WELCOME TO ONE OF
L.A.'S BEST KEPT SECRETS
“Protect R 1, HPOZs and Historic Districts in their entirety”
Dear SCNA Members, Residents and Friends -
​
Historic Los Angeles urgently needs your support, before a vote is taken in April, that will impact historic buildings.
Below is an explanation of what is going on, as well as a letter that you can send to the city.
The SCNA is asking our allies and supporters to write to the City Council Planning and Land Use Committee to urge them to add critical amendments to the draft ED1 Ordinance to ensure the protection of Historic Districts and neighborhoods!
Mayor Bass’s first act as mayor was to issue her Executive Directive 1, which allowed for the expedited approval for 100% affordable developments, which has been a vital tool in her efforts to address the affordable housing crisis in the city.
In the haste to enact ED1, the directive failed to erect necessary boundaries to prevent out of scale and unsympathetically designed projects from encroaching on HPOZ (Historic Preservation Overlay Zones) as well as a National and California Register Districts.
It also made no provision for the protection of individual historic resources.
The group United Neighbors in consultation with preservation and neighborhood groups has prepared a set of amendments to be added to the draft ED1 Ordinance. These will address the outstanding preservation issues and close the loop-hole which allows for these unreviewed projects to be placed in HPOZs and historic districts.
1. Limit the number of waivers and off menu incentives to a total of 6;
2. Require rear 15’ setbacks to allow for trees to grow and storm water to be captured;
3. Prevent post-development conversion of nonresidential spaces to market rate units; (specific language to be supplied by Planning Dept)
4. Protect R 1, HPOZs and Historic Districts in their entirety;
5. Ensure that substandard streets/ high-fire zones do not qualify for ED 1 fast track approval;
6. Require ED 1 projects meet minimum Tier 2 TOC qualifications.
The Preservation Committee of Hollywood Heritage supports these amendments and is asking you to write a letter or email to submit to the Public Comment portal of the Office of the City Clerk with regards to the ED1 Ordinance (Council File CF-23-0623).
HELP SUPPORT A BETTER PLAN:
We need letters sent to the City immediately. Please share this information with your neighborhood councils and associations. Or anyone who wants to see historic Los Angeles protected.
The Planning and Land Use Committee (also known as PLUM) will meet in April.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO VOICE YOUR OPINION
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE LOCALLY TO COMMENT. MANY PEOPLE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS WORLD FAMOUS CITY'S HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENT
WHAT TO SEND:
Below is a letter that you can send.
The word limit in the online portal is 5,000 words.
You will have to give your email address, though not your name.
Your email is used to verify that you are a real person.
Your letter will be attached to the case file and will be accessible on the City’s website.
· Copy and paste the letter below.
· Add your own comments to the bottom if desired.
· Click to open the online portal to submit.
· The system will send you an email.
· You must click on the link in that email, to verify your submission. It will not go through until you complete this step.
· Send the same comments by email to the list of officials below the letter.
· We put them in a list for you, so all you have to do is copy and paste!
SAMPLE LETTER BELOW
Subject Line: ED1 Ordinance (Council File CF-23-0623)
Dear Members of the Planning and Land Use Committee,
I join with the South Carthay Neighborhood Association to voice my support for the draft ED 1 Ordinance (CF 23-0623) if amended to include the guidelines sent by United Neighbors to the PLUM committee, which include important protections for our sensitive HPOZs, historic districts and neighborhoods.
The most important of these include
1. Limit the number of waivers and off menu incentives to a total of 6;
2. Require rear 15’ setbacks to allow for trees to grow and storm water to be captured;
3. Prevent post-development conversion of nonresidential spaces to market rate units;
4. Protect R 1, HPOZs and Historic Districts in their entirety;
5.Ensure that substandard streets/ high-fire zones do not qualify for ED 1 fast track approval; and
6. Require ED 1 projects meet minimum Tier 2 TOC qualifications.
ED1 is an important tool in achieving the urgent and worthy goal of increasing much needed affordable housing but needn’t be in conflict with the protection of historic and sensitive neighborhoods.
We urge you to make ED1 better through these amendments.
YOUR NAME & ADDRESS (optional)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!