By Ron Goldman
I’m very appreciative of the article by Melody Hanatani (“Neighbors Cry Fowl over NOMA Senior Housing Plan,” page 1, June 18) outlining several of the issues both pro and con. To clarify the neighbors’ concerns, it’s important to understand the following: • The single garage driveway lane off Montana and the loading zone with delivery trucks backing onto 17th Street poses a very real public safety issue and danger to school children, bicyclists, and drivers. • Montana alone (not including 17th Street) already handles 17,000 vehicles per day traveling through the intersection and cars simply waiting to turn left into the single lane driveway will have a huge impact on through traffic and traffic turning left onto 17th Street. • There is a bus loading zone, but there is no open “parking lane to back onto while waiting for a car exiting up the single lane 20 percent ramp,” even if you were able to see the car in time. • 17th Street narrows virtually to a single lane at the area where delivery trucks from this project’s loading space will back onto 17th Street across from the existing alley, again causing significant congestion. • In contrast to the concern of the adjacent neighbor to the north, the building cannot be higher or larger as it currently is designed to the maximum height and density the code allows. • Potentially, this sets a dangerous precedent for apartment developers to increase density and decrease parking under the guise of senior group housing.
Quite simply, the problem is not senior housing, but it is either the wrong location for this design or the wrong design for this location.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 19, 2008. Read the original PDF.