Parking Limits Near the Getty

As chairman of the Transportation and Planning Committee of the Los Angeles Business Council and a citizen activist for the last 27 years, I was shocked to read that Los Angeles had forced the Getty Center to limit the number of parking places (Dec. 24). I have opposed this inane philosophy for years.

You do not build a world-class facility in the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains and expect to reduce traffic by limiting parking. You can only implement this concept in areas where there are “acceptable” alternative means of transportation. Downtown San Francisco is an example; first they built the full-service BART system, then they restricted parking.

My wife and I are planning to go to the Getty and we are going to go by cab. The result is there will be four traffic trips instead of two. The cab will take us, probably return to its station empty, come to pick us up empty and then take us home. What a wonderful way to reduce traffic in the area.

The City Council indicates that the limited parking program in Brentwood will only be good for 30 days as they are sensitive to the appearance of favoring “rich people” by allowing the implementation of a preferential parking program. The entire Westside is one big preferential parking area; why should Brentwood be singled out to be an exception? Since when is being successful a sin?

HAROLD L. KATZ

Los Angeles