BUENA PARK : VFW Post Is Given Ultimatum by City

After emotional testimony from members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post here, the Planning Commission agreed unanimously this week to give the veterans six months to either vacate their hall or comply with their use permit and install a new parking area.

The post has been looking for a place to relocate since the City Council barred it last September from renting its facility to outside groups because of gripes from neighbors around the hall. VFW leaders say that renting out the hall was their main source of income.

Neighbors had complained of noise and litter caused by weddings and other large gatherings held in the hall. The problems came to a head last March when gunshots were fired in front of the lodge during a party. No one was injured.

Angry veterans lashed out at the commission Wednesday night, saying that they being victimized.

“A lot of these people bought their homes after the VFW was there,” said John Curry, a member of the post.

The veterans told the commission that they are having trouble selling the hall and finding a suitable place to relocate.

“We can’t afford to go anywhere else unless we can sell it,” Curry told the commission.

Since the rental restrictions have gone into place, the VFW post has had to cut down on many of its charitable efforts, including visiting hospital-bound veterans during the holidays, members say.