Growth vs. No-Growth Debate by Los Angeles Officials

Throughout my tenure as mayor, I have worked to create a city that provides not only unequaled economic opportunity but also a clean, healthful environment for all our residents. In achieving both these goals, I have pursued a course of managed growth, basing decisions on what is best for the people of Los Angeles--not on expedient political considerations.

My 10-point plan to protect the Santa Monica Bay by implementing extensive water conservation measures and controlling the increase in the flow of waste through our sewer system is a case in point. You published a piece by William Fulton (“Bradley’s Sewer Woes Have Statewide Outfall,” Opinion, March 27) asserting that my plan was the result of “considerable pressure from slow-growth advocates;” nothing could be further from the truth.

In the summer of 1987, city engineers began to discuss with me their concern that if the growth in sewage flow continued at its current pace, demand would outstrip the city’s treatment capacity before the new Tillman II facility in the San Fernando Valley became operable in 1991. After a series of meetings with engineers and experts from the Building and Safety and Planning Departments--and a thorough evaluation of all the available information--I introduced my 10-point program. The plan is awaiting final approval by the City Council.

In short, my decision was based on information from engineering experts--not the alleged pressure from the slow-growth movement.

Fulton is off-base when he states that I have “often” made “ringing declarations against growth control.” While I do not support blanket moratoriums which treat all areas of the city as if they had identical needs, I do support managed growth, encouraging development in depressed areas, while supporting growth limitations in areas that are sufficiently developed.

For example, I have proposed and implemented a variety of initiatives designed to safeguard communities from excessive development. In the past year alone, I proposed and signed into law a moratorium on the construction of mini-malls until tough permanent restrictions could be enacted; ordered environmental reviews of all major projects exceeding certain thresholds that had been previously permitted by right; called for the creation of citizen community planning boards to assist in the revision of the city’s 35 community plans; directed the Department of Building and Safety to establish a special unit--totally insulated to projects started before November of 1986; and lobbied for and signed into law a slope-density ordinance to protect the city’s hillsides from overdevelopment.

In addition, I have signed every single growth limitation measure that has reached my desk in the last 15 years. I have consistently called for and supported measures to protect communities from overdevelopment. And I will continue to support development in areas of the city that want more economic opportunity, while supporting dramatically decreased growth in areas which are congested or no longer want additional development.

MAYOR TOM BRADLEY

Los Angeles