Valley Businesses Fear ‘Anti-Development’ Measure

The November ballot is crammed with issues, but businesspeople already are fretting about the following election. At least, the so-called Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which is to be on the March 7 ballot in Los Angeles, got a big share of the attention – and opposition to it got the most applause – at a Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday that featured four of the seven Los Angeles city councilmembers who represent areas of the Valley. “I am vehemently opposed to it,” declared Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, to a burst of applause. He called it a cynical initiative that would use a sledgehammer where a scalpel is needed. The initiative would change the way commercial construction projects are approved mainly by forcing them to comply with existing zoning codes. Proponents say, if passed, it would stop so-called spot zoning and the perception of political payoffs that go with it, not to mention the sometimes odd development patterns that have resulted. Opponents say it would effectively cause construction to seize up citywide because it’s too restrictive and severe, and they have branded it “anti-development.” “We have to fight this,” said Councilmember Nury Martinez, who represents some of the more economically challenged areas of the Valley. She said a coming transit corridor in Van Nuys would open up exciting and restorative development possibilities, but the initiative would kill those projects before they broke ground. “This will devastate communities like mine” she said. “This initiative is dangerous.” The luncheon, called the “State of the Valley,” attracted more than 200 people, which was about double last year’s attendance, said chamber Chief Executive Nancy Hoffman Vanyek. It was held at the Airtel Plaza Hotel near the Van Nuys Airport and was moderated by Leron Gubler, the longtime chief of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. On other topics, Councilmember David Ryu said he fully supports Measure M, a half-cent sales tax proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot that would pay for a variety of transportation initiatives, including about $4.2 billion worth in the Valley area. And Councilmember Paul Koretz, responding to complaints in the business community that the recent increases in the minimum wage were enacted without much warning or input from businesses, conceded that the “outreach was poor.” But he said the results would have been the same: the higher wages still would have been approved.