This time, the scene of the anti-development ire is Santa Monica, where local advocates have qualified for the November ballot on initiative requiring a vote for any project building beyond the zoning code.
"The so-called 'Land Use Voter Empowerment' (L.U.V.E.) initiative, which would require a vote on nearly every new building over two stories, has qualified to be on the November ballot," reports Jason Islas.
A "no-growth group" known as Residocracy backs the initiative, though Islas reports that some of the group's political support on the Santa Monica City Council has already eroded. Islas quotes Councilmember Kevin McKeown to describe the political opposition to the ballot initiative: namely, that the ballot measure will suppress development and increase the amount of money developers spend on local elections. Jenna Chandler provides additional perspective on the story for Curbed LA.
The LUVE initiative echoes similar anti-development sentiment at work with the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, proposed for Santa Monica's next-door neighbor in Los Angeles.
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