Hollywood -- the Urban Place

"California's planners descend on Hollywood today for the annual chapter conference of the American Planning Association. So it's understandable that the focus will be on 'planners in tinseltown' – as evidenced by everything from the conference organizers' spoof of "The Office" to the chapter's 'Lights Planning Action!' motto for the conference.

In fact, however, Hollywood has a many-layered 120-year history that dates back before the invention of the movies and includes a series of real estate booms and busts that have shaped the urban district that planners will see this week. In many ways, it's a typical Southern California subdivision story -- morphed by the compelling nature of the movies."

Thanks to Bill Fulton