Studio City Carwash Sign

Re “Awash In Legal Morass,” March 13.

As a Studio City homeowner, I find the continued harassment of Ben Forat (Studio City Hand Car Wash) by the homeowners association--and now Joel Wachs, who supports their position--appalling. Three points:

* The stretch of Ventura Boulevard where the homeowners association finds Forat’s sign to be so unsightly is butt ugly. His inventive sign is one of the few humorous and decidedly non-trashy displays along this strip.

* I am confounded by the homeowners association’s outrage at the supposed intrusion of Forat’s sign, when directly opposite it--and at least three times as large--is a billboard displaying a huge cartoon of Angelyne, complete with cleavage, vacant bimbo stare and a dress cut down to here. Come on. That’s not offensive, but a hand holding a sponge and a Corvette is?

* Forat has agreed to pay $6,000 to the “street beautification” project--whatever that is. But Dale Thrush, Joel Wachs’ planning deputy, reportedly said, “That wasn’t going to get us much.” So now they want $20,000.

Note to homeowners association, Thrush and Wachs: Get a life. Let this man run his business, and if you’re going to get any eyesore off Ventura Boulevard, start with Angelyne.

JULIA NEWTON

Studio City