Informal Poll Shows Many Back Growth : Reaction: Few workers or residents had heard of the proposal, but most said they would welcome development--if it is controlled.

By AARON CURTISS

July 24, 1991 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Scott Bytof could be considered a model commuter, even if he is something of a curiosity in the land of the drive-thru, drive-in and drive-by.

He walks to work in Warner Center and does most of his errands on foot, using his car only for longer trips.

“This is great,” said Bytof, 28, an effervescent financial analyst who wears out his shoes faster than his Michelins. “I like the idea of being able to walk to everything I want to do.”

Mayor Tom Bradley singled out Warner Center last week as a model for Los Angeles because it is an urban hub combining residential, commercial and retail developments in a carefully planned, pedestrian-oriented community.

An informal survey Tuesday showed most folks in Warner Center agree that it is a swell place to live, work, shop, dine, play and, especially, park their cars.

Like Bytof, most of the dozen or so office workers, shopkeepers and residents interviewed had not heard about the city’s plans to almost double the size of Warner Center. But like him, all had opinions on the proposal.

In the midst of the very suburbs that helped spawn the anti-development “Not in My Back Yard” mentality an ecological age ago, these people say a bigger Warner Center could be even more of a good thing. More tasty restaurants, more upscale shops, more theaters with eardrum-shattering sound systems. But if it is thrown together like a cheap combination pizza, all pineapple and anchovies, expansion would be disastrous--and indigestible for the community.

“Every time they put in a Tower Records or a movie theater, I love it,” said Bytof, 28, who walks to work from his home in Canoga Park. “I would hope that we could get some more of the Westside flair here. There’s not the excitement here that we have on the other side of the hill.”

Tracy Riley, listening to Bytof’s conversation a few feet away, chimed in with her support for expanding the district, but added: “As long as it doesn’t get like Century City. I don’t like Century City.”

In fact, the plan calls for the expanded Warner Center to be larger than Century City in terms of square footage. But it’s not the size of Century City that Riley, 31, hates. It’s the congestion--too many cars squeezed onto overloaded streets and into overcrowded, overpriced parking structures.

Warner Center, in her opinion, is a cuddlier Century City--all the benefits without the hassles. Until four months ago, she lived in Warner Center; but she moved to Calabasas because “you get more for your money.”

Even so, “this is the best place to work,” Riley said, adding that she has worked in Glendale, Orange County and downtown Los Angeles. “You can feel safe here. It has everything here you could possibly want.”

Within walking distance of her office, she pointed out, are shopping malls, movie theaters, dozens of other office buildings, hundreds of apartments and several older residential neighborhoods.

“This is nice,” Riley said. “This is good.”

At Rambling Rose II, manager Eunice Jones said she knew about the plans for the area but was not sure yet what to make of them or what the effect might be on her flower shop. “It’s going to be unbelievable,” she said. “I don’t know if it will be good or bad.”

Traffic will increase regardless of planned improvements, she said. But so will business. “More people means more birthdays, more anniversaries, more parties,” she said.

On the west side of Warner Center, where older residential neighborhoods spill out of the hills, Sandy Kovacs said: “It’s fine as it is, as far as I’m concerned, and they can double it, as far as I’m concerned. But it has to be done correctly.”

Kovacs, who has lived in the neighborhood for four years, said he moved to the area to be within walking distance of shopping. So far, he said, he has noticed no adverse effects from the river of cars that flows almost constantly along Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

That could change, though, if new construction is completed before roads are improved. Kovacs suggested that no construction start until the roads are upgraded to handle more traffic.

“I’m not against progress,” he said. “I’m just against sloppy progress.”