Burbank Official Resigns : Development Director Kosmont Will Open Own Firm

Burbank Community Development Director Larry J. Kosmont, who guided about $600 million worth of city redevelopment projects in the last 2 1/2 years but came under fire recently for alleged mismanagement, is resigning next month to establish a private development consulting firm.

Kosmont, 34, who was one of only two major city officials to survive a municipal shake-up last year when former Mayor Mary Lou Howard took control of a newly constituted council, said he was not pressured to resign and that the recent criticisms had nothing to do with his decision.

“I’m tired, feeling a little burned out and, at this point, I feel that this is what I really want to do with my career,” Kosmont said Friday. “I’ve been thinking about doing this for about a year and the timing seems right now. All the major projects that I’ve started are well on their way. The time to step down is now.”

When the city attorney and the city manager resigned under pressure soon after Howard became mayor in May, 1985, Kosmont started looking for a new job, fearful that his own position was in jeopardy, he said. However, Howard wanted him to stay, Kosmont said. Although he was a finalist as a candidate for West Hollywood city manager last year, Howard persuaded him to remain in his Burbank job, he said.

Request to Stay

Kosmont said his resignation will become effective Aug. 1. However, City Manager Bud Ovron said he will ask City Council to request Kosmont to remain until Dec. 31, when Kosmont’s contract expires, to oversee continued work on some projects. Kosmont said he would accept such a request.

The resolution also would allow the city to contract for Kosmont’s services on an hourly basis after he leaves his post.

Kosmont’s decision marks the third and most significant resignation of a major official in Burbank’s Community Development Department in three months.

Gary Yamada, who had served as city planner, resigned in May, saying he was too “burned out” to continue. Planning Board Commissioner Paul A. Downing resigned in June, saying he was frustrated with the City Council’s refusal to consider his nominee to fill a vacancy on the board.

But Kosmont said the resignations were unrelated and the timing was coincidental.

“I can’t really speak for Paul, but Gary had put in 12 hard years, and that had taken its toll,” he said. “As time went on, I found that my own interest was in development and redevelopment work. However, being head of a community development department meant a lot of administration. I want to do something for myself.”

Kosmont was highly regarded by city officials, who praised him as a hard worker, but Kosmont said long hours had taken a toll.

Night Meetings

For example, he said, during the last six months he averaged three night meetings a week. “That’s a lot of time. I felt a certain level of tiredness and weariness,” he said, adding that it would take at least two years to complete the projects he is now overseeing.

He said he feels “very enthusiastic” now about going into business for himself. Kosmont said he would begin looking for clients such as cities and development companies during the next few months.

City officials said they were impressed with Kosmont’s ability to coordinate the planning and implementation of 40 major development and redevelopment projects throughout Burbank, including a master plan for the city; the opening of the Golden Mall, formerly solely for pedestrians, to vehicular traffic; the future Town Center shopping mall and 10-screen movie theater.

At the same time, Kosmont was guiding citizen advisory committees studying the effects of prospective commercial development on neighborhoods, overseeing the completion of a senior citizens center and investigating the possibility of a convention center, officials said.

But, last May, Kosmont was criticized by City Council members for favoring one developer over another to build a low-cost housing project.

He and Housing and Grants Administrator Linda Malzek had favored giving the city-owned property on which the project would rise to Jamco Development Corp., even though another developer, Charles P. Cusumano, had offered to pay the city $65,000 for the land.

Jamco also failed to meet four of the requirements that the city specified in a solicitation sent to 62 construction companies.

Kosmont said he felt some of the anger of community members and the criticism from other city officials was overreaction to a relatively minor question.

Some council members Friday appeared saddened by the news of Kosmont’s departure. “He was the very best,” said Mayor Mary E. Kelsey. “It will be very difficult to replace him.”

Councilman Michael R. Hastings said he was not surprised by Kosmont’s decision, adding that Kosmont had been criticized by developers for stopping uncontrolled development in Burbank, “and I don’t blame him for leaving.” Hastings said, “I wouldn’t put up with that kind of abuse.”

Before coming to Burbank in late 1983 after being hired by former City Manager Andrew Lazzaretto, Kosmont had been city manager of Bell Gardens for just over three years. The council there had demanded his resignation, citing “personality differences.”