Month: June 2016

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Reappointment of Ms. Caroline Choe to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission (LACPC)

CF 13-1289 At City Council     Adopted, (12); Absent: Cedillo, Englander, Ryu (3)
PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT relative to the reappointment of Ms. Caroline Choe to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission (LACPC) for the term ending June 30, 2021.
Recommendation for Council action:  RESOLVE that the Mayor’s reappointment of Ms. Caroline Choe to the LACPC  for the new term ending June 30, 2021, is APPROVED and CONFIRMED.  Ms. Choe resides in Council District 14.  (Current Commission gender composition: M=5; F=4)
Financial Disclosure Statement:  Pending
Community Impact Statement:  None submitted.
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Amend the Public Recreation Plan, a portion of the Service Systems Element of the General Plan to modernize the City’s Park Fee (Quimby and Finn Fee)

CF 16-0529 At PLUM CONTINUED FROM 5/17/16

TIME LIMIT AND LAST DAY FOR COUNCIL ACTION: 7/26/16

Categorical Exemption pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline Sections 15301, 15302, 15303, 15304, and 15316, Statutory Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15273(a)(4) and Public Resources Code 21080(b)(8), exemption pursuant to Section 15378(b)(4), and reports from the Mayor, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and the Department of City Planning relative to a proposed Resolution to amend the definitions of park sites and recreational amenities and facilities within the Public Recreation Plan of the Service Systems Element of the City of Los Angeles General Plan.

Joint report from Department of City Planning and the Department of Recreation and Parks, report from the City Attorney and draft Ordinance to amend the Public Recreation Plan, a portion of the Service Systems Element of the General Plan to modernize the City’s Park Fee (Quimby and Finn Fee) will not be considered at this meeting.)

Applicant: City of Los Angeles

Case No. CPC-2015-2328-CA-GPA

CEQA No. ENV-2015-2329-CE

Fiscal Impact Statement: No.
Community Impact Statement: None submitted.

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Granada Hills Specific Plan

CF 15-1226-S1  At City Council   Adopted, (15)

PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT and ORDINANCE FIRST CONSIDERATION relative to the Granada Hills Specific Plan.

Recommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:

ADOPT the FINDINGS of the Director of Planning, on behalf of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, as the Findings of the Council.
PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE dated March 14, 2016, amending Section 12.04 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to amend the Granada Hills Specific Plan.

Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by the City Attorney. Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted.

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The Los Angeles City Council’s changes to the Mobility Plan Amendments

CPC- 2013- 910- GPA -SP- CA -MSC -M2      At City Planning Commission
Council District: All
CEQA: ENV- 2013- 911- EIR -ADD2
Expiration Date: N/A
Plan Area: Citywide
Appeal Status: N/A PUBLIC HEARING

Proposed Project: The Los Angeles City Council’s changes to the Mobility Plan Amendments

Requested Action : To add Central Avenue between 1st Street and Imperial Highway to the Pedestrian Enhanced Districts , and add Central Avenue between 95th Street and Imperial Highway to the Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN). Applicant: Los Angeles Department of City Planning Recommended Actions: On February 11, 2016 the Los Angeles City Planning Commission (CPC) acted on several proposed amendments to the Mobility Plan. These amendments included revisions to the Plan’s text and enhanced networks. The CPC approved the amendments and transmitted their Letter of Determination to the Mayor and City Council Committees. On May 11, 2016 the Plan was heard at the Transportation Committee meeting where Councilmember Koretz introduced a motion to revise the recommended amendments to the Plan. These revised recommendations were sent to City Council for consideration. On May 13, 2016 City Council moved to send the proposed changes in Recommendation 4 of the Transportation Committee report simultaneously to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and the Mayor for their approval. As per the City’s Charter, “if the Council proposes changes to the Plan amendment that differ from the amendment as initiated or the recommendation of the City Planning Commission, the matter shall be returned simultaneously to the City Plan ning Commission and the Mayor for their recommendations on the proposed changes.” At its June 23, 2016 meeting, the City Planning Commission will have the opportunity to make its recommendations on the City Council’s May 13th action, which would amend portions of the Mobility Plan to:

• Substitute Gayley Avenue/Midvale Avenue for Westwood Boulevard between Le Conte and Ohio
Avenues to the Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN).
• Substitute Avalon Boulevard for Central Avenue between Jefferson Boulevard and Imperial
Highway to the BEN.
• Add San Pedro Street between Seventh Street and Jefferson Boulevard to the BEN.
• Amend the Neighborhood Enhanced Network (NEN) to include 16th Street between San Pedro
Avenue and Central Avenue.
• Amend the text under the Network Concept Maps heading on page 153 of Mobility Plan 2035,
Chapter 6: Action Plan to add the following: “For example, a north-south corridor identified on the BEN could be substituted with an alternative north-south corridor that is not currently on the BEN if it serves similar constituencies and destinations and is supported with additional, operational studies and community engagement.”

