Candidates Asked to Back 10-Point Slow-Growth Plan

Candidates in next week’s Los Angeles city election are being asked to endorse 10 commandments of slow growth handed down by a federation of 20 San Fernando Valley homeowner groups.

So far, about half of those running for City Council seats in the Valley have signed the pledge to apply the brakes to new construction if they are elected.

Leaders of the Coalition of Valley Communities say they hope to obtain written commitments from the other council candidates--and from those running for mayor--before Election Day, April 11.

Coalition members, who come from all corners of the Valley, claim the 10-point growth-control platform marks “the first time the Valley has had its own bill of rights.”

Candidates are being asked to agree to re-evaluate zoning laws to reduce the future size of neighborhoods by “a minimum of 25%” and restrict the square footage of new houses to “no more than 40%” of the size of their lots.

Affordable Housing

Homeowners are calling for new zoning that will encourage construction of “affordable ownership housing” throughout the Valley. They are demanding a ban on construction along ridgelines, new protection for parklands and tougher enforcement of state environmental quality laws by city administrators.

“It really is a bill of rights for residents of the Valley,” said Richard Close, coalition head and president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. “My guess is some of the candidates are sweating as to what they should do about our 10-point platform.”

Close said Tuesday that homeowner groups throughout the Valley will use the manifesto when fighting new developments in and out of their communities. “Instead of fighting neighborhood-by-neighborhood battles, we can go on the offensive and establish Valley-wide protections,” he said.

Coalition Vice President Kathy Lewis of the Encino Property Owners Assn. said about half of the 30 candidates who have been asked to endorse the platform have done so. Responses are still coming in, she said.

Council members Joy Picus and Zev Yaroslavsky have signed the statement, she said. None of the candidates for mayor have sent their responses, Lewis said.

Another coalition vice president, Robert Gross of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization, said federation leaders will decide Friday whether to endorse any candidates. He said some coalition members are nonprofit groups that cannot legally take sides in political races.

“At the minimum I think we’ll make some comment about those candidates who didn’t respond,” Gross said Tuesday.

Member associations put aside past differences they may have had in embracing the 10 points, said Gerald A. Silver, coalition vice president and president of Homeowners of Encino.

“What this does is establish a clear priority to protect the single-family character of the Valley,” Silver said. “It sets that as a first step with all future planning and zoning issues. It establishes a clear prerequisite for any future growth. Business as usual is no longer going to be acceptable.”

Other coalition members are the Granada Hills Property Owners Assn., Sunland-Tujunga Residents Assn., Reseda Community Assn., North Hollywood Residents Assn., West Hills Property Owners Assn., Briarcliff Improvement Assn., Hansen Hills Homeowners Assn. and the Knollwood Property Owners Assn.

The coalition also includes the Lake View Terrace Homeowners Assn., Lake View Terrace Improvement Assn., North Canoga Park Residents Assn., Sun Valley Homeowners Assn., Studio City Residents Assn., Tarzana Property Owners Assn., Van Nuys Homeowners Assn. and West Hills Community Organization.

THE PLEDGE

Here is the 10-point platform that the Coalition of Valley Communities is asking Los Angeles City Council candidates to adopt:

Future densities of neighborhoods should be cut a minimum of 25%.

The square footage of new houses should be restricted to 40% of the lot size.

No project should be built until all neighborhood problems it causes are corrected.

Preservation of residential communities should be the goal of all new development.

No development should be approved until existing streets and utilities can handle it.

All parkland, trails, ridgelines and designated open space should be preserved.

State environmental laws must be rigorously enforced by city agencies.

All revenues raised in the city must be more equitably distributed in the Valley.

Residential zoning regulations should encourage construction of affordable housing.

Mass transit that causes no detrimental environmental impact on communities is supported.