Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Project Summary
Five-Year Work Program, Three Deliverables: Dynamic Web-Based Zoning Code Laypersons Guide to Zoning Unified Downtown Development Code Project Team made up of City Employees and Planning, Environmental, & Web Consultants
Tom Rothmann
Senior City Planner
Erick Lopez
City Planner
David Olivo
City Planning Associate
Image Sources: Los Angeles Public Library & Los Angeles Times
CURRENT PROBLEMS
Making Up for Shortcomings
Current Problems
Same basic set of Zoning Classifications maintained since Post-War Era Scattered language results in vague, contradicting, and unnecessarily complicated regulations Relies heavily on Entitlements, Site-Specific Conditions, and Overlays Does not always promote good urban design
Department Resources
Majority of resources are now devoted to Cases, Administration and Support (86%)
Department Budget Allocation
Admin and Support 25% Citywide Planning 4% Community Planning 10% Case Processing 61%
Framework Principles
Economic Opportunity
Improve social equity and maintain the quality of life Prioritize community needs Attract /retain economic investment and improve neighborhood liveability
Equity
Environmental Quality
Strategic Investment
Ensure mobility and access to jobs, and Maintain environmental quality
Expand economic opportunity and protect neighborhood character Responsive to changing needs of communities to plan for the future
Effective Implementation
Framework Districts
Neighborhood District
Community Center
Regional Center
Framework Districts
Neighborhood District
Community Center
Regional Center
APPROACHES
Current types of zoning codes
Separation of land uses (single-family, multi-family, commercial, industrial, etc.) accompanied by sets of development standards (lot dimensions, yards, height, etc.)
Separation of land uses (single-family, multi-family, commercial, industrial, etc.) accompanied by sets of development standards (lot dimensions, yards, height, etc.)
Form-Based
Focuses primarily on regulating the building form (scale & design) in relation to the scale of development in the vicinity Pays attention to the improvements on private property and streets & open space Focuses on the issue of incompatible uses and development Based on regulations which directly address the negative aspects of land uses such as density, traffic, noise, etc. Breaksup zone into its fundamental parts permitted uses, dimensional standards and development standards and combines those components to create zones
Performance-Based
Modular Zoning
Latest Examples
City of Los Angeles
City of Miami
Recently adopted a Form-Based Code
Developed a hybrid of Euclidean Zoning and Form-Based Code that they refer to as a Context-Sensitive Code Working on a Downtown Development Code that builds on elements from the long established New Urbanist movement as well as the new Form-Based movement
City of Denver
City of Fresno
Zoning Needs
Public Realm
(sidewalk/street)
General Plan Mobility Element Street Standards
Place
Overlap
Orientation
Use
Form
Orientation
Street Width
Community Plans
Place-Making
Use
Neighborhood Commercial Small Lot with local business/neighborhood serving uses (dry cleaner, restaurant, etc.)
Form
Low-Rise Two/three-stories with entry/display windows and 2nd floor windows facing street
Orientation
Pedestrian-Oriented Storefront along sidewalk with parking in a structure or located in the rear
Place-Making
Use
Medium Density Residential Multi-Family Residential use only; rentals/condominiums
Form
Mid-Rise Four/Twelve-stories with entry/display windows and 2nd floor windows facing street
Orientation
Transit-Oriented Reduced parking requirements, walkability features, and accessibility to transit stations
Place-Making
Use
High Density Residential Multi-Family Residential use only; rentals/condominiums
Form
High-Rise Twelve/Fifty-stories
Orientation
Pedestrian-Oriented Entry located along sidewalk with parking in a structure or located in the rear
Place-Making
Use
Single-Family Residential One dwelling unit per property
Form
Low-Rise Two/three-stories with entry/display windows and 2nd floor windows facing street
Orientation
Pedestrian-Oriented Front along sidewalk with parking located in the rear
Downtown Revitalization
Ensure that Downtown Los Angeles is poised to take advantage of ongoing economic recovery Ready to absorb larger share of citywide density Maximize on transportation infrastructure investment in Downtown
Public Participation
Policy Advisory Committee Regional Forums
Desktop & Mobile Electronic Mailing List, Quarterly Newsletters, Social Networks, etc.
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