Letter to the Editor: Residents Have 'No Recourse' to Stop Development

On Monday, in anticipation of Tuesday's meeting, Santa Monica resident Lorraine Sanchez sent SM Patch the following letter to the editor:

Regarding the development agreement on the July 26th city council agenda, again, residents seem to have no recourse to stop or significantly modify the huge amount of development planned for Santa Monica and the ongoing loss of housing for our current residents.

As a city, we are not in need of the public benefits that are offered by the developers, and these "benefits" will not compensate for the crowding, traffic congestion and loss of space engendered by the huge developments in the pipeline.  

We need less traffic, less crowding and more space to breathe instead of more money in the city coffers, no matter how this funding is thought to increase the quality of life in our city.  

Yes, the business brings more jobs and more taxes, but also more commuters and more city employees to support and provide services to the increase in the aforementioned.

And, of course, the city hypocritically opposes the massive development proposed for Bundy Drive in West LA but refuses to use the same objections for the projects being considered presently.

If you're interested in the above letter, check out this related piece, also published Monday:

• "Don't Approve Another 'Unnecessary' Development Project"