Susan Rosenbluth speaks during Public Comment at City Council’s Monday night meeting.
I am a 20-year resident of West Hollywood, specifically of the Norma Triangle.
I know that you are all aware that on November 16th, the Planning Commission approved the project known as Wetherly Palms, located at 910 to 916 North Wetherly Drive. Shortly after, this decision was appealed to the City Council and was timely filed. The appeal is scheduled to be heard by the City Council at its meeting on January 22nd.
I request that Councilmember Chelsea Byers recuse herself from this pending appeal. The notion of recusal is grounded in preventing even the mere appearance of impropriety from occurring, in order to achieve the most objective and fair hearing on a matter.
Although Ms. Byers was elected to the City Council, we believe that she has a particular interest in the outcome that other Council members lack. Ms. Byers’ partner has, and may still, work for the applicant and consultant to the developer, Jeffrey Seymour.
Her partner’s past and current relationship with Mr. Seymour is prejudicial to this project and thus will create an unfair advantage for Mr. Seymour’s client over that of the residents and stakeholders of the neighborhood, nearly a thousand of whom have put in writing their request for an adjustment to the size and scale of this project. All Council members receive extensive training regarding reasons to recuse themselves from various matters. Ms. Byers should recuse herself. Thank you.
Wehoville, this issue needs further coverage. Don’t let it die. If Buyers has a conflict, she is conflicted on a ton of projects as Seymour represents many, many projects in WEHO. We should ask the State Attorney General to look at this problem.
Also, the real culprit is the City Attorney, Langer. She advises the staff and keeps blessing these unethical acts.
#RFP New City Attorney.
WEHOville died. We are WEHOonline.
I just looked through 2022 – 1/2023 and saw no donations to Chelsea Byers from Jeffrey Seymour or Unite 11.
I know the union supported Ms Byers, but see no proof of donations provided.
Somebody want to show me otherwise, please do.
Yes, all the unite here donations are not easy to locate, Seymour provided support through his Viper Room project donations and was an active part of supporting both Byers, and Robert Oliver. The ‘Erickson, Horvath ticket’. The City website seems to hide the UNITE HERE Local 11 donations, and its not the first time. You can ask the city clerk why those donations to not appear or where to find them.
Thank you.
She should just quit the city council which would be better than a recusal.
Remember my rule #1 when considering candidates for Council: Must have at least five years residency before any other consideration.
How can this become a legitimate qualification? Can you follow up on this?
Perhaps Byers should have also recused herself from the scooter vote!
Streets For All endorsed her and contributed heavily to her campaign for city council. Streets For All is very pro scooter and bike, and very anti-automobile. They have also bragged that they were instrumental in getting the protected bike lane program going in West Hollywood.
Byers should not be allowed in the voting of this development period.
Is John Seymour the development consultant that sat on the committee that selected the city planner?
Yes and also the lobbyist for the Viper Room Project and large donor to Byers campaign.
This needs looking into. Conflict of interest in every development discussion she has participated and voted in + an investigation into campaign funds, vote counting and how Seymour really ended up in that committee + I want to know the complete relationship between Seymour and the new Planning Director: when, what, how and why the results weren’t terminated. Byers is ripe for recall. This carpetbagger has got to go.
Yes, of course she should recuse herself. But will she? Her judgment up to this point has been dismal.
President/CEO Jesse Slansky of WHCHC who is developing the Wetherly Palms project, called Councilmember John Heilman “instrumental” in the corporation’s creation, per recent WEHO online article.
Should he be recusing himself as well?
Note: It’s Wetherly not Weatherly
Thank you!
An important reminder of hellman’s own entanglements, thank you
I would point out that John Heilman played a crucial role in creating the West Hollywood Housing Corporation close to forty years ago in order to enhance and expedite the creation of affordable housing. But he is not involved in the day to day or even the overall functions of this non-profit and he is not a member of the board of directors. So I fail to see a reason why he should recuse himself. Unfortunately, due to changes in State law that allow for this outrageously immense project to be constructed regardless of our local zoning ordinances. Sadly the… Read more »
Absolutely correct. The residents have a fundamental right to fairness.
Legitimate request. By recusing herself or not will show us something about the integrity of Chelsea Byers.
She has no integrity. Her non profit Beautiful Trouble still contains pro Hamas rhetoric on their website. In light of the terrorists attacks you would think they would have the decency to take it down. So we know where she stands. I hope the electorate wakes up and votes her out.