Election Stories : Slow-Growth Carries Day in Burbank : Election Creates Council Majority Cautious on Development

With the election of Tim Murphy, the Burbank City Council will be controlled by members who favor slowing development, city officials and developers said Wednesday.

However, the same people disagreed on whether the slow-growth majority will establish new city policy on development.

“This city is almost as slow as it can get in terms of growth,” said Chuck Cusumano, a Burbank developer. “There have been so many restrictions put in during the last three years, on parking and on how much you can put on property, that there’s not a lot more they can do.”

But Murphy said more restrictions may be implemented: “Development in Burbank will not stop, but it will slow down. We’re going to be demanding more in the planning of projects. Our priority is going to be protecting residential neighborhoods.”

Councilwoman Mary Lou Howard agreed. “There’s a possibility that existing laws will be strengthened, not weakened,” she said. “There’s going to be less development, and the projects will be better.”

Murphy and businessman Tom Flavin will join Howard and Michael R. Hastings on the council May 1. Murphy and Hastings were the top vote-getters in Tuesday’s runoff election, and Flavin was elected in the city’s February primary. Howard has two years left on her term and was not up for reelection. Neither was Robert R. Bowne, who will be the only pro-development member of the five-person council.

Councilman Al F. Dossin, who said he favored planned growth, was defeated Tuesday. Councilwoman Mary E. Kelsey was voted out in February.

The council has been criticized by Flavin and Murphy for favoring developers. Murphy said the council approved a number of large developments that threatened the sanctity of residential areas.

Flavin, Murphy and Hastings supported a planned-growth ordinance, authored by Howard, that was approved by voters in February. The ordinance prohibits the City Council from allowing developers to build more units on their land than allowed under the city’s code. The law also prevents the council from making changes in the city’s master plan that would increase the number of residential units in Burbank. Developers opposed the law, saying it placed unfair limits on property owners.

Slowing growth was the dominant issue in the recent campaign. The winners said Burbank was becoming increasingly affected by problems brought on by development, such as traffic congestion, noise and smog.

Developer Thomas Tunnicliffe predicted the city’s rate of development will not change with the new council majority. “There’s still a lot of building to be done in downtown Burbank and in the city’s Media District,” he said.

Tunnicliffe cited the city’s efforts to build a shopping center on 41 acres in the middle of downtown Burbank and said the project would attract additional development.

August Bachetta, a developer and architect, said he thinks fewer development projects will be allowed.

Flavin said it was too early to determine whether the new council will be more or less restrictive toward development. “I think all of us on the council realize that growth and rejuvenation are important,” he said. “But we need to do it in a fashion that is compatible with existing residential neighborhoods.”

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