Modifications Urged in L.A. Ballot Measure

Councilman Marvin Braude and Zev Yaroslavsky have qualified a ballot initiative designed to reduce density and size of new commercial structures in the city of Los Angeles.

Present density is three times the buildable area of a lot. The initiative proposes that such density be reduced to 1 1/2 times.

Should this initiative become law, the most gifted architects might find it impossible to design a building with adequate rental space, potential rental income and adequate provisions for parking to meet requirements of three spaces for every 1,000 square feet of building improvement.

I offer the following constructive changes to the density reduction initiative:

1--Commercial land of 12,000 square feet or less: Retain the density status quo.

2--Commercial land 12,000 to 20,000 square feet: Grant density limits of two times the buildable area of the land, or up to 36,000 square feet.

3--Commercial land in excess of 20,000 square feet: Allow density up to 1 1/2 times the buildable area of the land, or up to 40,000 square feet.

It is important that the Braude-Yaroslavsky initiative contain avenues of flexibility for high-rise development, as well as for those land parcels too small to be restricted to 1 1/2 times the buildable area. There is still time for constructive changes to be inserted in this initiative.

SAUL M. SALKA

Santa Monica