Burbank Election for City Council Centers on Growth : Primary: Many of the challengers for the 2 seats say the present panel has let development get out of control. But others contend that more restrictions would damage the city’s economy.

Is the city of Burbank growing too fast? Or is it not growing fast enough?

That is the central issue facing Burbank voters in Tuesday’s primary election as two incumbents and 10 other candidates with varying views on growth control vie for two seats on the City Council.

Slowing development in Burbank has long been a concern of neighborhood groups and some community leaders. The controversy is highlighted this year by the appearance of three development control measures also facing voters.

Many of the 10 challengers--as well as veteran Councilwoman Mary Lou Howard, who is running for reelection--believe that the present council has let high-rise development and large projects, especially near residential neighborhoods, get out of hand.

They say that the peace and quiet of those areas have been damaged by noise, pollution and loss of privacy, and that new leadership is needed to protect the wishes of residents.

They also say the council does not care about citizen input. As evidence, they point to the council’s decision to stop televising that portion of its meetings when the public can speak on any issue. The majority of the council said too many people were using the forum to criticize council members and further their own views.

But other candidates, including Councilman Robert R. Bowne, who is also running for reelection, say the city has not allowed growth to get out of control. Further restrictions, they said, would damage Burbank’s economy and discourage businesses from locating in the city.

Still other candidates said the council was spending too much time on development issues and not enough time on putting together a mass transit system, dealing with the drought, improving city services and updating municipal buildings.

Challenging Howard and Bowne for their seats are:

George Battey, chairman of the Burbank Planning Board and head of a civil engineering firm.

Mason L. (Hap) Arnold, a retired Federal Aviation Administration engineer and member of the Burbank Rancho Assn., a homeowners group in the horse-oriented Rancho community.

Edwin LaRocque, an account manager and screenwriter who is chairman of the Park and Recreation Board.

Thomas A. McCauley, an engineering consultant and former general manager of the city’s Public Service Department who was asked to resign in February, 1988.

Dave Golonski, a systems consultant and proponent of Measure A, a growth-control measure on the ballot that would put specific annual caps on future building.

Lorraine A. Bellis-Mark, an office manager and a trustee of the Burbank Library Board.

Dianne Adams, a businesswoman who has served on the Civic Pride Committee and the Advisory Board for the Disabled.

Joel Schlossman, a realtor and general contractor who frequently addresses the council at meetings.

Jules Kimmett, a school janitor and one of the city’s most vocal gadflies.

Elisabeth Handler, a senior vice president of a public relations consulting firm and a member of the Burbank Rancho Assn.

When Bowne and Howard last ran for reelection in 1987, they won handily in the primary election over six challengers. But because of the large number of candidates running this time, an April runoff between the front-runners will take place if two candidates do not get a majority of the votes. Candidates do not run for specific seats and need 50% plus one vote to win in this election.

As the campaign wound toward its conclusion last week, Bowne and Howard were targeted by opponents in several verbal attacks and mailers sent to residents. One mailer sent by a group called Maximum Voter Participation said Howard and her late husband, Jack, filed several lawsuits against the city concerning property they were prohibited from developing. The flyer said the lawsuits had cost taxpayers more than $110,000.

Colleagues of Howard said the flyer was linked to the Southern California Caucus, a political action committee made up of developers and other business people.

Mayor Tom Flavin engaged in Howard-bashing on Valentine’s Day during the ground-breaking ceremony for a Bullock’s department store that will be one of the anchors for the new Media City Center mall in downtown Burbank. Flavin told a large crowd that Howard had never supported building of the mall and did not have “the political courage” of her council colleagues who had supported the project.

Howard, who has been on the council since 1979 and is the senior member, said she never opposed building of the mall and would not respond to other attacks, calling them smear tactics. “I really have no comment,” she said, adding that it was frustrating to be constantly attacked by three members of the council.

She said she agreed with residents who were upset about increased development.

“Development has been allowed to run away, but people have to understand that I’m on the wrong end of a 3-2 vote when it comes to this council. People need to put another candidate in who is a controlled-growth candidate. This council just pays lip service to the residents.”

Bowne, who has been on the council since 1984, has been criticized for recently voting to place himself on the Burbank commission. Homeowners who live under the flight path said that Bowne, who lives on a hillside, would not be sympathetic to their concerns, and that someone who was more affected by the airport should have been appointed.

Also, opponents have criticized Bowne for what they call his pro-development stance. Some residents in the Rancho community knocked his support of the building of a large shopping center in the area. The residents feared that the project would bring unwanted noise and traffic to the area, which in turn might pose a danger to their horses.

