Hollywood Renewal Unit Seeks Reprieve

A Hollywood redevelopment advisory board that was recently dumped by the Los Angeles City Council petitioned a judge for reinstatement Thursday, charging that the city has violated the public’s right to participate in community decisions.

In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, attorney Orry P. Korb argued that the City Council and the Community Redevelopment Agency had no legal right to disband the Project Advisory Committee, most of whose members were elected by the Hollywood community.

Korb also charged that officials are trying to silence the committee’s criticisms of the controversial plan to redevelop Hollywood with high-rise office buildings and hotels.

“The city and the agency committed themselves to implement the plan in full public view,” he said. “They cannot insulate themselves from the persons most affected by the redevelopment in Hollywood merely because the Hollywood community does not always agree with them.”

July 28 Hearing

The committee’s complaint will be heard by Judge Kurt Lewin on July 28. But lawyers for the city said they expect a quick dismissal. “We think the whole thing is frivolous,” said Deputy City Atty. William Childs. “It completely misrepresents what the law says.”

The City Council eliminated the 25-member committee and gave Hollywood Councilman Michael Woo the authority to appoint a new set of advisers for the 1.7-square mile renewal project last month, after Woo charged that committee members were engaging in “wacky behavior.”

Woo, who was at an ethics committee meeting at City Hall Thursday night, was unable to respond to the latest charges leveled by the committee’s lawyer. But relations between the councilman and the 3-year-old advisory panel have been strained for some time.

Committee members who oppose the ambitious redevelopment plans often used panel meetings as forums for their complaints. In moving to dismiss the panel, the city maintained that the group’s consulting role only extended through the first three years of the redevelopment process. Committee members, however, claimed that they were empowered to remain in existence until the plans are fully implemented, which is expect to take about 30 years.