Compromise considered in ‘air rights’ sale dispute

City officials were weighing a compromise Friday to settle a dispute between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilwoman Jan Perry over a plan to promote downtown development.

Villaraigosa and Perry, who represents much of downtown, have quarreled over the mayor’s demand for authority to approve or reject decisions on projects downtown tied to the council’s proposed sale of “air rights.”

Earlier this week, Villaraigosa vetoed the council’s plan to sell the rights to 9 million square feet of unused space above the Convention Center, saying it would not give him adequate oversight over new projects.

Perry wanted colleagues to override the veto, but the council Friday delayed a decision until April 3, giving the two sides time to resolve their differences.