Hotel frustration




In the Nov. 19 article in The Acorn, Richard Weintraub, the hotel developer, was quoted as saying, “The reason I chose this property is because it’s basically on the freeway on-ramp and next to a gas station. It had already been disturbed.”

The land was not disturbed at all; in fact, it was part of a hiking trail known to locals and furthermore the land was a sight of beauty.

You go on to say per The Acorn that you are “trying to create a project that respects existing natural resources.” If you want to respect existing natural resources, then why even bother destroying it?

I also read in the article that you recognize that “Calabasas is a special place,” so I ask again, why destroy something that contributes to what makes Calabasas so unique?

And then, of course, this quote, “I don’t think we need a lot more hotels,” and then you say something that you are not even sure about, “A hotel like this does not really create any peak-hour trips or a lot of traffic during rush hour.”

Mr. Weintraub lives in Malibu so how does he really know what happens in Calabasas during peak traffic hours?

Mr. Weintraub, I know that you have owned this parcel of land in Calabasas since the 1990s, but what you are attempting to do is heartbreaking. I implore you to please reconsider your project and turn it into something that the residents of Calabasas will continue to appreciate from you and your good fortune.

If you want to continue to make Calabasas a magical place, and as you are a philanthropist, how about considering creating a much-needed spacious dog park or a gateway to beautiful hiking trails, and you can even put your name on the entrance to the park.

Tonia Arey
Calabasas



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