was impressed with them and what they have built on the corner of Washington and National. Mr. Surfas runs an extremely successful and well-known kitchen supply business. The building on the northeast orner is quite nice from the outside and amazing on the inside. Since the only thing I use to cook is a microwave oven, I was especially impressed with all the kitchen goods Mr. Surfas has to sell and how many of them he sells. His is a multi-million-dollar business, which generates sales tax which is good for the city of Culver City. The city should be definitely involved in trying to keep him in the city as he has been doing business here for over 30 years.
A Few Reasons
Mr. Surfas and his business are desirable residents because:
- Mr. Surfas and his son Steven are nice guys.
- Surfas Kitchen Supplies is a healthy business.
- Mr. Surfas is a savvy businessman who will certainly help the city and the Agency improve east Culver City.
- Mr. Surfas has done a fantastic job with the northeast corner of Washington and National in developing it for his store and a lovely little café inside the store.
- Mr. Surfas has some great (and profitable) ideas for further developing that property.
But Mr. Surfas would also like to develop his warehouse property on the northwest corner of Washington and National. The Redevelopment Agency has a different idea of how the property should be developed. The Agency owns about 75 percent of the property surrounding Mr. Surfas’ warehouse. The Agency would like to BUY (not SEIZE) Mr. Surfas’ warehouse property to complete that project.
A Couple of Glitches
The problem is that (a) Mr. Surfas thinks the Agency’s offer is too low, and (b) he wants to develop it himself. In my experience with the Redevelopment Agency and with other agencies, the price will go up as the litigation proceeds. Ultimately, in my experience, the final payment made for a property in an eminent domain case like this ends up much closer to the seller’s asking price than to the buyer’s offer. To the extent that Mr. Surfas and the Agency can’t agree on the price, that is just a question of money, which will most likely end up to Mr. Surfas’ benefit.
Who Is Mr. Feldman?
So without more, this would just be a question of money. This is a story, however, with both a past and a future. It seems William Feldman (whom I don’t know) either has or is hoping to get the right to develop the entire parcel (including Mr. Surfas’ warehouse) once the Agency has acquired the entire parcel on the northwest corner. It seems that Mr. Feldman is both a big property owner in Los Angeles and Culver City, and his holdings on the northeast side of Washington and National SURROUND Mr. Surfas’ store and café. It also turns out that Mr. Feldman was Mr. Surfas’ landlord until Mr. Surfas bought the property on the northeast corner and built his new building there.
Signs of a Rivalry
It is my impression that Mr. Surfas and Mr. Feldman may have a rivalry going. But that’s just my impression. Nevertheless, if Mr. Surfas could expand his store and develop a larger parcel on the northeast corner, he might be willing to trade, sell or otherwise barter his northwest corner property to the Agency. But the only way Mr. Surfas can expand his holdings on the northeast corner is by acquiring some of the Feldman property that surrounds him. Now, if this is starting to sound like an old Western where a big evil rancher tries to shut off the water to John Wayne’s ranch, you’re partly right and partly wrong. What is really happening is that someone’s buyin’ up all the property ‘cause the railroad is acomin’ through. That’s right, the Metro Rail Exposition Line, one way or the other, is comin’ through Culver City, somewhere between the northwest and the northeast Corners, and everyone, the Agency, Feldman, Surfa, and a bunch of other developers who have bought up the southwest and southeast corners, want a part of any development around the Culver City metro line stop. About the only Wild West dispute that we don’t have here is between Cattle Men and Sheep Men.
Whose Will Will Prevail?
Oh, but I did forget that, of course, the Railroad (MTA), like the Railroads in the Old West, is pretty much accountable to no one. It goes where it wants to go, except that the town fathers of Culver City (with apologies to Councilwoman Carol Gross) have done their best to get that thar railroad located where they want it — National and Washington (and how they want it—underground). This dispute is still hot. Oh, and did I mention that any Redevelopment projects around the Culver City station will have to be approved by the city of Los Angeles, ‘cause the property line (the border between Culver City and Los Angeles) is right behind Mr. Surfas’ store (going through Feldman territory) and then across the street (stay with me here) to the west, where it runs through property already owned by the Redevelopment Agency.
Little Ol’ Me
So this is all more complicated than a poor country lawyer like me could figure out. However, my suggestion is that the Agency gives money and approval to Mr. Surfas’ project (and Mr. Feldman contributes the land that Mr. Surfas needs to complete Mr. Surfas’ development of his northeast corner property in exchange for Mr. Surfas’ Northwest Corner property. (And, if it comes to it, give Mr. Surfas less cash, but give him a profit-sharing interest in the development on the northwest corner development put together by Mr. Feldman and the Agency.) Who is Feldman, anyway? Why is everyone scared of him?
Memories of an Oldtimer
Or as Walter Brennan, portraying Judge Roy Bean, the only law west of the Pecos, said before closing the bar room court and opening up the bar for business: “That’s muh rulin.’” That’s Old West talk for “That’s my Ruling.”
Bottom line: These are all big boys who can take care of themselves. Eventually, they will. Sit down, figure it out, and settle it before the lawyers run their bills any higher. As for me, I’d like to see any settlement keep Surfas Kitchen Supplies in Culver City. It’s just plain good business.
