Spielberg's Plan Riles Neighbors

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” Director Steven Spielberg wants to please his wife by building her a giant five-story horse-riding ring, but in the process he's annoying neighbors. <br><br>``It's just astounding

Wednesday, December 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” Director Steven Spielberg wants to please his wife by building her a giant five-story horse-riding ring, but in the process he's annoying neighbors.

``It's just astounding and obnoxious,'' said land-use attorney John Murdock, who has been retained by a half-dozen people who live near the proposed site. ``They're cutting out half the hillside to put in this riding ring ... the structure is completely alien to the area.''

The planned 27,000-square-foot building would be about six times the size of a typical home in the tony but low-key Brentwood neighborhood. Estimates on the project's cost have exceeded $7 million, on top of the $5.75 million Spielberg spent to buy the land for the building.

Spielberg is planning the facility â€” complete with a domed, retractable roof, subterranean stables and a spectator platform â€” for his wife, actress and horse lover Kate Capshaw.

The couple lives in another neighborhood near Brentwood, and apparently has no plans to reside on the 2.8-acre site where the construction is planned.

Neighbors say they'll fight the proposal, which would require six zoning variances, unless it's dramatically scaled back.

The city of Los Angeles is scheduled to consider the requested variances at a Jan. 4 zoning administration hearing. Spielberg can appeal any decision to an area planning commission and the City Council.

``Are we going to be able to please everyone? No,'' said Andy Spahn of Spielberg's DreamWorks SKG entertainment company. ``But we'll come a long way toward easing peoples' concerns.''

Spielberg's credits include ``Saving Private Ryan,'' ``Schindler's List,'' and ``Jaws.'' Last year, Capshaw produced and starred in ``The Love Letter.''