Community members loudly sang the praises of Lynn Hoopingarner on Monday as she was reappointed to the West Hollywood Planning Commission, nearly two years after the former chairwoman’s sudden resignation.
“Whether I have agreed or disagreed with Lynn’s decisions, I have never doubted her intention or motivation,” resident Kathy Blaivis said during public comment. “Decisions were made with conviction to what she felt was best for the community and the residents, period. I never questioned her motivations, and I’m more inclined to question the motivation of those who do.”
The high bar Hoopingarner set for development projects seeking the commission’s approval won admiration from homeowners and neighborhood advocates while often drawing the ire of developers like Faring Capital.
Faring’s Jake Stevens wrote to City Council urging them to stop Hoopingarner’s return to the commission. He argued that the rationale for her resignation two years ago — a remark about the size of Persian weddings — still disqualified her from city service, and he refers to Hoopingarner as “a disgraced, anti-Persian racist.”
Councilmember Lauren Meister rose to her defense, lambasting the letter.
“An unintentionally insensitive comment does not make someone a racist,” Meister said. “Lynn has paid a price and has learned from this experience.”
“The apparent attempt to set up Faring as a perennial victim will not work,” Meister continued. “They seem to have forgotten that Lynn voted to approve Robertson Lane, voted to approve the French Market, and voted to approve the Iranian American Jewish Center residential project. If there are any victims here, it is the residents of this city waiting for Robertson Lane to be built, waiting for the Factory to rise from the dead, and waiting for the French Market to be anything other than a magnet for transients, homeless, or drug addicts.”
“It is a rare person who can fill the role of Planning Commissioner in a way that meets my expectations,” Meister said. “Although sometimes it seems like a thankless task, I speak for many when I say we appreciate your service.”
OMG, the celebration of Lynn returning forced Sepi to shield herself while she ate humble pie.
Someone is self-absorbed, ego driven and also nasty. Why Faring allowed him to send that disgusting piece of crap is beyond my comprehension. It does not reflect well on Faring.
Thank you to Lynn for taking on this responsibility, again.
WeHo needs you!!
The city will benefit from Lynn’s tenacity, attention to detail, ability to follow facts and laws, and analytical precision. Welcome back, Lynn!
Thank you Lynn for all you have done and will do for West Hollywood. And thank you Lauren for your well spoken response.
“An unintentionally insensitive comment does not make someone a racist,” Meister said. “Lynn has paid a price and has learned from this experience.”
I’m sorry, but Faring/Jake Stevens can go f*&# themselves. I wouldn’t be surprised if we seem him end up like Jose Huizar.
I was speechless when I heard the Faring attacks. How often does that happen?
In public? Rarely.
In private, directly to councilmembers, City Manager, and/or Directors? Regularly.
Jake Stevens (Faring Capital) need to refocus their efforts from interfering with a councilmember’s appointment to putting a shovel in the ground in at least one of their approved projects. Show us the money!
In addition to the FARING publiccomment email, there was another protest email addressed to Lauren Langer. This one was from a law office. I couldn’t figure out why they were writing until I looked them up and found out that they are attorneys that represent developers! So, of course, they too are probably terrified that Lynn will hold their clients to account. Councilmember Meister’s speech was so brilliant, that I replayed it twice! She was absolutely right in defending Lynn, and for chiding Faring for their false motivation in writing, for not completing so many of their projects, and for… Read more »
Welcome back, Lynn! Very disappointed in the disgusting comment Jake Stevens made….very disappointed.