A New Master Plan for the Los Angeles River

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a new master plan for the Los Angeles River earlier this month, to replace the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan approved by the county in 2007.

According to an article by Pilar Marrero for Ethnic Media Services, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approved the Los Angeles River Master Plan, dubbed “The Reimagined River,” despite a last-minute decision by local environmental and community organizations to withdraw support for the plan the day before the board vote.

“During a press conference at Maywood Riverfront Park, representatives of these groups had harsh words for the Master Plan and the county leadership,” reports Marrero.

According to Public Works Department Executive Director Mark Pastrella, the discord comes from a question of how much concrete to remove from the river.

“[Pastrella] added that the channel provides protection to residential areas that ‘almost every year, face tremendous flows of waters,’” according to Marrero. “Removing concrete would require building more dams, reducing habitats, and displacing more than 100,000 people now living near the river, he added.”

The article also notes one of the more controversial components of the new master plan—a proposed “South East LA Cultural Center,” built on a platform park elevated over the river. Frank Gehry, whose firm had a controversial role in the master plan process, originally proposed the cultural center project.

For more background on the master plan, see an article by Alejandro JSM Chavez and Diana Martinez published by the San Fernando Valley Sun a few days before the board’s vote. See also previous coverage of the Los Angeles River Master Plan.