Summary and Recommendation

The proposed amendments approved by the City Council differ from the proposals previously considered by t he City Planning Commission because they now substitute parallel corridors on the Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN) rather than eliminating corridors altogether. Gayley/Midvale would replace Westwood Boulevard within the Westwood Village area and Avalon Boulevard would be substituted for Central Avenue between Jefferson Boulevard and Imperial Highway. The BEN, which is the primary focus of the changes, is a concept strategy that highlights the City’s vision of developing a connected network of 300 miles of protected bicycle lanes (Class IV bikeways) by 2035. The corridors identified on the BEN were selected for their role in connecting people who bike to primary transit corridors as well as major employment, educational and recreational destinations. Although Westwood Boulevard and Central Avenue are preferred, the addition of Gayley Avenue/Midvale Avenue and Avalon Boulevard would achieve similar access to regional destinations and maintain the overall integrity of the BEN, as a connected citywide network. The Department of City Planning reiterates its original recommendations, as reflected in the February 11, 2016 staff report and the City Planning Commission’s Letter of Determination. However, the revised text language introduced by Council makes no substantive change to the Plan but simply reinforces the opportunity for the City to identify and explore alternative corridors in the future through a community engagement process. The proposed Council amendments would not affect the Plan’s far -reaching polic ies and programs and would make only limited changes to the plan’s networks; the amendments would therefore not significantly alter Mobility Plan 2035, considered as a whole. Supplemental Recommendation One of the Council actions above included amending the Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN) to substitute Avalon Boulevard for Central Avenue between Jefferson Boulevard and Imperial Highway to the BEN. Subsequent discussion with Council Offices expressed support for adding the length of Central Avenue to the Pedestrian Enhanced Districts and retaining a portion of Central Avenue on the BEN from 95 th Street to the City boundary at 120th Street, if the remaining portion of Central Avenue were to be removed from the BEN. This action would not conflict with the substitution of Avalon Boulevard for Central Avenue on the BEN between Jefferson Boulevard and 95 th Street. This action would also support the opportunity to provide greater low stress active transportation network benefits in South Los Angeles. Therefore, if the Los Angeles City Planning Commission recommends to approve the City Council initiated amendments, the Department of City Planning recommends adding Central Avenue between 1st Street and Imperial Highway to the Pedestrian Enhanced Districts , and adding Central Avenue between 95th Street and Imperial Highway to the Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN).

Staff: David Somers (213) 978- 3307

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Initiative petition establishing affordable housing and labor standards related to City Planning

CF 16-0684    At City Council

RULES, ELECTIONS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE REPORT, CERTIFICATION OF SUFFICIENCY OF INITIATIVE PETITION, RESOLUTIONS, and ORDINANCES FIRST CONSIDERATION relative to an initiative petition establishing affordable housing and labor standards related to city planning.

Recommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:

A. OPTION A

PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE (Attachment 1 of the City Attorney report attached to the Council file), presented by the Initiative Petition proponents, without alteration.

B. OPTION B (Recommended by the Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations, and Neighborhoods Committee)

DETERMINE to submit the initiative ordinance, without alteration, to a vote of the electors of the City at the November 8, 2016 Statewide General Election to be conducted by the County of Los Angeles (Attachment 2 of the City Attorney report).

ADOPT the accompanying RESOLUTION provided in response to an initiative petition that an ordinance related to establishing affordable housing and labor standards for City planning decisions be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Los Angeles at the Statewide General Election to be conducted by the County of Los Angeles on November 8, 2016.

ADOPT the accompanying BALLOT TITLE RESOLUTION as follows:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LABOR STANDARDS RELATED TO CITY PLANNING. INITIATIVE ORDINANCE ___.

Shall an ordinance: 1) requiring that certain residential development projects provide for affordable housing and comply with prevailing wage, local hiring and other labor standards; 2) requiring the City to assess the impacts of community plan changes on affordable housing and local jobs; 3) creating an affordable housing incentive program for developments near major transit stops; and 4) making other changes; be adopted?

ADOPT the accompanying RESOLUTION to request the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorize consolidation of the special election of the initiative ordinance with the November 8, 2016 State General Election.

PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR, calling a Special Election to be held and consolidated with the State General Election on November 8, 2016 for the purpose of submitting the initiative ordinance to the qualified electors of the City of Los Angeles.

C. OPTION C

ADOPT the accompanying RESOLUTION provided in response to an initiative petition that an ordinance related to establishing affordable housing and labor standards for City planning decisions be submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Los Angeles at a Special Election to be called and consolidated with the City’s Primary Nominating Election held on March 7, 2017.

ADOPT the accompanying BALLOT TITLE RESOLUTION as follows:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LABOR STANDARDS RELATED TO CITY PLANNING. INITIATIVE ORDINANCE ___.

Shall an ordinance providing that: 1) certain residential development projects are not eligible for general plan amendments or zoning changes unless the project (a) provides for affordable housing or the developer pays in-lieu fees into the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), and (b) complies with labor standards regarding using licensed contractors, paying prevailing wages and hiring workers from local and disadvantaged areas and State-approved apprenticeship programs; 2) nothing in the Municipal Code’s provision regarding general plan amendments shall restrict amendments for above-described projects located in regional centers, downtown centers, industrial zones or near major transit stops; 3) the City shall assess the impacts of community plan changes on affordable housing and local jobs and create and monitor affordable housing inventories within community plan areas; 4) AHTF projects shall comply with the above-described labor standards; and 5) the City shall create an affordable housing incentive program for developments located near major transit stops; be adopted?

PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR, calling a Special Election to be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of the City of Los Angeles a certain initiative ordinance and consolidating this Special Election with the City’s Primary Nominating Election to be held on the same date.

Fiscal Impact Statement: The City Clerk reports that there is no election fiscal impact for adopting Recommendation 1 (adopt ordinance) in this report. There is zero to minimal election cost for adopting Recommendation 2 (March 2017 ballot) in this report, assuming there will be citywide races and a moderate number of Council-sponsored measures on that ballot. If, however, the City Council chooses to place this measure before the voters on a special standalone election, the cost is estimated to be $6,000,000. If Council chooses to place this measure before the voters on the County’s November 2016 Election, the cost is estimated to be $4,100,000 for the first measure, and $400,000 for each additional measure.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted.

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Mello Act / Affordable Housing / Ordinance

CF  15-0129-S1

An ordinance and on various current matters regarding implementation of the Mello Act within the Coastal area in the City of Los Angeles.

The primary reasons there is a call for such an ordinance are the increased pace of development of modest sized residential projects, community’s desire to protect the existing affordable housing stock, and to provide greater affordable housing opportunities in the coastal areas.

The Mello Act is a state law, which went into effect in January 1982, intended to protect and increase the supply of affordable housing in California’s Coastal Zone. The law imposes two primary duties on local governments. First, a city or county may not approve a project that removes or converts existing housing units occupied by low or moderate-income households, unless provision is made for their one- for-one replacement with new affordable units. Exceptions based on feasibility are provided. Second, a city or county may not approve a new housing development unless it provides the affordable units it can feasibly accommodate. The exceptions and rules based on “feasibility” complicate the local enforcement and administration of the Mello Act.

In the City of Los Angeles, the Mello Act applies to the Pacific Palisades, Venice-Playa Del Rey and San Pedro-Harbor areas that collectively have a population of around 100,000 persons. A settlement agreement that went into effect in January 2001 resolved a lawsuit filed against the City in 1993. The settlement agreement created a document called the “Interim Administrative Procedures,” designed to give further specificity to an interim Mello Act policy that the Council had actually adopted many years before in July 1982.

Read Draft Ordinance Mello Act Compliance Coastal Zone Area 06/15/2021

Click on the BLUE HIGHLIGHT to view official documents and reports.

08/02/2019 Council action final.
07/31/2019 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
07/25/2019 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on July 31, 2019.  Motion 04/16/2019
05/21/2019 Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved item(s) .  Motion 04/16/2019
05/17/2019 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on May 21, 2019.  Motion 04/16/2019
04/16/2019 Motion document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.   Motion 04/16/2019

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Mr. Eric Nam to the North Valley Los Angeles Area Planning Commission

CF 16-0614 At PLUM

TIME LIMIT AND LAST DAY FOR COUNCIL ACTION: 7/1/16

Communication from the Mayor relative to the appointment of Mr. Eric Nam to the North Valley Los Angeles Area Planning Commission for the term ending June 30, 2018. Mr. Nam will fill the vacancy created by Yolanda Anguiano, who has resigned.

Financial Disclosure Statement: Pending.
Background Check Review: Pending.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted.

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State Law AB 1866 on Second Dwelling Units and grandfathering Second Dwelling Units

CF 14-0057-S8 At PLUM

Categorical Exemption, reports from the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and Department of City Planning (DCP) relative to a proposed ordinance for Code Amendment, repealing Section 12.24W.43 and 12.24W.44 of Chapter 1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code for the purpose of complying with State law AB 1866 on Second Dwelling Units and grandfathering Second Dwelling Units permitted since June 23, 2003.

Applicant: City of Los Angeles, DCP
Case No. CPC-2016-1245-CA

Fiscal Impact Statement: No
Community Impact Statement: None submitted.