Prospect of Hotel in Westwood Village

Dori Pye’s defense of Nansay Corp.’s proposed Westwood Village hotel (Letter, Aug. 20) is confused and unnecessarily divisive. The city made a mistake. The Horizons is a hotel under the Municipal Code. Why should the community wind up with 650 guest rooms when we agreed to only 350 rooms? Where is the planned protection to accommodate an additional hotel the size of the Century City Marriott?

There are no heroes or villains in this dispute. A problem exists, and we are trying to resolve it, not sweep it under the rug. Calling the Horizons a retirement hotel does not make it one legally. Furthermore, the Westwood Village Specific Plan prohibits hotels being closer than 500 feet. This means that no hotel may be built within 500 feet of the Horizons Hotel. Nansay’s property is directly across the street from the Horizons--75 feet away.

Unlike Ms. Pye, I believe that homeowner leaders should engage directly in a dialogue with developers so that projects can be made to be compatible with the community. We seek solutions, not conflict.

Contrary to Dori Pye’s claim that “elected representatives”--by which she presumably means Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky--are appeasing those who oppose the project, here are the facts: He failed to furnish Friends of Westwood with a copy of his request for a ruling from the Zoning Administrator, or of any subsequent actions that involved deadlines for appeals.

Nevertheless, on the last day possible, an appeal was filed by Holmby Westwood Property Owners, Westwood Homeowners, and Friends of Westwood, representing approximately 5,000 Westwood residents. It should also be noted that as late as March, 1989, he received maximum campaign contributions from both Nansay and from the Horizon’s owner, David Roberts, and members of his family.

At a Nov. 5, 1987, Westwood Emergency Town Meeting on the Village Plan, a show of hands was asked for those favoring any hotel in the village. Out of 300 people, only two raised their hands in support. Clearly, Westwood’s homeowner associations and Friends of Westwood have a mandate from the community.

LAURA LAKE

president, Friends of Westwood