Dear Editor,

I wish I'd been home to comment when Jorge Casuso called me, because I'm very concerned about the interpretation he seems to have been given of the Planning Commission's 1309 Palisades Beach Road hearing.

For retaining a non-conforming use, like this was to have been, zoning
code limits renovations to 50% of the existing structure. By the very
loosest of standards, that can be construed to mean 50% of the linear
perimeter of outside wall framing must remain unchanged.

Photos of the bungalows that previously were there, and of the remaining
framing, convinced the Commission that even the still-standing sections
of wall had been moved and/or rearranged. The Commission took a straw
poll and agreed with staff that the 50% limitation had been exceeded.

The property owner's original plan, for which the variance had been
granted, was a duplex -- multi-family in what is today a single-family zone. That non-conforming use was forfeited when the renovation crossed the 50% line. To build on the lot without the privilege of retaining the non-conforming use, the property owner will have to significantly alter his duplex plans to redesign as a single-family home.

This means the "leeway" one dissenting Commissioner advocated would have been to grant a continued variance to a future building FOR WHICH THE COMMISSION (and members of the public wishing to comment) HAVE NEVER SEEN PLANS.

The vote was to revoke the variance. Guess that's why it's called the
PLANning Commission.

Kevin McKeown
City Council
Planning Commission liaison

Dear Editor,

The Promenade is rapidly becoming a Galleria; I don't think this atmosphere is what revived it when it was dying a few years back.

I think people like to linger at a bookstore or a sidewalk cafe. I don't think there is much captivating about an old Navy or a Bebe's.

What is happening to that charming old Mayfair Theatre? What a beautiful building. They would certainly preserve that one in Los Angeles! How do these developers gain so much power in our quaint beach town with such a wonderful history(gambling ships off the coast & plenty of movie stars stories).

I would like to see the Westside Academy of  Dance on Stewart get the Mayfair and encourage a world class ballet studio.

G. George
Santa Monica