Bernson and Porter Ranch
On Feb. 23, 1989, nearly 500 citizens jammed the seats and aisles of Chancellor Hall at Chatsworth High School. They were angry. They were forceful. They were opposed to the newly unveiled Porter Ranch specific plan. This nightmarish scheme proposes urbanizing the north Valley foothills with skyscrapers. The proposal is one-sixth the size of downtown L.A. The “plan” utterly violates planning and environmental law.
One person was absent that night--12th District Councilman Hal Bernson. How strange! This scheme makes him salivate. Bernson believes that 225,000 extra vehicular trips a day on streets and freeways will improve traffic. Bernson believes that 23.5 tons of tailpipe pollutants a day will improve air quality. Bernson believes that 60 tons of garbage a day will improve dump sites. What he really believes is that $50,380 in campaign contributions from the developer allows him to demolish the legally adopted District Plan.
By Sept. 3, 1989, a Times poll revealed that 59% of Valley residents rejected the Porter Ranch plan and 63% of 12th District residents rejected it. With that level of community support for quality of life-- not quality of campaign contributions--I predict that Bernson cannot be reelected in this district.
The lesson for citizens is clear: for results, get involved. The message to City Hall is loud: respect the people or get dumped.
ROBERT BIRCH
Northridge
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