Highland Park Condos

I would like to clarify some points in an article which appeared Oct. 30, 1986 (“Highland Park Condominiums Win Council Committee’s OK”).

While our group, which opposes the condominium project, is concerned about crowding in local schools and about traffic problems, as the article states, we are far more concerned about the zone change that would be necessary to permit the project, the excessive grading, and the errors and omissions which occur in the study which led to the mitigated negative declaration environmental impact report.

We feel that the zone change will negatively alter, both economically and socially, this clean, quiet, stable neighborhood. We would gladly support a development of a limited number of single-family homes, which would be more environmentally and aesthetically sensitive.

More than 300 people, all whom live within five blocks of the proposed development, signed a petition in opposition to the zone change, and requesting that a full environmental impact report be filed. Approximately 50 people attended the hearing before the Planning and Environment Committee, in order to voice their concerns and opposition to the project.

We attended with the expectation of receiving a fair hearing, as provided by the law. Instead, we sat in front of two Councilmen, Bernson and Woo (Pat Russell was absent), who showed their disinterest in our testimony by yawning, looking at his watch frequently, limiting testimony to three minutes, walking around the room (Bernson) and passing notes to various people in the Council Chambers (Woo).

I came away feeling that I hadn’t attended a public hearing, but a lynching of my right to equal protection under the law.

MICHELLE MINCH

HIGHLAND PARK