Deputies concerned about plan’s impact on security
Noise and security concerns top the list of issues at the Santa Monica Courthouse if the city’s civic center redevelopment plan ever becomes a reality, a judge said.
But West District Supervising Judge Alan B. Haber said he is confident the two sides can come to an understanding.
Haber and county officials are concerned that the addition of an athletic field to the civic center will severely impact eight courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms across from where the field is proposed.
But Haber said negotiations have progressed well between the city and Los Angeles County, which owns the courthouse.
“The court intends to cooperate with the city to facilitate their plans, except for where the city plans would interfere with court operations,” Haber said. “And the only issue we have is making sure the courthouse is secure and that any of the actions near or adjacent to the courthouse do not jeopardize our day-today operations.”
Haber said he contacted Los Angeles County officials to get involved in negotiations over the proposed civic center plan at the city’s request. The city officials wanted Haber to use his connections at the county to get the plan approved, he said.
The city needs the county’s OK because of a 1960’s-era agreement between the two governments. The county is allowed an 80-foot buffer zone around the courthouse, according to the agreement.
But the city needs to encroach on that space to build the proposed civic center parking deck and portions of Civic Center Drive.
The civic center, located on Main Street between Colorado Boulevard and Pico Boulevard, is the city’s symbolic geographical point. It serves as an integral part of town because of its proximity to downtown, Santa Monica Place, Palisades Park, the Santa Monica Pier, the Ocean Park neighborhood and Main Street.
The city purchased the 11-acre site from the RAND Corporation in 2000 for $53 million with the intention of completely overhauling the civic center area so it would better connect to downtown Santa Monica.
Current plans for the area include a town square, a garden walk with botanical and sculpture gardens, plenty of open space and bicycle paths, as well as a child development facility and a revamped City Hall.
Originally the plan did not call for athletic fields, which outraged many coaches, parents, students and sports enthusiasts, who believe such amenities are necessary in the city’s civic area.
The Santa Monica-Malibu School District lobbied for fields to be included so their students, particularly from the adjacent Santa Monica High School campus, could use them.
City and school district officials have said they may form a joint partnership to split the cost of the new field.
High-ranking courthouse officials and city officials have been meeting every two weeks to update each other on how construction of the city’s new public safety building behind City Hall is progressing. Officials also have used the sessions to discuss the civic center plans, and address concerns courthouse officials have.
County officials did not have a comment on whether they had taken a stance on the civic center plan, except to say that they had contacted Santa Monica officials. The two parties will meet this week.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office, which handles courthouse security and provides bailiffs in the courtrooms, will release a report detailing security concerns they have with the city’s proposed plan, Haber said.
Sources familiar with the report said sheriff officers are concerned Civic Center Drive and the athletic field would be too close to where prisoners are brought in and out of the courthouse.
City officials have offered to sound proof the courthouse walls, as well as install solar panels in the building to help the county keep its energy bills low. Officials also have said they will meet the security demands of the courthouse.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 20, 2002. Read the original PDF.