PlanCheckNC – Los Angeles

Minutes: Mar. 10, 2018

Chair: Cindy Cleghorn – CindyCleghorn@gmail.com

General

1. New liaisons for NCs: Dylan Sittig (Central, East), Fabiola Inzunza (Valley, West, South, Harbor).
2. City’s Planning 102 (project planning/review): Apr. 9 (West LA), Apr. 12 (South LA), Apr. 16 (North Valley), Apr. 25 (Mid/Central City), Apr. 26 (Eagle Rock), Apr. 30 (South Valley), May 2 (Harbor).
   1. Request to educate neighbors on ability to oppose and propose re-designs of projects, and rights to appeal and sue.
3. Request that Planning provides matrix of status of proposed Ordinances and Policies, with hearing dates and comment deadlines and contact info.
4. Request that Council (and PLUM) provide more notice than 4 days for hearings, which is insufficient for NCs to agendize and consider items. Requests for additional time should be made to the office of PLUM Chair Jose Huizar.
5. CD offices can request EIRs instead of simpler MNDs for CEQA review.
6. Concern that planning cases may switch case numbers, and previous comments are not forwarded.
7. Ethics Commission: A hearing will be held soon to improve reporting on campaign donations.
8. Hillside Party House Ordinance was approved.
9. Some NCs are facing subdivision requests (Westwood).
10. Cel Tower regulations: The AGF Ordinance is stalled, and need help to push it forward (CF 09-2645).
11. Do Budget Advocates survey (www.NCBALA.com).
12. Design: Elevator shafts are pushed to very front of building as a design element to increase illusion of height and make buildings more imposing. Must be near front of building for fireman access, but can be set back 5-10 ft.

Presenter: Tom Rothmann, Policy Division (Recode LA).

Recode will NOT produce new zones, upzones or downzones. It will create new building types that keep the densities and general heights/ FARs of existing zones.

R1 building forms are complete, and multi-family and commercial building forms design has begun. They will be added to new Community Plans as they are updated. Until then, current Community Plans will use current zones (R1, C1, M1, etc.).

Commercial buildings must provide public plaza/open space along frontage.

Possible to require retail on ground floor.

Apartments must provide upper-level setbacks, as defined by building envelope with limited floor area to include.

Existing Q conditions will remain.

Existing Specific Plans and Design Overlays will remain.

Bonuses will be listed (Transit-Oriented Communities, SB1818).

Adaptive re-use and transfer of density are ideas that will be considered and codified.

Electronic submittals may be required (which will allow better access by NCs).

Announcements

1. Next meeting: Sat., Apr. 14; Sat., May 12 (location Hollenbeck PD-Boyle Heights?): Jay Ross to present “No more stupid boxes: How to design great buildings in your neighborhood.”
   1. Architects Martin Leitner and Tom Steidl presented it at Congress of NCs in September.