Let the bargaining begin! Eastsider LA reports that the City Council has approved a motion allowing the city to finally get the ball rolling on buying more than 40 acres of land along the LA River known as Taylor Yard Parcel G2. The city has been interested in this giant piece of property, which sits directly between the existing Rio de Los Angeles State Park and the river in Glassell Park and Cypress Park, for more than a decade. It's seen as a crucial element in the effort to return the largely concrete river to a more natural state because, since the parcel is so big, any sort of large-scale revitalization would have a huge impact on the waterway as a whole. The city plans to use the land as both natural space for the public and wetlands to improve the river's water quality, turning it into a "premiere urban ecosystem green space," as Councilmember Gil Cedillo in his official motion. It's unclear how much money this purchase is going to cost the city, but, at one time, as much as $25 million in public funds were set aside for it.

· City Makes A Move To Buy Taylor Yard Riverfront Parcel [Eastsider LA]