The campaign mural of Councilmember Lindsey Horvath on Santa Monica Blvd. was painted over today after the property owners ran into code compliance issues — but that may not be the end of the story for West Hollywood’s most controversial piece of public artwork.
The property at Robertson and Santa Monica Blvd. is under development by Faring and is known as the Robertson Lane Hotel project and the Treehouse project. In conversations with WEHOville Publisher Larry Block, Vice President Jake Stevens shared Faring’s intention to repaint the mural in a smaller size to conform to city code — begging the question: Is Faring playing games?
Tonight, City Council looks set to approve amendments to the West Hollywood Municipal Code that will expand the Robertson Lane Specific Plan zoning map to include the Robertson Lane Hotel and Treehouse Project.
The agenda item 2E is on the consent calendar but a code violation is currently outstanding on the property due to Faring’s use of the corner as a political billboard sold to neighbors for Lindsey Horvath, an independent expenditure committee supporting Horvath in her race for County Supervisor. As a matter of process and law, a business would not be allowed to receive a certificate of occupancy if there is an outstanding code violation.
The issue of compliance has at least one council member on edge ahead of tonight’s meeting.
Councilmember John D’Amico wrote City Manager David Wilson and Jake Stevens early Monday, saying “As you know, I did not support this project because of my concerns about the lack of sensitivity to the cultural location and the mediocre design that is moving forward. With respect to this new development regarding Code Compliance and electioneering, I think it’s probably best to wait for this decision and item until after the election.”
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