West Hollywood : Vote on Civic Center OKd

The City Council on Monday approved an arrangement to give West Hollywood voters a choice between competing initiatives on the November ballot aimed at deciding whether a long-planned civic center is built in West Hollywood Park.

As part of the plan, the ballot will contain an initiative, sponsored by the Save Our Parks Alliance, prohibiting construction of the civic center in the park. Competing will be an initiative sponsored by Mayor Abbe Land and Councilman John Heilman that would allow the center to be built in the park while ensuring that park space is not reduced.

Approval of the plan was expected, since a majority of council members have said publicly for several weeks that they favor the arrangement.

The vote to place the initiative sponsored by the alliance on the ballot was 4 to 1, with Heilman casting the dissenting vote. The vote to include the measure sponsored by Land and Heilman on the ballot was also approved 4 to 1, with Councilman Steve Schulte opposed.

Heilman cited an opinion by City Atty. Michael Jenkins that the park group’s initiative, as drafted, violates state law, and, if enacted, would be invalid, as the reason he voted against placing it on the ballot.

He and Councilwoman Helen Albert have said that they do not intend to be bound by the park group’s initiative if it wins.

Schulte is the lone member of the council who opposes the civic center’s being placed in the park. Although saying he plans to work diligently on behalf of the park group’s initiative, Schulte said Monday that he will “abide by the outcome” if the initiative sponsored by Land and Heilman wins voter approval.