Where Is the Plan to Deal With Sunset Strip?

In reference to your coverage of the problems associated with the Sunset Strip (Times, April 25), I find it sad and ludicrous to see the city management and City Council members express concern over another issue that has been in the forefront of the Sunset Merchants Assn. and the existing businesses in this area, yet not perceived with foresight by those paid staff members and political representatives.

This fall, West Hollywood will be 10 years old. Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent on consultants, studies, revisions, appeals, lawsuits, and various other things. A professional city manager has been in place for over nine years, yet no continuity of operation nor plan has been executed which would have dealt with this problem.

The bureaucracy and bloated management in place today should have been able to proactively put into action the Sunset Specific Plan; they should have been able to foresee the errors of administration which created the necessity of litigation over the beautiful and well-designed Raleigh project; and they should accept that talk and promises do not support businesses-- action does.

Your reference to the famous 10 blocks and the loss of major tenants is accurate; however, what is not noted is that along just this corridor of our tiny city, we have over 250,000 square feet of vacant office and store space. Just this one strip! These vacancies did not all occur this week or within even the last three months. What was the city-supported marketing corporation doing/thinking when Playboy vacated their landmark building? When the Raleigh project was being shot at?

The answer to this question is quite easy and blatantly apparent. West Hollywood leaders are more interested in spending money on politically correct social programs which bolster their own standing or status than do the jobs they were elected or hired to do. Great strides were promised at the conception of this city’s incorporation, yet we are still waiting for delivery on pragmatic leadership, direction and investment. Quick fixes and false facades will not remedy the problems on Sunset nor throughout the rest of our urban village.

Concessions to developers at the expense of the residents and existing businesses are foolhardy. We need to go back to the basics and provide the services we can afford. With the national, state and county governments struggling with crisis after crisis and pulling money back to cover their deficits, West Hollywood leaders seek to make minor cuts and then impose backbreaking taxes, assessments, and other fees to finance their personal social spending programs without shame or even embarrassment.

We can make a difference by demanding, not asking for the truth. For accountability and sensible judgments and programs that we can afford.

STEVEN S. CHAPMAN

West Hollywood