BRENTWOOD : Radisson Hotel Secures Permit to Continue to Host Functions

The Radisson Bel-Air Hotel has won permission to continue hosting social functions and business conventions, despite a local neighborhood association’s complaints about noise and traffic tie-ups in the area.

The city of Los Angeles’ Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously Tuesday to grant a conditional use permit to hotel owner Efrem Harkham provided that the hotel meet certain city conditions.

Some residents in the area support the hotel’s convention and social function business, saying it helps the local economy and has not caused noise and traffic problems. But one residents’ group, the Brentwood Neighbors Assn., disagrees, and plans to appeal the zoning board’s decision to the City Council.

The association became sharply critical of Harkham after the businessman purchased the 161-room hotel in 1983 and enlarged it in 1986 to accommodate business meetings, conventions and banquets.

Harkham transformed the facility, zoned as an apartment hotel, into a full-service hotel without obtaining the correct city permits, city officials say.

City Councilman Marvin Braude, who represents the area, sought to revoke the hotel’s existing permits in the spring of 1992 but halted the effort when the City Council ordered Harkham to obtain the proper permits.

Members of the homeowners association say the zoning board’s vote Tuesday rewards the hotel for an illegal expansion of the facility and for a de facto transformation of the zoning rules.

“We’re really talking about creeping rezoning here,” said Roger Rosendahl. “Our neighborhood was promised by the city 40 years ago that this operation would stay zoned as an apartment-hotel. This hotel has violated the law for years, and the city is now saying that if you break the law we’ll help you out by making it legal after the fact.”

The ruling was made on condition that the hotel comply with city transportation, fire and building and safety requirements.

Claire Rogger, a deputy to Braude, said the councilman supports the compromise because the hotel is a longtime Westside business and has agreed to meet the city’s conditions, which--among other things--will mean making parking and fire safety improvements.

“We don’t want to put them out of business but to contain them and make them run their operation in a manageable way,” Rogger said.

Said Harkham: “We’re very happy, our staff is relieved and our neighbors have been phenomenal.”