Fallout From MCA Expansion Plan: Benefit or Blight? : Growth will worsen the congestion and crime created by Universal’s sprawling development, built with the aid of the firm’s formidable political influence.
MCA Inc. has depicted its proposal to convert nearly 20 million square feet of studio property into additional theme park rides, concessions, souvenir shops, resort hotels and multilevel parking structures as “managed growth” with economic and employment benefits.
However, to many people who live in the neighboring communities, the proposal is not a pretty sight. They are already suffering from gridlock due to the tens of thousands of tourists who pour in and out of the MCA property every day. I recall on one occasion being stuck for 20 minutes to travel half a mile due to the overflow of MCA tourists.
This traffic is the result of MCA’s construction 10 years ago of a freeway exit only for northbound traffic. Southbound motorists on the Hollywood Freeway must exit onto Cahuenga Boulevard to reach Universal City. Similarly, the only way onto the freeway is by surface streets. This would never have been permitted if the scope of MCA’s development had been revealed to the public at the time.
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No less disturbing than traffic is the significant increase in crime both on MCA property and in nearby neighborhoods. In 10 years I never felt there was any threat to the physical safety of myself nor my family--until CityWalk opened two years ago. Too often I now fear for my family’s safety and endure cars of screaming youths who smash beer bottles on my sidewalk as they drive up and down my once-tranquil street.
Because only a slice of MCA’s property is on city land, only a fraction of its taxes goes to the city. But the city must bear the cost of increased law enforcement and other services attributable to MCA’s traffic. To correct this problem, the city should annex the county portion of the Universal City area. City or county, the expansion will only make the problems worse.
MCA is asking for blind approval of a vague development agreement that would dangerously obligate our local governments. The period for community input to the environmental impact report--the so-called scoping phase--has ended, without MCA’s providing the information necessary to understand exactly what it intends.
Its attempt to rush through the governmental process is particularly alarming when you consider the giant company’s history of influence with government.
It has asked for “discretionary waivers” from the city Planning Department 17 times, and 17 times the staff has recommended that an EIR, specific plan or other mitigating action be required. And 17 times the staff recommendation has been overturned by City Hall.
Let me see if I can shape a rough analogy. How would you feel if a man who lived next door had a successful photography business? There might be a few employees and the comings and goings of some vendors and clients. Sounds fairly reasonable, you say? I would agree.
Now let’s say the neighbor becomes so successful that he starts giving tours of his facilities. As the traffic increases, you remain politely accommodating.
Before long, your neighbor is selling souvenirs, food and at every step seems to get zoning variances at will. Because of the traffic, visitors are routed through your yard.
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Now you learn that he intends to abandon photography altogether and run a much bigger tourist business. He promises jobs, but doesn’t say exactly what will be going up. Moreover, he wants quick approval for his plans. Wouldn’t you say: “Your tourists are a nuisance! I can’t enjoy my home! Enough is enough!”?
When it was announced this month that control of MCA was being sold, City Councilman John Ferraro and County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky called for a slowdown to the expansion. “This should not be a rush job,” Yaroslavsky said. I applaud their action.
But a meeting 10 days ago of MCA’s Citizens Advisory Group revealed no hint that the prospect of new management has brought any change in plans. Nor was there any sign that the company has heard a word of neighbors’ objections.
The county and city should stop the EIR process until MCA comes clean with specifics of its wish list and timetable. I hope my fellow citizens are vocal in opposing this plan, which would come at the cost of beautiful neighborhoods.
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If this project cannot be stopped, MCA should be required at a minimum to do the following:
* Pay the cost of city services and law enforcement.
* Pay for the construction of access ramps from its property directly to the southbound Hollywood Freeway.
* Create internal roads so people moving from one part of the MCA complex to another would not clog city streets.
* Fund an on-call anti-graffiti cleanup crew for two miles around its borders.
* Include legitimate property-owner representation, as delegated by homeowner associations, as a binding party to any development agreement considered by the city or county.
