RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT ON PLANNER.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer

North Valley residents want a planning director who will work with neighborhood councils, stand up to developers and preserve open space, community leaders said during a forum at Mission College on Tuesday night.

They voiced their hopes for the qualities of a new director who will replace retiring director Con Howe. The meeting was one of several scheduled public hearings designed to let residents share their ideas on the future of the Los Angeles Planning Department.

Sylmar-area residents told the City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee that they have serious concerns about development and the increasing efforts to make the North Valley more dense.

The North Valley has grown by 14 percent from 1990 to 2000. Some say Sylmar and other parts of the North Valley are the new hot development area, and the new director's vision could make or break the region.

Residents said they want a director who will listen to the community, not rubber stamp development.

``We are the people who are involved in projects in the area. We need a director that is going to listen to the people who walk the neighborhood with petitions,'' said Leslie Thorne of Sylmar.

Speakers warned that they will see a domino effect as more houses pop up in the North Valley, while transportation and other community needs fail to keep up with growth. They pushed for a director who will consider quality-of-life issues before approving new development.

``There's a lot of new condos in the area, and when you concentrate people, it impacts traffic, schools and quality of life,'' said Morris Pichan of Pacoima. He wants a planning director who will preserve horse- keeping properties and low-density housing that is a hallmark of the North Valley.

The city has hired an executive search firm and is now narrowing its search for a planning director. The job pays between $169,671 and $254,402.

Kerry Cavanaugh, [phone]

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com