Zone Change for Beverly Connection
Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky’s surprise (Letters, Sept. 10) at your news account of the Beverly Connection zone change hearing of Sept. 3 is really surprising to those of us who have been deeply involved with this issue and him for the last three years.
Fact: The entire project consists today of 361,000 square feet and not 291,000 square feet. Under Proposition U, the commercial portion would allow development today of only about 250,000 square feet.
Fact: After rezoning and applying the development restrictions proposed, about 350,000 square feet would result, or a windfall of about 100,000 square feet to the developer.
Fact: This property sits between the second- and third-worst intersections in the city, with traffic counts well above city average.
Fact: Two neighborhood associations representing the areas to the west and to the east were opposed; only a small condominium building adjacent supported it in response to a payment of $16,000 by the Beverly Connection developer earlier this year.
There is no problem with providing profit to private parties at public expense, as long as there is a commensurate public benefit. It is done all the time to the betterment of our community. Such is not the case here. A private developer is gaining a major windfall, and the community loses hard-won benefits.
We urge the councilman to withdraw his proposal because it is truly ill-considered and not timely.
HARALD R. HAHN, Burton Way Homeowners Assn.
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