BLOG: Wha'ts Wrong with Heilman's $16 Million Robo Garage -- Part 2

DIRECTLY FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH - A NEW PROBLEM WITH THE PLANNED $16 MILLION CITY HALL ROBOTIC PARKING GARAGE:

This second installment of reasons why the City Council and John Heilman's 25-year capitol improvement plan should not continue to push through the plans to build a $16 million multiple-level robotic parking garage behind City Hall.

confirmed the lack of need for any additional parking for City Hall.

Currently there is an existing flat ground parking lot behind City Hall. I personally researched the issue and in had numerous comments which did not dispute what I had personally seen and discussed for many months.

PART 2

Without trying to take a statement out of context, let me be clear, the short video clip is from the May 14, 2012 regular City Council meeting.

The issue was over the proposed Walgreen's project and NOT the robo-garage. 

However John Heilman thought describing the details of the City Hall's location, and the size, nature and needs for deliveries to both City hall and the adjacent restaurants was pertinent and illuminating when summing up his decision to not oppose the Walgreens project for noise, traffic, access or any other “delivery related” issue.

As you can see and hear for yourself, Councilmember Heilman describes a situation where (I did not know) City Hall receives numerous deliveries daily, along with Hamburger Mary's across narrow Sweetzer Avenue in alleyway behind it. Along with other local retail merchants, these delivery needs seems very significant and should have been resolved before plans were even started for building a massive robotic structure that will affect the flow of traffic in and around City Hall as well as bring almost 150 more cars to City Hall on a daily basis.

Mr. Heilman's admission in a personal declaration of “having no idea how all the deliveries are made” indicates he has not even thought about the effects on the daily deliveries to City Hall that the giant Robo-Garage will cause (both during construction and once the behemoth is done and there).

Although there has been an endless and conflicting list of reasons, purposes, details, price, need and environmental benefits and friendliness the dual-generator robotic, multi-lift elevator car garage has over the existing flat lot with substantial landscaping including what are now old growth trees, there has been no reference whatsoever to the impacts on the delivery needs of City Hall and Hamburger Mary's via the narrow alleyway and other local restaurants and businesses.

I am sure Mr. Heilman is correct when he assures people that “deliveries will still get done ..... somehow ...... who knows ..... but hey always do....”

Of course, but there will be effects on the traffic and delays caused by whatever changes to all deliveries to the local business including the new garage delivery/maintenance trucks.

The plans for spending $16 Million on a robo-garage did not appear to have included any loading dock or other designated "delivery zone" for City Hall where trucks could stop and park to unload without disrupting the already crammed in garage and access around the actual structure.

Thus, Councilmember Heilman has made it clear he does not have any personal knowledge about regular business deliveries in West Hollywood nor does he or anyone to date indicate the needs and effects to deliveries the $16 Million unneeded Robo-Garage will cause.

This project started as a imaginary idea and then reasons for supporting the fantasy of having a garage deliver and have waiting for Mr. Heilman, his car via some iPhone app at his desk, every time he comes and goes from City hall has to be stopped before the disaster and annual budget breaker is permanently stuck to the City and the residents who have other needs and priorities.

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