Can a Southern California City Retain “That Small Town Feel?”

Host:

Warren Olney

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Can the maddening increase in traffic congestion be controlled by putting a limit on commercial development? That’s the question facing the voters of Santa Monica. Opponents insist that growth is inevitable and can be accommodated without an increase in traffic. Each side accuses the other of making a false promise, and the debate has divided Santa Monica with just about every other Southern California city watching intently to see how the vote comes out. Tonight we’ll hear No Growth” versus “Smart Growth” on the November ballot.

Santa Monica is a city of 85,000 people that doubles in size with commuters during business hours. Traffic congestion is changing the nature of the city itself, but growth continues. Now the voters are faced with a measure on the November called RIFT, which stands for Residents Initiative to Fight Traffic. Supporters took just 10 days to raise 10,000 signatures, almost twice the number they needed. RIFT would fight traffic by limiting commercial development.

Guests:

Diana Gordon: Santa Monica resident, community activist and Co-Chair of the Santa Monica Coalition for a Liveable City
Terry O'Day: Vice-chair of the City of Santa Monica Planning Commission; Co-Chair of Save Our City; Executive Director of Environment Now
Michael Manville: Research fellow at Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at UCLA
Frank Gruber: Lawyer and columnist for The Lookout; Former Planning Commissioner for the City of Santa Monica

Underwriters

Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.

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