Game of Zones 3: The New Normal: Zoning by Exception

An honest discussion of Los Angeles zoning vs population capacity in 2017 has to start with the new normal…'zoning by exception'.

These graphs are making the election season social media rounds [and not coincidentally to light up LA’s single family neighborhoods as well as theWestside]. See links for source material.

Any commercial, parking or industrial parcels in the City are candidates for flipping to ultra high density residential or mixed use these days and there are overlapping density bonuses plus reduced parking to increase the number of units built...particularly near transit.

This all means the graphs are outdated and we’re going to need a helluva lot more field space.
Where will these children play?

The Game of Zones in the City of Angels: Winter is Here

Time to focus on what will surely happen post Election Day, March 7, 2017.

First, if we want more field space planned into our communities, we must fight for it:

Understand that the people and organizations pushing mega densities--coupled with significantly reduced public participation in planning decisions AND ‘trickle down’ affordable housing theories-- across the United States are clearly NOT friends of youth sports. 

Real, playable, team sports field space for families would appear to be outside of their place-making, dense walkable city universe (Where are all those proposals to purchase and transform ‘parking craters’ into sports fields, anyway?).

The JJJ “Build Better LA” initiative which passed last November will be implemented to the max to speed housing production. 

It bears repeating early and often: this JJJ density will come completely without recreation infrastructure to accommodate accelerated growth unless youth sports organizations unite and stand up to be counted.

In fact, JJJ does not address any future infrastructure needs or support.  

A search of the text of JJJ reveals that the word ‘infrastructure’ is not mentioned anywhere. 

Sports fields? Oh, yeah, they’ll likely be an afterthought conveniently located on the perimeter of the 450 square miles of high rises some envision for Los Angeles. Have fun spending hours on several modes of transit to get your kids there in time for a game. 

BTW, if you’re thinking, well, the schools will have fields, guess again. 

Although LAUSD has goals for school density defined as ‘ratio of students to available acreages’, LAUSD is no longer required to provide said field space as the Rodriguez consent decree was lifted in 2006. The good people of Mar Vista have fought off several LAUSD attempts to build over school fields which presently experience significant demand for team sports 

Second, what we must do now:

Get online and demand playable field spaces be written into the update of the Los Angeles General Plan Framework as a core public value. You can find the survey here. If it has been taken down, write Planning directly. Find LADCP information here.

Then, write your councilmember and their planning deputy. Find Council office information here 

After that, organize. Other groups are inorganization mode already, and they are not paying attention to field space. 

Get on the email notification list for general plan and community plan updates, and go to EVERY hearing with the same message. 

Get all your families to go. 

Get on public record. 

Get your children involved because engagement for this is beyond important for them.

Get on social media. Why? Because these days your government pays closer attention to social media opinion via Facebook and Twitter than it does to local organizations. If the choice is between doing what 20,000 people want on Twitter, or doing what a local neighborhood wants…you get the idea.

Third, if we want to keep the right to have real influence in the planning decisions shaping our communities, we will have to stop these legislative ‘end runs’ to Sacramento which cut off local planning, mask future infrastructure needs, and deny our rights to the initiative process.

Sacramento has already morphed granny flats up to 1200 sq ft, and a ratio up to 50% of the size of the primary unit.  Occupancy cannot be limited. Practical result? Lots of people along with their individual vehicles can occupy an ADU that large. NO owner occupancy required. BTW, if within ½ mile of transit, NO parking required.

It would be one thing if these additional units were counted as density and their impacts on infrastructure could be rationally and fairly assessed in California. However, under Government Code Section 65852.2(a)(2)  ADUs cannot be counted. They are effectively invisible for planning purposes. The presumption under current state law is, they have no impact. That means they don’t show in assessments for police, fire, water, power, sewerage, schools…or recreation facilities.

So, there you have it: already a potential doubling—maybe even tripling--of population density with zero infrastructure accountability. 

NOTE: In Seattle, Washington, the similar, not so subtle effort to eliminate single family zones entirely through ‘pen stroke planning’ conversion to triplex zones has run afoul of environmental laws. Impacts were not adequately or accurately assessed. 

Furthermore, Assembly Bill 943 authored by Democratic Assembly Members Santiago and Burke will increase the passage threshold from a simple majority to a two-thirds supermajority for passage of any local ballot measure “that would curb, delay, or deter growth or development within a city, the ordinance shall be enacted only if it is approved by at least two-thirds of the votes cast on it at the election”.

So, it’s the ‘Game of Zones’ in the City of Angels and winter is already here.

Where will your children play?

The ‘Game of Zones’ in the City of Angels

Time for Youth Sports to Play the ‘Game of Zones’ in Los Angeles

It is the urban version of ‘Game Of Thrones’: neighborhoods win, or they die.

Just ask any community which has had a freeway slammed through it, or a project spot zoned in it.

Furthermore, youth sports MUST care about how this game is played in the halls of civic power across Southern California with regard to desperately needed playable field space. That is, space suited to team sports requiring an acre or more to be safely played.

