Good Riddance and Where Will They Go?

July 29, 2003

Dear Editor,

I am bemused that Kelly Olsen, late of the Planning Commission, is currently bleating 'foul' as the City Council wisely chose not to renew his tenure.

An ideologue given to manipulating the public process to cover his pre-determined and prejudicial decisions and using slander and innuendo against the City Planning staff to cow their professional judgement and expertise has no place on the Planning Commission and no place as a decision maker in any public process.

It is gratifying that a majority of our City Council have at last come to this realization and acted responsibly in the interests of the Santa Monica public at large. The City Council must continue this process and give the community a Commission with the many voices and points of view that make Santa Monica the unique environment that it is.

By stacking the Commission with activists and ideologues of a particular mind set, the council has left our community without a broad consensus on planning and development issues and a public process that is more akin to The Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

As Frank Gruber, a colleague on a previous Commission, so aptly points out, we have lost many good projects that would have been positive for Santa Monica all due to the reactionary negativism as espoused by the likes of Olsen. ("WHAT I SAY: Since I've Been Gone," July 28)

Well, good riddance. The political types who through Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights and the Police Officers Union have ruled the roost for most of the last 20 years should act wisely as well, and end Olsen's career once and for all by denying any bid on his part to return (yes return!) to the City Council.

Consistent with this line of thinking, the council should demand that Olsen's sidekick, Commissioner Moyle, resign as her consistent absences disrespect the applicants, her colleagues, those that appointed her, and the public at large. Clearly she has better things to do, and the community will be better off when she is cut loose as well.

Eric Charles Parlee
Resident, Architect, Former Planning Commissioner

July 29, 2003

Dear Editor,

I am quite concerned about the potential environmental and social impact of the proposed OPCC Homeless facility to be located at Cloverfield and Michigan.

I am particularly concerned about:

1) The impact of 200 + homeless people who will have nowhere to go when the facility closes its doors at 5 p.m. Where will these people go? Into the Water Garden? Into Ralph's? Into the Plaza at the Arboretum? Into my backyard? Into my alley? OPCC dodged these issues when I asked them last night at their Open House.

2) The impact on traffic in an already congested area. Who is bringing the clients to the facility? Are they coming by bus? Is someone dropping them off? Will they be driving?

The potential impact of this proposed facility on the fragile Pico Neighborhood is severe, and needs to be studied VERY carefully before OPCC gets approval and money from the City of Santa Monica.