Bowne called the project a good one in which many concessions were made to ease neighborhood concerns. He also denied that he was pro-development.

“People want to label an individual to simplify things,” he said. “I’m pro-progress, not pro-development. I’ve turned down large projects that I didn’t think were good projects.”

Bowne has gathered the most contributions of any candidate, according to papers filed in the city clerk’s office. Bowne had more than $20,700 in contributions. Battey was second with $15,218, and Howard was third with $6,525.

Arnold, Adams, Golonski, Kimmett and LaRocque said the council was putting developers and special interests ahead of the wishes of residents who want to protect their neighborhoods.

“I know we have to have progress,” Arnold said. “But that progress should be orderly.” He said the council should pause and stop all development “so we can look at where we’ve been and where we’re going.” He also said too much of the city’s studies were being conducted by outside consultants.

Adams said she would promote a “creative new leadership” that would “tear down the fences between the residents and the business community.” She also wants to restore the televised oral communications period and look into the possibility of establishing “neighborhood protection” plans and city-sponsored child care for working mothers.

Golonski said he would work for more balance between the needs of residents and major property owners. He said he would work on implementing Measure A if it passes Tuesday. Measure A, which Golonski wrote, would put specific annual limits on commercial and residential development.

Kimmett said he has several programs to implement, including the establishment of council districts, a two-term limit for council members, the restoration of televised oral communications and the televising of Board of Education meetings.

LaRocque said he wants to judge future large development projects by whether they would be “neighborhood-friendly.” He also wants to expand youth programs and library services, which he said would result in less graffiti and safer schools.

Other candidates, including Battey, Schlossman and Bellis-Mark, said development was not out of hand.

Battey said the city would suffer financially if growth were restricted by the measures. He said he would work to balance neighborhood concerns with the “economic realities we’re faced with.”

Schlossman said he would work on being more responsive to citizens than the present council and would set up specific office hours at City Hall. He said he would also encourage employers outside the city to locate in Burbank. “We need to expand our sales tax revenue base,” he said.

Bellis-Mark said she wants to concentrate on working toward a clean and efficient mass transit system. She also wants to increase the city’s tax base by recycling the Lockheed property. The company will abandon its Burbank headquarters in the mid-1990s.

McCauley said the council was spending too much time on development issues and not enough time on improving city services, air quality and transportation. He also wanted to increase minority representation on city boards and commissions.

Handler said in her ballot statement that she wants Burbank “to become the model for communities wishing to utilize resources while maintaining neighborhoods and life style. . . . I want to lead Burbank into its rightful place as our internationally known and admired hometown.”

CANDIDATES FOR BURBANK CITY COUNCIL

ROBERT R. BOWNE 46, an attorney, has been on the Burbank City Council since 1984. Bowne is also a commissioner on the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. He is a lifelong resident of Burbank.

MASON L. (HAP) ARNOLD 85, is a retired Federal Aviation Administration engineer as well as a member of the Burbank Rancho Assn. He has lived in Burbank for 40 years.

MARY LOU HOWARD 53, has been on the Burbank City Council since 1979, and is also a commissioner of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. She has lived in Burbank for 39 years.

DAVE GOLONSKI 32, is a computer systems consultant. He is a proponent of Measure A, one of the three controlled development measures on the ballot. Golonski has lived in Burbank for 3 1/2 years.

JULES KIMMETT 72, is a school janitor. He was appointed by Councilwoman Mary Lou Howard to the Part 150 study committee, which studied noise patterns and problems at the Burbank Airport. He has lived in Burbank 25 years.

LORRAINE A. BELLIS-MARK 31, is an office manager who is also serving as a trustee on the Burbank Library Board. She formerly chaired the city’s Youth Board. Bellis-Mark is a lifelong resident of Burbank.

DIANNE ADAMS 55, is in the antique and collectibles field. She has served on the Advisory Board for the Disabled and the Civic Pride Committee. Adams is a lifelong Burbank resident.

EDWIN LaROCQUE 39, is a screenwriter and business consultant. He is the chairman of the city’s Park and Recreation Board. He has lived in Burbank for nine years.

GEORGE BATTEY 64, is a civil engineer and businessman who has lived in Burbank for 37 years. He is chairman of the Burbank Planning Board.

THOMAS McCAULEY 62, is an engineer and consultant who is the former public service director of Burbank. He has lived in the city for six years.

JOEL SCHLOSSMAN 29, is a general contractor who has lived in Burbank for four years.

ELISABETH HANDLER 46, is senior vice president of a public relations consulting firm. She is also on the board of directors of the Burbank Rancho Assn., a homeowner group based in the horse-oriented area of Burbank.