LA WATCHDOG-Why did City Councilman Paul Koretz approve an over height variance for a speculative, 42,000 square foot monster mansion in Bel Air (photo) that was opposed by neighbors while refusing to grant a neighborhood supported variance for the owner of a single family residence where only a small portion of its tastefully designed front wall was barely over the height limitation?
In March, 2014, the Koretz led City Council overrode the unanimous decision of the West LA Area Planning Commission to reject the variance for the Bel Air spec house and approved a 50 foot height variance for the Beverly Hills developers. But that is par for the course as these litigious developers, along with members of their families, have “invested” almost $60,000 in City elections, including very generous contributions to City Council President Herb Wesson and Jose Huizar, the chair of the favor granting Planning and Land Use Management Committee.
(Note: Last week, the Superior Court tossed out the City Council’s action since the Council relied improperly on information that was not part of the official record.)
On the other hand, Koretz has decided not to pursue a variance for an over height wall in front of a single family residence on the busy corner of Olympic and Prosser, about a mile west of Century City. This residential wall, while level, is on a slope, resulting in 30% of the wall being over the 42 inch standard. The wall is also consistent with other walls in the surrounding area.
Koretz is sensitive to criticism since he was responsible for a number of controversial variances, several of which have been overturned by the courts. But in this case, he has air cover from the Westwood South of Santa Monica Boulevard Homeowners Association, the Overland Avenue Community, the Westside Neighborhood Council, and the surrounding homeowners.
Many residents are also concerned that Koretz is not stepping up to the plate to protect their residential neighborhoods from the impacts of overdevelopment on the Olympic corridor that is being pushed by real estate developers and City planners who are enamored with “transit oriented density.”
Koretz has also earned a reputation as one of the most business unfriendly Council Members.
For example, Koretz and Jose Huizar were the joint sponsors of the Exclusive Trash Franchise scheme, a union sponsored program opposed by the business community since it expected to cost commercial establishments an extra $150 to $200 million annually over the next five to ten years.
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Koretz was a co-sponsor of the Hotel Minimum Wage of $15.37 an hour. While there are questions as to the legality of this newly enacted ordinance, it sends a frightening message to employers and investors that our cash strapped City cannot be trusted by capital intensive businesses.
Koretz was also the ring leader, along with the SEIU, of the effort to force two money center banks to renegotiate their interest swap agreements even though the City benefitted from this financial arrangement. Once again, this stunt that would result in a significant loss to the banks sends the wrong message to employers, investors, and the financial community.
Koretz also sponsored a resolution calling for the State to amend Proposition 13 to allow the reassessment of commercial property on a regular basis. According to the City’s resolution, the “split roll” would generate $6 billion in additional tax revenue for the State of California and local governments, making the State the highest tax jurisdiction in the country.
Koretz was also a vocal proponent of Proposition A, the March 2013 ballot measure that would have increased our sales tax by a half cent to 9½%, one of the highest rates in the country. Despite huge expenditures by the Herb Wesson sponsored slush fund, this measure was rejected by 55% of the City’s voters and almost 60% of the voters in Koretz’ Council District.
Obviously, Koretz is not in sync with the voters and residents of his Council District on zoning, tax, and economic development issues. Maybe it is time to consider a change in 2017.
(Jack Humphreville writes LA Watchdog for CityWatch. He is the President of the DWP Advocacy Committee, The Ratepayer Advocate for the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, and a Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate. Humphreville is the publisher of the Recycler Classifieds -- www.recycler.com. He can be reached at: [email protected].)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 10
Pub: Feb 3, 2015
