LA City 2020 Monthly Newsletter

Vince Bertoni,

Director of Planning

DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

SB 330 Implementation

On January 17, City Planning, the Department of Building and Safety, and the Housing + Community Investment Department issued a joint memorandum providing guidance on the implementation of Senate Bill 330, the “Housing Crisis Act of 2019.”

 

The bill amends existing State laws and creates new regulations around planning for housing and the production and preservation of housing. These regulations affect both project planning procedures and community planning outcomes, including prohibiting any legislative action that would reduce the total zoned capacity for housing in any local jurisdiction.

 

Senate Bill 330 shortens the discretionary review timeframes for eligible housing development projects that meet all applicable objective zoning standards, in addition to preventing the approval of any housing development project that would result in a net loss of affordable and overall housing units. It also establishes a new option to vest new planning applications to provide greater certainty of zoning regulations and policies for pending projects.

 

The bill took effect on January 1, 2020, and its provisions will sunset on January 1, 2025. For additional information, email planning.PARP@lacity.org.

 

 

Housing Element Update

On January 8, City Planning announced the members of the task force that will inform policy recommendations for the new Housing Element, which will cover the years 2021 through 2029. Like the task force assembled during the last update to the Housing Element, the group comprises community leaders, local service providers, and affordable and market-rate developers—each with specialized expertise in issues related to housing.

 

The task force will meet periodically to evaluate potential policy revisions to the City’s zoning rules, housing production targets, and regulations on housing, tenants’ rights, and homelessness prevention. Additionally, there will be a public engagement process for the Housing Element Update that will include open house meetings and other opportunities for public participation, starting as early as the first quarter of 2020.

 

As a citywide policy document, the Housing Element plays an important role in setting the long-range vision for the City. It integrates Los Angeles’s housing and growth strategies in order to support the City’s economic interests and housing needs. For additional information, email housingelement@lacity.org.

 

 

Vacation Rentals Ordinance

On December 19, the City Planning Commission (CPC) recommended approval of the City’s proposed Vacation Rentals Ordinance. If adopted, the ordinance would allow a limited number of eligible property owners to list secondary housing units as short-term rentals.

 

The ordinance sets strict limits on the number and location of vacation rentals in order to prevent over-concentration and protect the availability of long-term housing. For example, the proposed rules would disqualify units reserved for affordable or rent-stabilized housing, and additionally prohibit accessory dwelling units from participating in this program.

 

CPC amended City Planning’s original recommendation to raise the citywide cap on the number of secondary homes that would be eligible for vacation rentals, as well as to increase the number of nights these units could be rented in a given calendar year. Additionally, CPC requested that City Planning prepare a report to the City Council on additional enforcement measures.

 

The proposed Vacation Rentals Ordinance and report-back will be considered by the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) in the coming months.

 

 

Citywide Design Guidelines

On October 24, the City Planning Commission adopted new Citywide Design Guidelines for Los Angeles. The document replaces the City’s numerous guidelines for residential, commercial, and industrial properties, integrating various approaches to design in a single set of clear and simple instructions.

 

The Citywide Design Guidelines consolidate more than 100 guidelines into 10 overarching principles in order to achieve core design objectives. These principles elevate the City’s design expectations, drawing from three design approaches that reflect key citywide priorities for development: Pedestrian-First Design, 360° Design, and Climate-Adapted Design.

 

The Citywide Design Guidelines apply to all new development and substantial building alterations that seek a discretionary action for which the City Planning has design authority.

 

 

OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT

City Planning Receives Award from Studio City Residents Association

On January 14, the Studio City Residents Association held the Studio City Cares Awards, honoring outstanding members of the business community and local government and other residents of the Southeast Valley neighborhood. In all, the Residents Association presented five awards to community leaders. One of these distinguished residents was Principal City Planner Blake Lamb, who received an award for excellence in civic engagement. At the request of the Residents Association, Ms. Lamb spoke briefly about her time working as a City Planner in the San Fernando Valley and expressed her gratitude for the honor.

City Planning Hosts Annual Mills Act Program Workshop

On January 6, the Office of Historic Resources (OHR) hosted the 2020 Mills Act Program Workshop. Each year, OHR hosts this workshop to provide an overview of the application process and answer questions from an audience of more than 100 attendees.

 

The Mills Act Historical Property Contract Program allows qualifying property owners to receive a property tax reduction to help offset the costs of substantial rehabilitation and restoration of their buildings. To qualify, these buildings must be Historic-Cultural Monuments (HCMs) or contributing properties located within the City’s Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs).

 

The Mills Act application and the PowerPoint presentation from the workshop have been posted on City Planning’s website. Completed applications must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2020.

 

 

DECEMBER METRICS

Hearings and Events

Development Trends

COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATES

The Downtown Community Plan Update team held “drop-in” office hours at three locations in January. The events provided the public with additional opportunities to discuss the policies and zoning proposed in the Draft Downtown Community Plan. Members of the team were on hand to answer questions about the proposed changes and to receive comments.

 

Office hours were held at the Central Library in the Financial District on January 8, Groundwork Coffee in the Arts District on January 22, and the South Park Business Improvement District Office on January 30. Three additional office hours sessions will be held on successive Wednesdays in February in Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and Skid Row. No appointment is necessary. Visit the “Events” tab of the Downtown Community Plan Update page for more information.

 

As the cornerstone of the City’s long-range planning efforts, the Draft Downtown Community Plan aims to establish neighborhood-level policies to guide future development considerations in the urban core of Los Angeles—strengthening linkages between neighborhoods, and further incentivizing the production of residential units through the introduction of new zoning.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Earlier this month, the City Planning Commission approved a new four-story, 45-foot-tall affordable housing project located at 9500 Compton Avenue in the Watts neighborhood.

 

Of the project’s 25 dwelling units, 24 will be reserved for Permanent Supportive Housing; the remaining unit will be a market-rate manager’s unit. The project will use prefabricated modular units for both the residential dwellings and ground floor spaces, which will include a community room, a community kitchen, a laundry room, and office space for administrative staff.

 

The project also proposes 1,500 square feet of open space, consisting of an outdoor courtyard and dining patio area complete with native plant landscaping.

TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT

Interactive Story Maps

 

City Planning’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Unit produces interactive story maps to help planners and stakeholders visualize projects and the potential results of policy changes. The maps tell the story of a proposed development or legislative change using a combination of text and graphic features—ranging from infographics to three-dimensional models of projects.

 

The GIS Unit recently developed a story map for the Draft Downtown Community Plan which highlights the key changes to existing land use designations that City Planning is proposing Downtown. The interactive story map also displays the Draft Plan’s strategies for accommodating more housing and jobs and increasing the number of mobility options, among other features.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

UPCOMING CALENDAR

February 4

Deemed Approved Ordinance Workshop

February 6

Downtown CPU Office Hours

February 11

Southeast Valley CPU Office Hours

February 12

Downtown CPU Office Hours

February 14

Southeast Valley CPU Office Hours

February 18

Southeast Valley CPU Office Hours

February 19

Downtown CPU Office Hours

February 20

Ventura-Cahuenga Specific Plan Open House

February 24

Housing Element Update Open House (Central LA)

February 24

Southeast Valley CPU Office Hours

February 26

Housing Element Update Open House (West LA)

February 29

Housing Element Update Open House (Valley)

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