Letter: IKEA decision didn’t involve the public

How do you come to terms with such a massive sellout by Burbank City Council on Tuesday, March 11? I, myself, was heart broken by it. The IKEA public hearing was a farce. We were led to believe that our concerns would be considered, and mitigating conditions would be imposed, then found out that everything had already been decided.
The huge impacts of worsened air quality and climate change in a high-risk neighborhood were simply ignored. They did not address their constituent who lives across the street and begged them not to permit it due to the increased pollution. They showed no concern for the seniors, children and disabled in the neighborhood. The property owner, who is going to make a bundle on the sale, spoke up to say that he had given the businesses notice a year ago that they had to vacate by June 2014, and that they should have been making arrangements. Two or three months of free rent would help them enormously in their moves, but no assistance was offered by IKEA, the property owner or the city.

Given the vulnerability of the neighborhood, the proposed IKEA improvements should be completely green including a net-zero energy property with no negative ecological impact.

Will IKEA pay for our increased medical expenses and higher energy bills due to more polluted air and higher temperatures resulting from this project?

Anna May Nelson
Burbank