Jan 14, 2014
Urgent Action: City Council will vote whether to approve the huge, unpopular Hines project at 26th and Olympic (former Papermate site).
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: City Hall Council Chambers 1685 Main Street, SM
Residents Action: The Hines project is one of the largest development projects in Santa Monica's history in one of the most troubled traffic areas of our city. All of us need to come to this hearing to raise our voices and support SMCLC and community and neighborhood leaders calling for a reduced-size project (below the current 766,000 square feet of office, retail and residential). This development is way too big for this site, will have horrible traffic impacts, and lacks the community benefits and open space and other requirements specified by the Bergamot Area Plan and the City's Land Use and Circulation Element known as "LUCE."
Many of us, citywide have worked mightily for several years to get Hines to downsize its project appropriately and design something we could support. Hines apparently believes that it has the four council votes needed to proceed with its current project regardless of the ongoing public outcry against it.
You and your neighbors may well hold the key to whether the Council will listen to residents and turn the proposed project down, or plow ahead with a project we will all regret in the years to come. We believe if this project is rejected, something better designed with fewer traffic impacts, that truly reflects Santa Monica, will be the result.
If you attend no other Council meeting this year, this is the one you should come to. Olympic Boulevard is one of the only functioning east-west streets to the Westside. If this project is allowed to add an estimated 6900 new daily vehicle trips (based on the EIR that was prepared), Olympic Boulevard and the I-10 freeway access throughout the area will functionally collapse. No amount of "community benefits" can compensate for this serious loss of mobility, which is why LUCE recognizes that not all sites in the City are appropriate for maximum development.
We hope you will mark the date and time and stand with us for the future well-being of our City. We will send further information to you as the hearing draws closer.
Thank you.
Victor, Diana, Sherrill and Jeff
To emphasize just how detrimental this project is to us all, Los Angeles Westside Groups oppose this project and urge the SM City Council to 'Just Say NO!' ... Read their letters
