Controlling City Growth

We must take issue with Dan Shapiro’s assumptions in his article (Editorial Pages, April 1), “Bradley vs. Yaroslavsky on Growth,” not to mention his conclusions.

We do not oppose community planning boards, as was suggested by the article. Quite the contrary, the boards, which are designed to involve citizens in the planning process, will only have value if the city establishes a procedure by which developments that are likely to impact communities are subjected to public review and properly conditioned to reduce those impacts.

The choice now facing city government is not between community planning boards and city review of major commercial projects. Rather the danger is that the city, in the aftermath of the landslide passage of Proposition U last November, will do nothing to bring massive commercial developments that destroy or damage neighborhoods under control.

If the mayor’s policy on development is to allow any building, no matter how big, to be built without public input and review for environmental consequences, then we believe that he is out of step with the people of this city and does not understand the Proposition U message.

MARVIN BRAUDE

Councilman

11th District

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY

Councilman

5th District

Los Angeles