The Beverly Wilshire Homes Association isn't taking responsibility for this notice; image courtesy of the Beverly Press
The Beverly Press digs into the cutthroat world of the Third Street restaurant district and the tactics of the Beverly Wilshire Homes Association, which, fed up with valet abuses and scarce street parking, has made an ultimatum: give us a parking structure or no more restaurants. Their City Councilmember Paul Koretz says there's just no money for a parking structure (though he supports the idea), so that leaves option two. The BWHA has opposed just about every restaurant that's tried to open in the last several years, including Joan's, Doughboys, and Toast, often appealing permits to the Planning Commission and City Council. Sometimes the restaurants end up making concessions, but usually they just end up laying out a lot of time and money on the process (all but one, which is in the appeals process now, have opened).
The paper makes the BWHA out to be a real budding Corleone family. The owner of the Smokin' Joint says he agreed when "The BWHA came at me really nicely and asked me to advertise in their newsletter," and while the group opposed his application, it didn't appeal his permit. And the group has "many local business owners spooked. Many refused to speak to the Beverly Press on the record for this story."
The association also opposes a public valet program that is supposed to park cars at the Beverly Connection and in two other places, saying those valets are still using Third and residential streets. Despite its agenda, however, President Diana Plotkin say her group is not putting the above notices on restaurant employees' cars, telling the paper "We never circulate petitions or put notices on cars. Someone is going around using our names." The Tattaglias, maybe?
· 3rd. Street Battle Being Waged [Park La Brea News/Beverly Press]
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