April
2, 2018
Sylvia
Patsaouras, President
Board
of Recreation and Parks Commissioners
221
N. Figueroa Street, Suite 350
Los
Angeles, CA 90012
Re: Agenda #18-045/Opposition to Night Opening of
Restrooms at Venice Beach
Dear
Commissioner Patsaouras:
I
am writing to express our opposition to the exemption of the Horizon RAP
restrooms from the Venice Beach 12-5 AM beach curfew.
As
you know, the Venice Beach Recreation Area (VBRA) is already a dangerous and
tawdry venue, unlike its coastal neighbors to the north and south.
The
failure of your department to keep the area clean and safe has resulted in the
growth of the transient population on and near the VBRA from 400 four years ago
to roughly 1,200 today.
The
exemption of the Horizon restroom will take our community in the wrong
direction, offering yet another magnet for transients – those truly homeless
and young travelers who declare that they are homeless by choice.
I
ask you to oppose this action for three reasons:
- It is discriminatory. This would be the only RAP restroom facility in the entire city that is open from 12-5 AM. No one neighborhood should carry this burden unless all neighborhoods absorb the same risk.
- It is counter-productive. None of our neighbors – Santa Monica, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Playa del Rey or Marina del Rey – offer restrooms to the public overnight. Thus opening them at night on Venice Beach will draw yet more transients and troublemakers to Venice.
- This sets an unwelcome precedent for erosion of the 12-5 AM beach curfew. The LAPD has historically stated that it cannot police the beach and Boardwalk at those hours due to lack of officers. It is foolhardy to open up a facility which has been closed since 1989 due to its previous use for drug sales, prostitution and lodging.
Please
do not take an action in Venice that you would not be prepared to take at the
parks nearest to your own home.
Thank
you for your consideration of our views.
Mark Ryavec
Mark
Ryavec, President
The Venice
Stakeholders Association is dedicated to civic improvement. The VSA supports slow growth, protection of
the limits of the Venice Specific Plan, neighborhood safety, better traffic
circulation, increased parking for residents,
neighborhood beautification projects, historic preservation, habitat
restoration and protection of coastal waters.
www.venicestakeholdersassociation.org/310-392-4843
