For Immediate Release:

PROTECT PLUMMER PARK
Contacts:
Stephanie Harker - 310-985-4723
Cathy Blaivas - 323-788-3156

West Hollywood, CA - The fierce, grassroots fight to protect a neighborhood park from unwanted development by the
City of West Hollywood, has intensified as the group, Protect Plummer
Park, has retained the law firm of Luna & Glushon to seek a Temporary Restraining
Order, in an all out attempt to stop the City of West Hollywood from
immediately demolishing the Historic 1938 WPA structures, Great Hall/Long Hall.

The beloved, classic, Spanish Colonial Revival building, known officially as the Community Clubhouse, that
sits in Plummer Park, was listed on the California Register and on the
National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the
Interior, in 2013.

West Hollywood's original 41.3 million dollar, controversial plan to renovate Plummer Park
began in 1994 and was revisited in 2007. The plan was approved in 2010, and
was to be funded primarily by the State, with money from the the City's now defunct redevelopment agency. West Hollywood has been denied the funding twice by the CA Dept. of Finance as the State does not recognize the bonds as an obligation.

It is Protect Plummer Park's contention, that there were never any
alternatives presented to the public and though there has been a fervent outcry
for 2 1/2 years by 100s of residents and over 2,600 signatures on a petition
against the plan, the City, the Mayor and two Councilmen will most
likely vote on Tuesday night, Jan. 21st, 6:30pm, to go forward with immediate demolition of the
historic buildings to gain what the city calls "desired open space."

About 100 citizens plan to picket and to speak out at Tuesday's West Hollywood City Council
meeting to urge the Council to oppose the destruction of this important
piece of history and to include the public in a previously promised redesign more agreeable
to the community members. Other preservation groups; the LA Conservancy, Hollywood
Heritage, the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance and The Living New Deal
have joined Protect Plummer Park in efforts to save historic Great Hall/Long Hall and have urged their members to attend the meeting.

What: Public Demonstration to Stop Demolition
When: TUES, JAN 21, 2014 at 6:00pm- picketing
Council Meeting starts Promptly - 6:30pm
Where: West Hollywood City Council Chambers
625 N. San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Free Validated Parking in Structure


For further information contact:
PROTECT HISTORIC PLUMMER PARK
Phone: 310-985-4723 or 323-788-3156
Email: protectplummerpark@gmail.com

I support the City Council and Council Officials to take action on Plummer Park and use the bond money for what it was intended; more park space, more open space, more parkland, more grass and more trees. Restore Plummer Park and the City’s own Community Study Survey demands for more open space, grass and trees is paramount to all other features of a park, most especially the preservation of utilitarian buildings that have served their purpose. The Restore Plummer Park petition began gathering supporters on December 28, 2013 and in just 18 days (as of January 14th) it already has 417 supporters, 10% reside in West Hollywood and 32% either reside in West Hollywood or nearby. At this rate of response, if Restore Plummer Park had been gathering supporters for over two years, like a group opposed to the project, it would have over 20,000 supporters. Please take action on Plummer Park and finally move forward with this much needed project.

As of today, 482 signatures have been gathered and growing including West Hollywood residents. I don’t know where the author’s figures for the Protect Plummer Park have come from but as of December 12th, 2013 the Protect Plummer Parks signatures numbered 2, 279 signatures, 11 new signatures in past 14 days, 43 WeHo resident signatures in past six months, 128 total WeHo resident signatures since petition began, only 5% of Change.org petition signers are WeHo residents.

There seems to be blatant hypocrisy regarding the standards to which the author evaluates signatures. The author suggests the number of signatures from out-of-state, and small town from outside California to be questionable but this is the exact same approach and formula that the both petitions hold. Where does the author get 900 signatures from for the Protect Plummer Park?

Restore Plummer Park is not lobbying against destruction of Great Hall / Long Hall but for open green parkland, more trees, greener open space, new preschool, upgraded Fiesta Hall as an eastside performance hall venue.

The staff report states: “The existing Preschool will remain in place during the construction activities and until the new facility is operational. Staff has ongoing communication with
The Preschool staff and administrators. The goal is to minimize impacts during the demolition of Great Hall/Long Hall. Staff intends to either relocate the students and teachers during the demolition or make adjustments to the demolition schedule to accommodate any concerns.”

Every consideration is being painstakingly taken by staff and city officials during improvements of Plummer Park. There are 9 tasks or phases that will best serve park users and scheduled to have the least impact on the implementation of the improvements with the least interference to park users.

Restore Plummer Park

Stephanie, I know you know that the Plummer Park Plan is approved with the statement of overriding consideration which planned for the removal of Great Hall/Long Hall. With or without any designation. What is best for the community at large has always been open space, open green parklands… I could go on but this all has been hashed out from the nonstop public hearing at all official meetings for over two years. The plan has evolved but the statement of overriding consideration is there to do what West Hollywood’s own residents demand: Open Green Space, open parkland. The utilitarian, 80 year old building that sits in the middle and segregates the entire park is in the best interest of Plummer Park as it is restored to open parkland and for her users.

