Study OKd for Freeway Ramp From Universal

The county’s Regional Planning Commission voted to begin a feasibility study of building a ramp from Universal Studios to feed southbound traffic onto the Hollywood Freeway during a hearing Wednesday on the entertainment complex’s $1-billion expansion plan.

In a raucous meeting, commission member Donald Toy also expressed annoyance at Universal’s reluctance to support his idea for a permanent oversight group of neighbors and local businesses to play a major role in the 15-year expansion project.

“With a project of this size, we need to set up a formal mechanism for groups in the area . . . and have them be part of the formal process,” Toy said, triggering applause and shouts of “That’s what we want” from some in the audience opposing Universal’s plans.

But Universal Studios’ attorney George Mihlsten said the company’s ongoing meetings with community groups, plus the conventional city and county approval process, were satisfactory.

“I don’t think . . . that meets my definition of meaningful participation,” Toy countered.

About 60 people attended the hearing, and catcalls from the audience punctuated the meeting.

Mihlsten also said that a southbound 101 Freeway ramp should not be a condition for approval of Universal’s expansion project. But if a freeway ramp were built eventually, he said, Universal would pay its “fair share” of the cost.

Joan Luchs of the North Hollywood Residents Assn. said that not forcing Universal to include a freeway ramp in its expansion plans means that even if the ramp is found by later engineering studies to be feasible, “Universal would not be required to do it. That is a tremendous loss” for local neighborhoods already swamped with traffic, she said.

The commission also voted not to include a possible north-south public roadway on Universal’s property as part of the expansion project. The vote was 4 to 1, with Toy the only dissenter.

Fred Greve, an independent noise consultant, also testified about Universal’s proposed noise limitation measures. He said the company failed to present enough data about noise coming from its movie production work. He also suggested that third-party, random noise monitoring be done several times a year at Universal.

Concerns by neighborhood groups about noise is even more important than traffic issues, Toy said. This apparently encouraged the commission to accept written public comment on Greve’s noise study until Dec. 31.

In July, after months of angry public testimony by neighbors and suggestions from politicians, Universal slashed its expansion plans by 40%.

Still, the new proposal would add 3.3 million square feet of studio, hotel, office and retail space at Universal, and expand its current building space by 60%.

Universal City covers 415 acres and falls within both city and county jurisdiction. So its project requires approval from both the City Council and the county’s Board of Supervisors.