April 2010 – PlanCheckNC Meeting Report

April 2010 – PlanCheckNC Meeting Report

Tom Rothmann, LA City Planning Code Studies gave an update on the  following:
Zoning Code Simplification – City Planning has been doing an in-depth analysis to revise the Zoning Code.  They expect to have it to the City Planning Commission in the summer.  They are working on the 12.36 section of the Code that involves “multiple approvals”. There will be workshops on this long-in-process revision to the municipal code.  Tom Rothmann and Alan Bell will be at PlanCheckNCLA on May 8 to discuss this revision to the municipal code.
Joint Live-Work –aka Artist in Residence  (Council File: 09-1845):  City Council passed it mid-March and it is waiting for Coastal Commission review.  It was first established as 70% commercial and 30% residential, but now is 90% residential and 10% commercial.  The revision was made to assist with obtaining financing.  They are working on mixed-use Downtown to  incorporate FAR averaging for mixed use for commercial and residential  so as to transfer within unified developments.  Trying to streamline this to allow height in one area and a trade-off for open space in another.  Allows for flexibility.  The old report from 2008  is on the City Planning website.
Truck Garden Ordinance (CPC-2010-445) adopted by the CPC last week.  Itemizes between  truck gardening and farming making the guidelines clear.  Question  about pesticides and this is not a land use issue.  This does not  apply to any large scale agricultural use.  Home occupations rules  would still apply.  This applies to growing small garden items and  selling offsite (such as Farmers Markets).
Shopping Cart Ordinance – (Council File: 08-2070) to restrict carts to store lots (modeled after the  City of Glendale’s).  Report will be to PLUM in about two weeks.  Glendale has an ordinance for any business with 6 or more shopping carts that has been 100% effective.  This will accomplish the following: 1) Standards for any new developments and 2) Systematic program for onsite compliance.  See CF-08-207.
Sober living homes (Council File: 07-3427):  Community care facilities draft ordinance is being brought to the Commissions in the next few months.  Sober Living Homes – Cannot regulate families.  Transient occupancy does not allow occupancies less than 30 day stay.  Dept. Building and Safety can monitor who lives in a facility.
Accessory Dwelling Units (Council File: 09-2589) – With no local policy, the default is the state guidelines which are less restrictive than the interim guidelines under which the City had been operating.  A memo will be issued after it is reviewed by the City Attorney.  The limit will be a 1200 sq. ft. size   Results of the PlanCheckNCLA Survey have been posted on PlanCheckNCLA at IN THE NEWS.
SB1818 – City of L.A. has modified to match to the State of California.  Some modifications because of lawsuit.
Contact information for Tom Rothmann:   Tom.Rothmann@lacity.org
PlanCheckNCLA Contact information:  Maggi Fajnor – maggi4f@gmail.com
                                           Cindy Cleghorn – cindycleghorn@me.com

PRESENTERS — Creating Community Partnerships –Development and CUPs with

Ira Handelman
Kate Bartolo
Elizabeth Peterson
Ira Handelman – Who is the community ?  Who represents the community ?  Even NCs can’t  say they represent the community, nor neighborhood groups and organizations.  Who makes the deal with the adjacent neighbors?  Even Chambers of Commerce because their focus is “business friendly” no matter what business it is.  We are in a crisis in the City of Los Angeles and we need to understand the consequences of saying “no”.  It’s really about talking and listening.  Things are not enforced by the City now.  A project in your neighborhood may affect other neighborhoods.  In the future we won’t be getting the City services.  Developers aren’t bad guys.  Its understood and expected that people want things closer to where they live.  If you really want something done, a lot of trust is needed and to be realistic.  There are lots of empty spaces to fill.
Kate Bartolo – In the City of L.A. projects are reviewed individually and this makes existing problems worse.  There are bad developers out there.  There’s a new breed of developers and consultants and we need to find out who they are.  She tells her clients that if you lie to her or to the City, you’re fired!  She impressed upon us that working early is key.   Its key because of the needed funding and a lot of details can be worked out early on.  She looks for developments with articulation and forward residential with lowered heights next to existing residential.  Much coordination is done by phone, 7 meetings and 20 conversations.  Suggests “always” to use materials that are similar in the neighborhood, distinctive but common.  Count the ways to “love” the project is based on the upfront time spent on it.  You never get another chance to make a good first impression.  Develop a live, drive and walk in a neighborhood to understand what they want.  It’s all in direct relation to job creation and tax revenue.  The perception to delay increases costs in the long run.  Bring in architects on a pro bono basis.  Ask planners what we can do better.  Don’t judge a project according to the sins of the father.  An example of a dog park created with a dual use of an alley gives the ability to close off the alley for events and created opportunities for first time homebuyers Program.
Elizabeth –  built jazz clubs.  Broken window syndrome, one block at a time, one window at a time.  NCs need to look at infill and support.  Timing is everything.  Have to have a positive impact.  Developments need to be light, bright and airy.  Toy Factory building had only 3  employees and it now has over 500.  Wally’s in Westwood has been challenged by a Homeowners Assn objecting to their new development.   She’s been working on the Magnolia Bakery on 3rd Street with the “universal valet” program which i
s a shared parking program.  Bud Ovrum, Michael LoGrande involved.  Councilmembers have to get out in  front of a project and speak to their likeness for it.  Mixed uses should be horizontal.  What do you want in your area?  Cohesive way.  Place where people will come “can walk anywhere”. What will these  mixtures of uses mean?  DLANC has a list of questions they ask of projects.  For mixed uses, are they pedestrian traffic, landscape  plan, jobs bringing in.  Bring in the naysayers.  Consultants feel powerless and NCs can help a great deal. City is broken and dysfunctional.  How you manage your people and make it all run more smoothly is key.  Go in with solutions.  Marshal own people and get them to agree.  Manage your own meetings.   If compatible with community a project will be successful.  The “its my property” is in the way you present it.   Define CUP, ZC, ZV.  Peet’s Cafe in Downtown LA became a “community center”.  Hold Qimby funds accountable.  Unify around a project:  the benefits and get the problems fixed.  Specific Plan updates are not going to happen.  We are spot zoned and we must look at things block by block.  NCs that actually visit sites are better.  It is the responsibility of the developer to teach how they can have a positive impact on the community.  Proactive development, good uses.  Sr. Leads can be a good resource as well as the Captain — good partners.  A partnership to being good neighbors. Commercial amenities, the centers: represent the neighborhood, needs and services.  Light industrial is not doing well 




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