Board Delays Discussion on Marina Project

The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday delayed for two weeks considering a motion to amend a plan for Marina del Rey that would allow one of the lawmakers’ staunchest political backers to build a luxury apartment complex.

Also postponed were discussions in executive session over extending until 2061 developer Jona Goldrich’s exclusive lease on the 2.2 acres of public land, which the county and Goldrich say is needed to spur redevelopment of the parcel.

Supervisor Gloria Molina, who has opposed prior marina lease deals but approved one extension this year, asked for the delay, saying she still had questions about the matter.

Goldrich and his partner say the planned 99-unit apartment building is part of a much-needed revitalization of the publicly owned marina.

Several planned projects involve parcels that have been the subject of competitive bidding, but many others would be contingent on supervisors’ extending the leases of developers who have never had to bid for their parcels and who are generous contributors to supervisors’ campaigns.

Goldrich has given more than $9,000 to supervisors’ political committees over the last five years, though he says he does not believe that sum would influence the board’s decisions.