Los Angeles’ future transit stations will come with ginormous density baked into the one half mile planning radius which surrounds them--LA Times article on LA traffic battle plan and this density will come completely without critical field space recreation infrastructure to accommodate accelerated growth unless youth sports organizations unite and stand up to be counted.

And, how about this op-ed: massive upzoning for a 'sustainable city'.

In Los Angeles, an update [OurLA2040] to the city’s guiding planning document, the General Plan Framework Element, has begun.

TAKE the survey: ourla2040.org https://ourla2040.org/get-involved/ and specify multipurpose field space.

The 35 individual Community Plans are to be updated separately.

Community planners are already working to create a point based rewards system to incorporate various density bonuses for developers who include public benefits in their projects: community facilities, transit amenities, streetscape improvements and the like. From the January 2015 Draft Exposition Corridor Transit Neighborhood Plan | 3-3: “Projects in the Plan area are allowed additional development rights in exchange for providing public benefits in the form of on-site project features or off-site improvements. These public benefits are intended to be proportional to the intensity of the project”.

This planning process is where efforts must be targeted.

Time to get multipurpose playable field space recognized in the City’s General Plan Framework Element Goals, Objectives, and Policies: Chapter 9, Infrastructure and Public Services as a core public value.

Time to get rewards for multipurpose playable field space written into Community Plans.

There is a powerful constituency in youth baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey and all other large field sports [BTW, if all youth sports unite, that’s enough voters to get any politician’s attention].

It’s the Game of Zones in Los Angeles and its game time: where will YOUR children play?

Michelle Krupkin and Ken Alpern Pledge!

From Current Zone 5 Director Michelle Krupkin:
1. Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes?

I pledge to continue to listen to the community and represent the will of the stakeholders above all.
As a Zone Director, I consider myself lucky to have so many stakeholders with different concerns.
I hope to be re-relected and continue to serve their needs moving forward. 

2. Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward?

I pledge my support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project. 
Mar Vista needs this valuable space for meetings and events!
I am eager to see this important resource for the Mar Vista Community come to fruition and will assist in any way that I am able.

3. Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment?

I pledge to protect our green areas, be they park or school field space resources. 
No development should be planned that encroaches on these rare assets.

4. Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again?

 If elected, I will sign up for an Empower LA Leadership Academy Funding Workshop for Neighborhood council treasurers.

Best,
Michelle

And, From Ken Alpern:

The easy and obvious answer is YES, and I would like to think that I have been doing this for the 10+ years that I have had the honor of serving on the MVCC Board Of Directors.  If a Neighborhood Council cannot listen to the communities it represents, then who can?  Open space and community centers are in short supply, and I would prefer to have a portion of our budget be dedicated to our parks and community centers in the same manner that a portion is dedicated to our libraries.  Financial education and responsibility is at the heart of all good government--and I would like to think that I have a record of both generosity and prudence when each is called for.

I look forward to the pleasure and honor of serving another term on the MVCC Board of Directors.

Most Sincerely,
Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D.

Holly Tilson Pledges!

From Zone 6 Candidate Holly Tilson:

Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes?
Of course, that's why I'm running. Zone 6 never received information that the MVCC had months even years before we heard of the issues. My platform is communications. I will keep YOU in Mar Vista Zone 6 informed with monthly updates via the MVCC mailing list, monthly reports at the West Mar Vista Residents Association and with a personal email where you can contact me with neighborhood issues. A vote for me will help you-Zone 6 residents-deal more effectively, to be proactive rather than reactive, with changes in our neighborhood.

2.    Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward?
Yes, Mar Vista needs it's own dedicated space to carry on it's local community business.

3.    Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment?
This is a no-brainer. Our only open green space in Zone 6 are our public schools. Plants and people need each other, we are part of the carbon cycle.

4.    Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again?
Of course.  And for the record I would rather be treasurer than go to the dentist. I have been treasurer of 2 organizations in the past. UCLA co-op preschool which included payroll and tax forms and my son's elementary school PTA which ran about $100,000+ through the books each year. No payroll but there were tax forms to complete. Written monthly reports are just part of the job. The public and the board should be completely informed. I support complete transparency when public money is involved. 

More Responses from MVCC Candidates!

To date, I have received further replies to my pledge query from 7 candidates for the MVCC Board [Sara Roos, running in Zone 4, was the first out of the gate here and her responses covered in a previous post]. Here they are, in the candidates' own words, and in order received:

Melissa Stoller [Zone 3]: Absolutely, and I've already completed Treasurer training.

