City Council Green-Lights Autry Renovation Plan

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday morning voted in favor of upholding a May 20 decision by the Recreation and Parks Commission to approve the Autry National Center's proposed $6.6 million renovation of its Griffith Park campus.

In doing so, the council also rejected a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) appeal filed by the Mount Washington Homeowner's Alliance and Highland Park resident Charles Fisher.

The action appears to clear the way for the Autry to move forward with its planned renovation.

Both actions taken Tuesday morning were in line with recommendations made by the arts, parks, health and aging committee after a .

The Autry--which merged with the and took possession of its approximately 300,000-item collection in 2002--plans to renovate its Griffith Park campus through the proposal with $6.6 million in California proposition 84 funds.

In order to recieve those funds, the Autry needed to show the state that it was ready to move forward with the project by July 12 or risk losing the funds, said Autry CEO Daniel Finley.

With that timeline in mind, many of the council members expressed concern over supporting a propsal by Councilman José Huizar (CD 14) to send the issue back to the Recreation and Parks Commission for reconsideration, as they feared further delaying the project would jeopardize the infusion of $6.6. million into the city's economy.

Renovation Plans

The Autry’s plan calls for “the renovation and reconstruction of two exhibit galleries, the installation of long-term exhibits, the conversion of an existing outdoor area into an outdoor teaching garden and associated improvements, including the renovation of existing restrooms," according to the proposal submitted by the Autry to the Recreation and Parks Commission.

The proposal's major opponent, the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, argued that the city would be violating the Northeast Community Plan by allowing the Autry expansion to go forward, as they believe it would marginalize the Southwest Museum in Mount Washington.

Councilman Paul Krekorian (CD2), who sided with the majority on both votes, question the legitimacy of the CEQA appeal.

"What's before us today is not the future of the Southwest Museum, what's before us today is whether these renovations to this facility are subject to CEQA and whether there's a legitimate basis for appeal on CEQA grounds," he said. "I would just suggest in a case like this, where we're talking about internal renovations to a facility that is categorically exempt under the express language of CEQA, that using that vehicle as leverage for another policy purpose  is exactly the kind of thing that forces people to question whether we can continue to have CEQA and I think it puts at risk the environmental protection that's guaranteed under CEQA."

Public Input

On the matter of the May 20 Recreation and Parks commission vote, which the city council claimed jurisdiction over after community members complained that they were not properly notified of the meeting, Councilman Tony Cardenas (CD6) said that the last month of meetings had provided ample opportunity for public input.

"This gave us the chance as a city and as a legislative body to actually set something right as far as giving people a voice," Cardenas said.

The city council also entertained, but did not vote on,  motions introduced by Huizar, Councilman Tom LaBonge (CD4) and Ed Reyes (CD1) suggesting the formation of a working committee between members of the city council and the Autry National Center to ensure the future reopening of the Southwest Museum.

"We need to find the resources to make this a place that works again and the Southwest Museum does not work right now," said Council President Eric Garcetti (CD 13). "I appreciate those motions, lets not let those go away. Let's pick up the phones, and I'll pledge to do this as well, and reach out to those people who have those resources. To the Autry, maybe we can turn your mind a little bit, to think, 'maybe this is workable ...' We are a powerful body and we are a powerful city and we should be proud of both of these assets that we have."