Council Revives Parking Lot Plan

Beverly Hills officials moved quickly Tuesday to patch up a $37-million parking lot development plan that a court last week ruled defective.

City Council members rescinded approval granted to the project 10 months ago--and then promptly approved it again after penciling in a requirement for valet “stack parking” in its proposed underground garage.

Outraged merchants and residents who have demanded that the project be redesigned to provide more public parking for the city’s main business district immediately vowed to return to court to fight the new approval.

“This smacks of a back-room deal. When this is brought to the judge’s attention, it will bring wrath down upon this city,” resident Lou Lipsofsky warned council members.

Officials want to replace a surface parking lot between Beverly and Canon drives with an 87,000-square-foot commercial building atop a four-level underground garage. The project would boost city revenues by $3 million a year.

Officials assert that the project will increase public parking spaces at the site by about 40%. But merchants and residents filed a lawsuit to block it, contending that it will actually reduce public parking spaces by about 40%.

On May 8 Superior Court Judge David Yaffe ordered the earlier approval of the project overturned, suggesting that the parking issue was an unresolved environmental impact.

About 30 merchants and residents complained that Tuesday’s action was unseemly and could ultimately drive some nearby shopkeepers out of business.

“I’m deeply disturbed by this,” said Robert Anderson, who told council members his family has lived in Beverly Hills since 1911. “The judge didn’t say ‘amend’ it. He said ‘void’ it.”

Added homeowners association leader Victor Bardack: “With merchants and residents suing the city, maybe it’s time to step back and say this project just doesn’t work.”

But council members defended last July’s approval--and Tuesday’s repeat approval.

“I look upon this as truly an asset to the community” that the downtown business district “desperately needs,” said Councilman Les Bronte. Added Councilwoman MeraLee Goldman : “We’re here representing you. It doesn’t mean we always agree with you.”