A lot has changed on the ground in Los Angeles County's unincorporated areas since 1980, when the last General Plan directing land use in these communities was written.
Fortunately, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved General Plan Update 2035. The document comes after an intensive process of analysis to both clean up inconsistencies and create a vision for the area's future.
Richard Bruckner and Connie Chung from the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning spoke with The Planning Report to walk readers through the plan's primary objectives. They articulated intentions to preserve industrial use, to further environmental conservation, and to encourage transit-oriented development. From a process perspective, