Month: July 2021

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Council and Committee Referral – Wednesday, July 28, 2021

19-0173
CD 13		 Midnight Stroll and After Hours Cafe Program
To Council
Motion (O’Farrell – Krekorian) relative to authorizing the Civil, Human Rights, and Equity Department, with the assistance of the Los Angeles Housing Department, the Community Investment for Families Department, and the City Clerk, to prepare, process, and execute the necessary document(s) to amend contract C-136197 with the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, a division of Special Services for Groups, Incorporated, for the Midnight Stroll and After Hours Cafe Program.

 

 

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Los Angeles Department City Planning – July 2021 Newsletter

Read Newsletter:  July 2021
Dear Angelenos:
The latest report from our Performance Management Unit is in, and the numbers are very encouraging. In fact, these new statistics report higher levels of case processing, above pre-pandemic levels—an encouraging sign that speaks to the economic recovery.
All while conforming with COVID-19 safety protocols, City Planning has approved nearly 33% more applications in the first six months of calendar year 2021, compared to the same reporting period in 2019. While the cases are up, staffing is down approximately 24%. However, these constraints have caused us to find creative solutions and continue to make recommendations to streamline regulations.
The Department’s efforts to move critical housing applications forward highlight our commitment to helping Los Angeles move forward—thanks, in part, to the innovations we’ve made at City Planning, including developing our own in-house online application system to support case intake and review, especially during the first days under the stay-at-home orders.
And case filings are significantly up as well. In June of this year alone, 905 applications were filed, a 43% increase from June of 2019, even before the outbreak of COVID-19. These stats reflect an improving outlook for the City as the number of vaccinations gradually increases and the health safety measures put in place last year are cautiously being lifted.
Of course, our work is not simply limited to reviewing, approving, or even reporting on case filings. At City Planning, we are about making improvements and realizing new efficiencies. To that end, I am happy to report that, even in the midst of a global pandemic, we’ve been able to reduce the average time it takes us to complete applications from 84 to 77 days, while still maintaining the same high standards with our customers and peers.
Together, we are Planning4LA.
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Council and Committee Referral – Friday, July 23, 2021

19-0742 Prohibit private detention centers and community detention facilities for unaccompanied minors.
To Planning and Land Use Management Committee
City Attorney report R21-0235, dated July 22, 2021, relative to a draft Ordinance amending the Los Angeles Municipal Code to define and prohibit private detention centers and community detention facilities for unaccompanied minors.

 

 

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Economic Development and Land Use Analysis / Beacon Economics / Growing and Declining Industries / Emerging Industries / Post-Pandemic Recovery / Economic Growth

My Office retained Beacon Economics, an independent research and consulting firm, to provide an objective analysis of the City of Los Angeles’ economy over the past ten years and to assess how the City could best position itself to improve its economic outlook in future years. The study, released on August 24, 2020, highlights growing and declining industries and where they are positioned in various communities throughout the City. In addition, Beacon Economics provided recommendations, based on best practices, relative to how the City may foster growth of emerging industries, and thereby grow our local economy.As the City of Los Angeles works on spurring post-pandemic recovery, this report should be considered as a tool to effectuate short- and long-term economic growth.

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

  • 07/16/2021 Controller document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.  Report from Controller 07/15/2021
  • 07/15/2021 Document(s) submitted by Controller, as follows:  Report from Controller 07/15/2021

Controller report, dated July 15, 2021, relative to an economic development and land use analysis by Beacon Economics.

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Council and Committee Referral – Wednesday, July 14, 2021

20-1139 Create cool roof and cool surface requirements
To Planning and Land Use Management Committee
City Attorney report R21-0226, dated July 13, 2021, relative to the revised draft Ordinance amending Los Angeles Municipal Code Chapter IX, Article 9, Sections 99.04.106, 99.05.106, 99.11.101, 99.11.102 and 99.12.101, of Article 9, to create cool roof and cool surface requirements.
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Council and Committee Referral – Tuesday, July 13, 2021

1-0002-S81 AB 854 (Lee) which would require a minimum of five years of ownership prior to becoming eligible for invocation of the Ellis Act.
To Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee
Chief Legislative Analyst report 21-04-0282, dated July 13, 2021, relative to including in the City’s 2021-22 State Legislative Program its position for AB 854 (Lee) which would require a minimum of five years of ownership prior to becoming eligible for invocation of the Ellis Act.
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Regional climate networks: regional climate adaptation and resilience action plans

Read:  AB 897

Existing law requires, by July 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, the Natural Resources Agency to update, as prescribed, the state’s climate adaptation strategy, known as the Safeguarding California Plan. Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governor’s office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program to be administered by the office to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed.

This bill would authorize eligible entities, as defined, to establish and participate in a regional climate network, as defined. The bill would require the office, through the program, to encourage the inclusion of eligible entities with land use planning and hazard mitigation planning authority into regional climate networks. The bill would authorize a regional climate network to engage in activities to address climate change, as specified.

This bill would require a regional climate network to develop a regional climate adaptation and resilience action plan and to submit the plan to the office for review, comments, and certification, as described. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2023, the office, through the program, to develop and publish on its internet website guidelines on how eligible entities may establish regional climate networks and how governing boards may be established within regional climate networks. The bill would also require, on or before July 1, 2023, the office, through the program, in collaboration with the Office of Emergency Services, to develop and publish on its internet website guidelines, as prescribed, establishing standards and required content for a regional climate adaptation and resilience action plan, including certain information, analyses, and contents to be included in a plan and certain considerations and procedures for a regional climate network when preparing a plan.

This bill would require the office, through the program, to provide technical assistance to regions seeking to establish a regional climate network and to regional climate networks in developing regional climate adaptation and resilience action plans. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2025, the office, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to make recommendations to certain policy and budget committees of the Legislature related to regional adaptation and resilience on expanding state support for the work of regional climate networks, as prescribed, and the potential sources of financial assistance and options for distributing state funds to support the creation and implementation of regional climate adaptation and resilience action plans and to support technical assistance and capacity building to engage vulnerable communities and under-resourced communities in the development of the plans.

 

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Local Emergency Code Amendment

Source:  Department of City Planning

See: CF 20-0380-S1 

See Ordinance No. 187,096
Dear Stakeholder,
On June 23, 2021, the full City Council adopted the proposed Local Emergency Code Amendment Ordinance, which creates a mechanism for the City Council and Mayor to enact temporary regulatory relief from certain Zoning Code provisions related to time limitations and automobile parking provisions. The Ordinance became effective on July 1, 2021. A Resolution was adopted by the City Council concurrently with the Ordinance activating its provisions simultaneously on its effective date.
A copy of the adopted Ordinance can be found here. Additionally the Department has drafted an updated Fact Sheet regarding the specifics of the adopted Ordinance. This Fact Sheet includes updated eligibility criteria, processing procedures, and a FAQ section. A copy of the Fact Sheet can be found here, Both the Ordinance and Fact Sheet can be found on the Department website on the “Adopted Regulations” page, which can be found under the “Plans and Policies” tab.
Should you have any questions regarding project eligibility or specific provisions of the Ordinance, please schedule an appointment with our Development Services Center staff here, or if the project is already in process or has been approved please reach out to the assigned Case Planner.
Thank you for your continued interest.
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SB 10 Planning and zoning: housing development: density

Read text of SB 10     07/05/2021 Amended in Assembly

This bill would, notwithstanding any local restrictions on adopting zoning ordinances, authorize a local government to adopt an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to 10 units of residential density per parcel, at a height specified in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in a transit-rich area or an urban infill site, as those terms are defined.

The bill would prohibit a local government from adopting an ordinance pursuant to these provisions on or after January 1, 2029. The bill would specify that an ordinance adopted under these provisions, and any resolution to amend the jurisdiction’s General Plan, ordinance, or other local regulation adopted to be consistent with that ordinance, is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act. The bill would prohibit an ordinance adopted under these provisions from superceding a local restriction enacted or approved by a local voter initiative that designates publicly owned land as open-space land or for park or recreational purposes.

The bill would impose specified requirements on a zoning ordinance adopted under these provisions, including a requirement that the zoning ordinance clearly demarcate the areas that are subject to the ordinance and that the legislative body make a finding that the ordinance is consistent with the city or county’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. The bill would require an ordinance to be adopted by a 2/3 vote of the members of the legislative body if the ordinance supersedes any zoning restriction established by local voter initiative.

The bill would prohibit an ordinance adopted under these provisions from reducing the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance and would prohibit a legislative body from subsequently reducing the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance. The bill would prohibit a residential or mixed-use residential project consisting of 10 or more units that is located on a parcel zoned pursuant to these provisions from being approved ministerially or by right or from being exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, except as specified.

This bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

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Council and Committee Referral – July 01, 2021

21-0776 Los Angeles Fire Code, as it relates to the definition of residential zoning classification for transitional and supportive housing occupancy type.
To Housing Committee
Motion (Cedillo – de Leon) relative to directing the Los Angeles Fire Department, with assistance from the City Attorney, to report with recommendations and proposed resolutions on the disconnect between state and local code and the Los Angeles Fire Code, as it relates to the definition of residential zoning classification for transitional and supportive housing occupancy type.
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AB-339 Local government: open and public meetings – Ralph M. Brown Act

Source:  Assembly Local Government

Additional Information and Sources:

Read AB 339      Status:  Amended  in Senate  June 25, 2021

Background of AB 339

Executive Order N-29-20. In March of 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order N-29-20, which stated that, ”Notwithstanding any other provision of state or local law (including, but not limited to, the Bagley-Keene Act or the Brown Act), and subject to the notice and accessibility requirements set forth below, a local legislative body or state body is authorized to hold public meetings via teleconferencing and to make public meetings accessible telephonically or otherwise electronically to all members of the public seeking to observe and to address the local legislative body or state body. All requirements in both the Bagley-Keene Act and the Brown Act expressly or impliedly requiring the physical presence of members, the clerk or other personnel of the body, or of the public as a condition of participation in or quorum for a public meeting are hereby waived.”

“All of the foregoing provisions concerning the conduct of public meetings shall apply only during the period in which state or local public health officials have imposed or recommended social distancing measures.”

AB 339:

AB 339, as amended, Lee. Local government: open and public meetings.
Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency, as those terms are defined, be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. Under existing law, a member of the legislative body who attends a meeting where action is taken in violation of this provision, with the intent to deprive the public of information that the member knows the public is entitled to, is guilty of a crime.
This bill would require local agencies to conduct meetings subject to the act consistent with applicable state and federal civil rights laws, as specified.
This bill would, until December 31, 2023, require all open and public meetings of a city council or a county board of supervisors that governs a jurisdiction containing least 250,000 people to include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two-way telephonic option or an a two-way internet-based service option. option, as specified, and would require a city council or county board of supervisors that has, as of June 15, 2021, provided video streaming, as defined, of its meetings to continue to provide that video streaming. The bill would require all open and public meetings to include an in-person public comment opportunity, except in specified circumstances during a declared state or local emergency. The bill would require all meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed legislation in person and remotely via a telephonic or an internet-based service option, as provided.
By imposing new duties on local governments and expanding the application of a crime with respect to meetings, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for specified reasons.
The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities and counties, including charter cities and counties.