It comes as no surprise… Like many recent controversial projects, Los Angeles City Council has done it again. Despite community outrage, Councilmembers voted to approve the $150 million elite Harvard-Westlake private school sports complex.
This vote occurred, despite statements of opposition from tens of thousands of local residents and community members (including you!), 12 Los Angeles City Neighborhood Councils, and various environmental groups, advocacy organizations, and neighborhood associations. Also, this vote was taken while questions surrounding conflicts of interest and unethical behavior by 2 City Planning Commissioners (who are also Harvard-Westlake alumni and alumni donors) are being reviewed further and clarified via an official ethics complaint submitted to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.
Comments from City Councilmembers ignored the spirit of the community and it’s clear that our concerns and opposition to this proposed project were not heard by our elected representatives.
In the City Council meeting, Councilmember Nithya Raman even admitted that she “failed in truly downsizing the project significantly [because she was] advised by City Departments that efforts to do more would tie the City up in more indefensible lawsuits.”
Well, this brings us to the next crucial step in our community campaign to #SaveWeddington!
Along with community partners, we will be filing lawsuits against the City of Los Angeles to address numerous inadequacies in the planning review process, as well as ethics violations, that occurred in the lead-up to the City Council vote.
As one of our #SaveWeddington supporters, we thank you for all your help in our fight. However, as we begin this next phase of our fight, WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT – PLEASE DONATE TO THE SAVE WEDDINGTON (501C3) LEGAL FUND BY CLICKING ON THE BUTTONS BELOW!!!
AG Jeans is helping Raise Awareness & Support to Save Weddington
Their humongous Sportzilla doesn’t even fit on the Weddington property. The track on Field B spills over the property line and encroaches on publicly owned county property. Without a “sweetheart” deal to lease tax payer owned property they can’t build Field B, the track around it or the Bus Shuttle loop. The meager offer of a “park” is part of a land grab of publicly owned County property that we already have access to as a nature park path called the Zev Yaroslavsky Greenway.
by Adele Slaughter
“Harvard-Westlake insists it needs to install artificial turf fields and an ADA ramp to connect the river walk with their campus. This will disturb and disrupt that vital habitat along the LA River, devastating the wildlife. Once installed, artificial turf sheds microplastics and PFAS/PFOS (forever chemicals). Artificial turf creates heat islands, increasing temperatures in the surrounding neighborhoods…”
by Kris Maher
“The move reflects growing concern over health effects of PFAS, which have contaminated water supplies in hundreds of communities…”
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Harvard-Westlake plans to destroy the beloved “Gem of Studio City ” by leveling the entire 16 acres and replacing it with a private sports complex.
We feel that their project is neither unique or essential to this particular piece of property and could be built elsewhere on property zoned for huge developments of this kind. There is no reason for this enormous collection of concrete, glass, and plastic fields to take the place of this beloved open space landmark.
AG Jeans is helping Raise Awareness & Support to Save Weddington
AG Jeans is helping Raise Awareness & Support to Save Weddington
A portion of proceeds from the collection will go towards Save Weddington, to help in their mission to protect and preserve this gem of Los Angeles.
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This property is open to the public, no club fees, no restrictions and is enjoyed by over 100,000 Angelenos every year. People from all backgrounds, and walks of life can enjoy a relaxing day on the course or courts or work on their swing at the range. The green space and mature trees provide a breath of fresh air in our beautiful but crowded cityscape. We believe that the proposed demolition of this post WWII era recreational facility will result in a significant loss to the heritage of Studio City.