Palos Verdes Peninsula News

RPV — It’s not uncommon for residents living near Trump National Golf Club to express alarm at Donald J. Trump’s doings (witness the after-the-fact 70-foot-tall flagpole and hundreds of view-obstructing ficus trees). But one neighbor says the real estate mogul has reached an all-time low with a recent land dispute.

Jessica Leeds on Thursday morning was shocked by the sounds of construction crews tearing down the fence of her Palos Verdes Drive South home that abuts the golf course.

“All of a sudden, they were here with their bulldozers taking down the fence, removing and destroying landscape, trees, a walking path, a storage unit — just bulldozing through the whole thing,” the Rancho Palos Verdes homeowner said. “They had a surveyor here … [who] moved the old fence … and put up the fence with some new posts at that supposed property line — which I’m not sure whether it is or not — without even giving me a survey, without even calling me, without even sending a letter — no notification.”

The property in question, which Leeds estimates to be 22 feet by 84 feet, has changed hands during 31 years from former homeowners, to the Zuckermans who owned Ocean Trails, to the Trump Organization, which currently pays property taxes on the lot.

According to David Conforti, the golf course’s general manager, the action taken on Thursday was to “recoup” their land.

“We’re simply reclaiming what is legally, rightfully ours,” Conforti said on Friday. “[Leeds] certainly had the forewarning. It was a few months old. There was nothing ripped out. What we simply did was remove the fence and then reinstall it on the property line.”

The Trump Organization last winter sent a letter stating that Leeds had 10 or 14 days to move the fence herself, which she did not do, Conforti said.

Upon receiving the notice, Leeds contacted her attorney, Meredith Angel of Angel Law. Frank Angel was the attorney from that firm representing the plaintiffs in the original Ocean Trails litigation.

On May 2, they met with Conforti and Keith Schiller, Trump’s bodyguard, at Leeds’ home to discuss the potential for a lot line adjustment, landscape issues, view preservation and the history of the project, among other things.

“We were surprised because we thought we were at different points in our discussion,” Angel said. “It was a shock to have Trump come over and dismantle the fence. Our last meeting was extremely cordial, and it was my understanding that we’d be working together to deal with the property issues.”

Trump officials determined “it was in both interests to make this work” by granting a lot line adjustment, Leeds said.

“Either I’d have to pay for the land, or it would be turned over to the city and I could buy it from the city, or they could always just give it to me, which was always doubtful,” she said of the May 2 gathering. “They dropped the ball on the discussion. They never followed through beyond that meeting.”

However, Conforti said, “A lot of things were discussed but no conclusions were drawn.”

Conforti confirmed there is a pending lot line adjustment, but it couldn’t be made until officials assessed where the actual property line is. That is why the Trump Organization relocated the fence on Thursday, he said.

“With that, we are now able to move forward and satisfy conditions imposed on us by the city and the Coastal Commission to make sure we have the appropriate amount of open space that we are conditioned to do,” Conforti said. “We have to do this. Once we are able to satisfy those conditions, then we will look at lot line adjustments and see what might happen in the future vis a vis [Leeds’] property line.”

Because she was opposed to the wall of ocean view-obstructing ficus trees that appeared on the driving range in April 2007, Leeds sees this dispute as revenge.

“My take on it is that I was very instrumental in having the ficus trees removed,” Leeds said, “and I personally feel that this is a gotcha for the ficus tree removal — it was a get even … There was no reason for them to do this. They could have called for another meeting. They could have at least picked up the phone and at least say, ‘This is our intent.’ They did none of that.”

“That certainly isn’t the case. She may have been vocal with that issue, but as the city pointed out, we needed to put in native plants, which we did not do. There was some misguidance on everybody’s part,” Conforti said.

Trump himself visited Leeds’ home on July 11, 2007, along with two City Council members and two representatives of the city’s Planning Department, to examine the ficus trees from her side of the fence.

Trump could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Two other neighbors “encroach” approximately 5 feet onto the Trump property, Conforti said.

“The case with Ms. Leeds was that the amount [of land] was very egregious, frankly,” he said. “There was a pretty big error done at some point. We don’t see Ms. Leeds as being some land-grabber.”

Leeds on Thursday said she is unsure if she will pursue legal action.

“I’m still interested in having a meaningful dialogue and hoping that going forward, this is not going to be how they go about matters of disagreement with local residents,” Angel said.

To comment on this story, go to www.pvnews.com.

aratcliff@pvnews.com

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of pvnews.com.

chump the bully wrote on Oct 28, 2008 10:57 AM:

" i have close friends who have known trump for years, and they all say he is a disgusting arrogant bully (to say the least).
trump has been bullying a friend of mine into selling his home in beverly hills for the past two years now in order to build a compound across from the bh hotel. my friend has refused his offers. then trump sends his intimidating bodyguard, keith to communicate for him. in fact, when i saw his bodyguard at the long beach airport, he told me, "that guy (my friend) is going to piss off the wrong person one of these days." shortly thereafter, he started to receive threatening phone calls from a new york number. he has been harrassed by him, his lawyers and his bodyguard because he does not want to sell the home his father built.
this man thinks he can get away and do whatever he wants and has no regard for others. he needs to leave the little people alone and stop using his money to scare people. someone needs to put this guy in his rightful place.
don't let him bully anymore homeowners! "

Sam Shabot wrote on Oct 29, 2008 7:41 PM:

" To Jessica Leeds: You should have defended your legal property line boundary "by any means necessary." You had the right to physically stop the construction workers by force, in addition to calling the Sheriff's Department to make an arrest for trespass. Donald John Trump is a mean bully. -- Sam Shabot "

STARCHY wrote on Oct 30, 2008 10:40 AM:

" "his Bulldozer
his Rules"

You should consider yourself lucky to be almost so close to The Donald himself!!

Could you smell The Donald's Paco Rabbonne on the body guard??

Can you get me an autograph? Or a lock of The Donald's synthetic hair???

That would be SO AWESOME!!! "

K. Starr wrote on Oct 30, 2008 1:16 PM:

" The public doesn't realize that in Los Angeles, the corruption of bureaucrats along with politicians is a daily occurrence. There is not a single public personality associated with government, who is on the dull from the real estate development community. These multi-billion dollar business, provide the campaign funds and favorite charities with the cash they need. Money talks, unless the public speaks out. "

M.M. wrote on Mar 15, 2009 10:45 AM:

" It was HIS property! so why shouldnt he reclaim what was rightfully his. If it was the other way around, Ms. leeds would have demanded he return her property, just like she demanded to have the trees removed. You cant have it both ways. In this case she gave up what was NOT hers to begin with. "

Missing the Point wrote on Mar 18, 2009 8:04 AM:

" It seems as though the property line really isnt in dispute so why the column attempting to tug on the heart strings? Please dont waste my money taken this to court, its simple; she should hire a surveyor to protect what is hers and feel lucky that he isnt going to charge her to move the fence. Sounds like the former homeowners squatted on the property to begin with and she should have had the land surveyed when she bought it, I mean seriously we arent talking about cheap property here. Suck it up and move on, stop being bitter about change. "

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