Rob Kadota [at large]: Darn it. I just finished responding to your email when my computer shut down…not sure I’m going to be as articulate this time around. Short answer is “Yes” to all of your questions. Issues always have at least two perspectives that are important to consider and often there are more than just two perspectives that need to vetted/heard by the public and the board.  The Mar Vista Community is composed of a variety of neighborhoods and zones that vary significantly. Planning documents should help guide the preservation of a neighborhoods assets while guiding improvements to areas of deficit/concern. I was pleased to be on the MVCC Board when we self-initiated an update to the Mar Vista part of the Palms-Mar Vista-Del Rey Community plan. While the effort didn’t result in an update it did demonstrate an engaged and pro-active community.  NC must be whenever possible pro-active.  There is always a steady stream of issues and problems we’ll face however without looking/working longer term and future oriented we can get stuck in just being responsive/reactionary… and that can be exhausting and unproductive. As a parent, cyclist and beekeeper I’m all too aware of our lack of green space and adequate recreation space.  I’m always amazed at what other cities have done in creating pocket parks and large diverse green space. The City of LA can do better. While the City of LA can be incredibly bureaucratic there are significant and important opportunities for influence. A strong and dedicated board of directors can seize those opportunities and with forth thought and planning create new ones too. Ok before my computer crashes again… can’t remember the last time that happened.  Maybe when my dog ate my homework?
Thanks for attending last night and the thoughtful questions below.
Rob

Alek Lev [Zone 6]: It was very nice to meet you last night!  You are obviously a passionate voice in the community and an expert in the workings of local government.  If elected to the council, I'll be reaching out to you on day one for guidance. These are great questions, and I'm happy to answer them:
1.    Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes? I'm running to join the Mar Vista Community Council for the express reason of understanding the lives and needs of my neighbors, communicating those needs to the Council and the City, and developing and implementing projects to make Zone 6 an even more family-friendly corner of Mar Vista. In all things, the common good will be placed above any personal biases and causes.
2.    Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward? Fire Station 62 and the land it occupies holds an important place in the history of Mar Vista, and I strongly support the work of Friends of Historic Fire Station 62 and their dedication to establishing a much-needed community center. 
3.    Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment? With no great Mar Vista Zone 6 parks or playgrounds for my two sons, and with no dog parks for my neighbors, the last thing that we need is the encroachment of large developments into our natural spaces.  And as someone who grew up without a blade of grass on my Manhattan public school courtyard, I know the importance of wide open, natural-grass field spaces, and will work to preserve them at our Mar Vista schools.  
4.    Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again?  If elected, I will sign up for the next available Empower LA Leadership Academy Funding Workshop for Neighborhood council treasurers.

Sarah Auerswald [at large]:
1.    Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes? I will pledge to listen to the whole Community - and actively seek out communities that have felt left out or overlooked in the past. I will do that to the best of my abilities. And I pledge to use my best judgement about what is the common good, knowing that even reasonable people will disagree on what constitutes the best course of action.
2.    Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward? I absolutely pledge to support this project and have done so in the past already. I want very much for it to move forward and become the shining centerpiece of the community that I know it can be.
3.    Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment? As you know from past experiences with our local schools, I have fought to keep development off that land. And parks are not the places we need to be building anything except more jungle gyms.
4.    Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again? I will take the training. And furthermore, I pledge to keep an eye on the bookkeeping each month, because I feel it is the basic duty of the Board to know where the money is before they can spend it.


Sherri Akers [at large]: 
1. Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes?
Yes – It is our responsibility to make sure that the community is well informed, that issues are thoroughly vetted and that we take policy positions that represent the will of the community – even if they differ with our personal point of view.
2. Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward?
Yes - I am excited about the potential of converting the Historic Fire station 62 so that it becomes a much needed community center.
3. Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment?
Yes – as reflected in my vote on the MI motion.
4. Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again?
Yes - but I believe we need more than that. Our current accounting process just meets the minimum required by DONE. I propose that we follow accepted accounting practices. The Treasurer should plan an initial budget that factors in expenses and funding motions that reoccur yearly and should provide at every Board meeting - 
- a current bank account statement that includes the account balance 
- a recap of pending approved expenses and the amount in ongoing operating expenses 
- a report showing funds currently available less forecasted expenses

- show that the above reconciles with what has been reported to DONE in the MER’s

Bill Scheding [Zone 3]: I agree wholeheartedly and Pledge To, If elected, uphold these values.

Susan Klos [at large]: 
Hi, Sharon - I’m sorry for the delayed reply. I’ve had email issues (thank you, Frontier.)  Answers are in the body of your email.
1.    Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes?
Of course.
2.    Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward?
Yes. I’d love to see this come about.
3.    Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment?
Absolutely.
4.    Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again?
Accounting is not my forte, in fact, I’d rather go to the dentist than itemize a spreadsheet or reconcile a bank account. I will, however, take this training. Do you know where I can find information on the next training session? I’d like to get it on my radar.

Mar Vista Community Council Candidates Forum May 16th!!!

Mar Vista Community Council Candidates Forum will be held at St Bede's Episcopal Church on Monday, May 16 at 7 PM - 9 PM: 3590 Grand View Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90066

It doesn’t matter how you vote in your neighborhood council: mail, online, in person IF the candidates you must choose from are unwilling to go beyond the extra mile for YOUR community. 

Worth reposting:

From the ‘Get It All In Writing Before the Election’ department:
1. Will you pledge to listen to all the community first and foremost; place our common good above your personal biases and/or causes?
2. Will you pledge your unequivocal and steadfast support for our Community Center at Historic 62 Project as it moves forward?
3. Will you pledge to protect our scarce and precious local park and school field space resources from development encroachment?

4. Will you pledge to take the neighborhood council treasurer training so our MVCC is not left high and dry with frozen funds ever again? 

Be there and ask tough questions of these candidates AND get their pledges on public record