Venice: Commercial Development of Historic Boardwalk

The boardwalk (“Boardwalk Blues,” March 3) used to be one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Venice. It was a special place where the public had an opportunity to mingle with an iconoclastic community, where people could be themselves without being judged.

This unique setting was then destroyed by Councilwoman Ruth Galanter so that a handful of boardwalk property owners could maximize profits from their land holdings. Residential zones on the boardwalk were rezoned for intense commercial uses; neighborhood housing was converted to stores.

Petitions containing thousands of signatures from residents were submitted expressing opposition to the commercialization of the boardwalk. Community groups, acting through the city’s local coastal planning process, opposed further commercialization of the boardwalk. Even Galanter signed one petition before she was elected. It didn’t matter: She ignored the protests and threw all of her political weight in support of profits for boardwalk property owners.

As a result of Galanter’s negligence, abominable weekend traffic, overcrowding on the oceanfront, trash, noise and crime have changed the quality of life here and in the greater Venice community. Public safety, not renovation, is the issue on the boardwalk. If you think it is bad now, Galanter’s plans for more commercialization will bring the boardwalk to its knees.

There is no point in renovating the boardwalk until the commercial exploitation of the oceanfront is brought to an end. That will happen only if people demonstrate their anger to Galanter or someone responsible replaces her at the next election.

STEVE SCHLEIN

Venice