Westwood residents protest apron parking ban
Westwood residents participate in a protest against enforcement of the ban on apron parking Sunday.
By Yanting Li
Sept. 25, 2011 6:21 p.m.
Armed with flyers and bright neon signs emblazoned with “STOP LADOT,” a small group of Westwood residents took to the streets Sunday to protest the enforcement of the ban of apron parking, which began in late June.
Most of the participants were longtime residents of Westwood Village, but passing students also voiced their support. People gathered at the corner of Strathmore Drive and Levering Avenue.
“Everybody who lives in Westwood is affected,” said Roxane Stern, protest organizer and a 12-year resident of Westwood.
The protest is part of a larger weekend of protest that spans four other areas in Los Angeles that face the same problems, including Mar Vista and Silver Lake, Stern said.
It also marks the latest development in a divisive community issue. The Americans with Disabilities Association has already filed several lawsuits against the city in response to apron parked cars blocking accessibility on sidewalks for wheelchair users and residents with disabilities.
Vocal opponents of apron parking include UCLA urban planning professor Donald Shoup, who has sent more than 30 letters to the city on the topic.
Supporters of apron parking say that apron parked cars do not necessarily block the sidewalk, and are calling for a Los Angeles City Council clarification on the matter, said Michael Stajura, a member of the Westwood Neighborhood Council who also participated in the protest.
