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Health & Fitness

Is an Important Historic Monument Being Razed so the City Can Water the Grass?

City responds to a timeline of events in order to protect the West Hollywood Fickett Library as it sees its way to the council's August 15 closed session agenda.

From the timeline I presented to Mayor Duran back in July to my dialogue with West Hollywood City Attorney Mike Jenkins through August, it has been a long road in my efforts to preserve the Edward H. Fickett West Hollywood Park Library. And now the issue has landed on the council's August 15 closed session agenda.

Too many times I have been asked, "Why now?" Why did I not do anything earlier? Perhaps no one thought the library was in jeopardy. And my question is: Where have you been throughout this process? Where was the closely guarded eye as this project spans almost a decade?

It is being recommended to all County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and West Hollywood Council to take a closer look at things before major litigation will take place due to a bad deal between the county and city, CEQA violations, and more mistrust by the community with government officials trying to bully their way into a Master Plan.

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As the Land Transfer Agreement between the County of Los Angeles and the City of West Hollywood was based on Resolution 03-2837 and the the 2004 Master Plan, it is clear the city is in violation of the Land Agreement on several counts. The county is now being notified of these points as they create serious conflict within the agreement between the parties. 

Plans to incorporate the demolition of the library as part of the Capital Plan Phase 1B is just a joke. This was only adopted back in May 2011 and would be the first time the library was mentioned for demolition. As the Master Plan laid out the phases early on, why was the Fickett Library not mentioned in any of the language that was adopted by the city? Maybe because it was never to be torn down?

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Here's how I see the Phases of the Master Plan working through the plans at hand.

  • Phase 1 - Library and Single Level Parking Structure.  "The construction of the library and parking structure will be completed without disturbing other facilities including the existing library."
  • Phase 2 - Aquatic Center and 2nd level of the Parking Structure.  "Upon completion of the aquatic center, the existing pool will be removed for the next phase of park expansion."
  • Phase 3 - Recreation Center and 3rd level of the Parking Structure.
  • Phase 4 - Expanded Park (Long Term Proposals) "Removal of existing facilities along San Vicente Blvd will allow for build out of the expanded park.  San Vicente Blvd's right of way will be narrowed and shifted easterly." (This is what the City calls Capital Plan Phase 1B.)
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