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# Growth could end careers
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/growth-could-end-careers/
- Published: 2008-06-23T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:58:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

IT APPEARS WE MAY FINALLY HAVE AN issue that could change the composition of our City Council and the future of Santa Monica.

Based on e-mails I received from neighborhood activists and conversations over-heard at numerous community events, people are getting “pissed off." At issue are the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) recommendations. As City Council reviews and praises LUCE, more and more Santa Monicans are saying, “They’re not listening, again."

The LUCE draft “strategy framework” being reviewed is the blueprint for growth, land use and transportation here over the next 20 to 30 years. Council is giving staff direction that will help finalize the finished plan that’ll be complete a year or more down the line. Few people are happy with LUCE and the council’s vision of Santa Monica in 2030 What seems to be getting everyone’s goat is LUCE’s call for much more growth — primarily via thousands of new “workforce and affordable housing” rental units on the upper floors of new, multi-story, mixed-use commercial buildings along major boulevards. Nobody I know wants taller buildings and greater density let alone changes to streets that would exacerbate already horrendous traffic. But, our politicians flat out refuse to get the message.

Typical of the kind of fuzzy-think going on are comments made by Councilman Kevin McKeown at last Tuesday’s council meeting. He noted that in Amsterdam, bicycles, private vehicles and pedestrians all share the streets and the “sharing” is accomplished by everyone traveling slowly — around 10 to 15 miles per hour.

Surely, McKeown isn’t seriously suggesting a 10 MPH speed limit in Santa Monica? Rapid transit wouldn’t be very rapid, if that were the case. Amsterdam is one of the dens-est cities in the world and much different from Santa Monica in virtually every respect, so why use Amsterdam as a model? Because it fits McKeown’s and his compatriot’s agenda even though it’s what most residents don’t want.

So, what do Santa Monicans want? Less development, less traffic congestion and less cut-through traffic on residential streets? How about more green space and playgrounds? More convenient parking? Although there’s been minimal gang activity lately, most Santa Monicans want a permanent end to violence. How about less homeless on the streets, better schools, more affordable shopping and neighborhood serving businesses and filled potholes? In other words, city resources and city priorities directed to our needs, first.

With all these being “what the people want,” what is the city’s number one priority according to LUCE? More affordable and workplace housing. When was the last time you heard, “If we don’t get more affordable and workforce housing, the city is going to hell in a hand basket?” Right. Never.

Clearly something is out of whack. The last time I saw this big of a disconnect between City Council and the people was in 1973 when it voted to demolish the Santa Monica Pier and repeatedly voted against rescinding their demolition order.

As luck would have it, a municipal election was around the corner. Three anti-pier councilmen were running for reelection. The story goes that these three, stunned, soon to be “ex-city fathers” were watching election returns and grousing about not realizing how much Santa Monicans loved the pier. With three new members, the new council voted immediately to rescind the demolition order.

City politicians only hear us on subjects they agree with us on — subjects that match their own personal utopian vision of the world to be — like shared thoroughfares or streets that are really “exercise tracks” where cars, trucks, busses, bicyclists and pedestrians can co-mingle safely in peace and harmony. Om.

LUCE does recommend preserving the character of single family and multifam-ily neighborhoods. It also encourages mid-priced hotels and mixed use projects on major streets with four to six floors right next to one and two floor, single family and multifamily homes on “residential” streets.

Despite all the new development, LUCE promises to hold car trips to present levels citywide by getting people to walk, bicycle and clamber on mass transit. Ignoring that alternate transportation won’t work for most of us most of the time, wouldn’t it be more voter friendly to restrict growth and development to achieve sustainability goals?

The growing anger about LUCE and our deaf City Council couldn’t have come at a better time. Three incumbents say they’re running for reelection. Mayor Herb Katz, who called LUCE “inspiring,” and councilmen Ken Genser and Richard Bloom are big time LUCE supporters.

Development and growth will be the big issues in this fall’s election. Are we going to have a repeat of 1973 where non-responsive council persons are shown the door? The right candidates with the right message could win and usher in a new era of common sense and a "residents first" city government. Huzzah!

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 23, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062308.pdf?ref=smdp.com)