Fixing Los Angeles

Los Angeles was never designed to be a dense, East Coast or European-style city dominated by a strong central core.

1 minute read

March 7, 2005, 5:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Author Joel Kotkin examines the connection between planning and politics as he explains what he wants in a new mayor for Los Angeles. Kotkin calls for more efficiency and less vision:

"Nothing less will help preserve what the British call the 'middle landscape,' a place with ethnic diversity, shops at a walkable distance and farmers' markets, and secure enough that our 10-year-old can ride her scooter without getting flattened in traffic or razzed by gangsters.

...the city has become denser and more urbanized over the years. Yet an attachment to a small-town lifestyle has made something of a comeback throughout the city recently."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

Sunday, March 6, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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