By Peter Shopay Santa Monica
It’s official. Now I’m embarrassed to live in this city and you should be too. In regards to the doggie houses article (SMDP, Aug. 4, page 1), why would any city take action against something being done to improve neighborhoods at no cost? Since when does the environmental and public works department step into action for one complaint? I had, and still have, a tree that was planted, then damaged in my front yard. For weeks, I called to have someone come out and fix it. Over a year, later nothing has happened.
How about all the beautiful plants that numerous individuals have planted in the public areas in front of their houses? Technically, that’s illegal. Will it only take one complaint and every single “unauthorized rogue” garden will have to be removed? This town has become a bureaucratic nightmare over the course of the last 20 years. How about we concentrate on a few things that really are a problem here? Doesn’t hundreds of homeless people laying in the same spot in a public park for days at a time kill a grassy area?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 5, 2006. Read the original PDF.