However, just to refresh yours and any others that for some reason believe that the City is in violation of Municipal Code. 19.58.010. The statement (approved) of overriding consideration allows the city to remove this marginally useful structure from the center of a community park for the betterment of park users now and in the future. Opens up our park with green space, improved grasslands, trees, facilities and fulfills the community’s demands as stated in the City’s Community Study Survey. Restore Plummer Park.

WEST HOLLYWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION

Thursday, April 1, 2010

General Plan Consistency, Final Environmental Impact Report:
Recommend to the City Council to certify the Final Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) along with the adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program (MMRP) and a Statement of Overriding Considerations for the
proposed Plummer Park Capital Improvement Project, which also includes a
recommendation to the City Council determining General Plan Consistency, for
the property located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood,
California. (Plummer Park Capital Improvement Project)
Applicant: City of West Hollywood
Locations: 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard
Planner: Francisco Contreras, AICP, Senior Planner
Recommendation: 1) Approve the application; 2) Adopt Resolution No. PC
10-917, recommending that the City Council certify the Final Environmental
Impact Report (EIR), adopt a Mitigation Monitoring Program (MMRP), adopt a
Statement of Overriding Considerations, and find General Plan Consistency, for
the property located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood,
California.

CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD
MINUTES
MONDAY, MAY 17, 2010
3.B. PLUMMER PARK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT – FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND GENERAL PLAN
CONSISTENCY [S. BAXTER, S. CAMPBELL, F. CONTRERAS, H.
COLLINS]:
The City Council will consider approving the Plummer Park Project by
certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) along with the
adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (“MMRP”) and
a Statement of Overriding Considerations for the proposed Plummer Park
Capital Improvement Project. The requested action also includes
determining General Plan Consistency for the proposed project. Plummer
Park is located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA.
City Clerk West stated that the Item was noticed as required by law.
Sam Baxter, Director of Human Services; Francisco Contreras, Senior
Planner; and the project consultants provided background information as
outlined in the staff report dated May 17, 2010.

Mayor Heilman opened the public hearing.

Mayor Heilman closed the public hearing.
Councilmember Land thanked City staff and the consultants for their work
on the project. She requested clarification regarding the design process
for the project.
Mayor Heilman requested clarification regarding noise impacts associated
with placing Tiny Tots activities on the rooftop. He expressed concerns
regarding the inclusion of an off-leash dog area in the park, and requested
clarification from staff. He requested clarification regarding the location of
the underground parking in the project.
Mayor Pro Tempore Duran provided clarification regarding the location of
the underground parking and the efforts to create more green space in the
design. He thanked City staff and the consultants for their work on the
project.
Councilmember Land spoke in support of the Item.
Councilmember Prang requested clarification regarding the location of the
basketball courts in the proposed project. He spoke regarding the
inclusion of a Russian Language Library in the project. He expressed
concerns regarding the location of the underground parking entrance in
the proposed project, and spoke in support of being sensitive to the
residents during the design process. He spoke regarding the need
ensure public safety as a high priority in the design of the project. He
spoke regarding the difficulty of destroying Great Hall and Long Hall, but
spoke regarding the overwhelming need for park space in the City. He
spoke in support of preserving the memory of Great Hall and Long Hall in
photos and spoke in support of maintaining the historic integrity of Fiesta
Hall during the renovation.
Councilmember Horvath spoke regarding the need to address the location
of the basketball courts in the proposed project. She spoke in support of
the addition of green space in the project. She spoke in support of the
water feature in the project design. She spoke in support of the
Comprehensive Services Center remaining open during the project
construction.
Mayor Heilman requested clarification regarding the number of current
parking spaces and the proposed number of parking spaces in the project
design. He requested clarification regarding future design possibilities for
the northern area of the park. He spoke in support of the project. He
spoke in support of the removal of Long Hall and Great Hall.

ACTION: Staff recommends that the City Council hold a public hearing,
consider all pertinent testimony, and approve the project as described in
the Plummer Park Capital Improvement Project EIR by certifying the Final
EIR, adopting the MMRP and the Statement of Overriding Considerations,
and making a determination that the Plummer Park Capital Improvement
Project is consistent with the General Plan, subject to the findings in Draft
Resolution CC 10-4021: Resolution No. 10-4021, “A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD
CERTIFYING THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR),
ADOPTING A MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM, ADOPTING A
STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS, AND FINDING
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY PURSUANT TO WHMC SECTION
19.01.040.K.1, FOR THE PROPOSED PLUMMER PARK CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LOCATED AT 7377 SANTA MONICA
BOULEVARD, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.” (EXHIBIT A)

Motion by Councilmember Land, seconded by Councilmember Prang
and unanimously approved.