‘Hyper-Negotiated’ Land Swap

So Senator Cranston has decided to jump into the fray over the proposed land swap in the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area. What the senator and other purists who oppose this swap fail to recognize is that no amount of holding the line will prevent the eventual development of part of this region into tract housing. Some sort of compromise will be necessary to preserve parkland, and yet satisfy the present land owners who are being wooed by developers.

The proposed exchange--about 1,100 acres of Bob Hope’s Jordan Ranch in return for 59 acres on which to build an access road--strikes me an equitable compromise. Consider also that an additional 4,600 acres are being thrown in by Hope at a price considerably below market value.

As to the preposterous notion that Congress will squelch the proposed land-swap by appropriating the necessary funds, I say “Ha!” Deficit reduction is the order of the day and what congressmen from economically depressed states in the Rust Belt would vote to spend money on acquiring California urban parkland parkland at $250,000-plus an acre.

My suggestion to Senator Cranston and the NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) purists who claim to be so worried about the environment, is to “shut up” before Bob Hope changes his mind and the Park Service and public end up with nothing.

DIXIE B. GROSSMAN

Chatsworth