Picking up the pieces from Los Angeles' failed attempt at implementing a community plan for Hollywood now involves paying off the lawyers who shot down the ordinance to the tune of $1.5 million.
"The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to pay $1.75 million for the legal fees of three groups that succeeded in striking down a new zoning and development plan for Hollywood," reports David Zahniser.
"On a 12-0 vote, council members agreed to pay the legal bills of the La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Assn., Fix the City and SaveHollywood.org. The three groups had gone to court to halt implementation of the Hollywood Community Plan Update, a document that sought to bring larger-scale development to the area's transit corridors, among other things."
The council approved the Hollywood Community Plan in 2012 after more than a decade of work. But in January a Superior Court judge labeled the plan as "fatally flawed" and threw the plan out.
Now the city is going back to the drawing board and has tentatively scheduled a reworked version for 18 to 24 months from now.
FULL STORY: L.A. to pay $1.75 million for legal bills in Hollywood zoning fight

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie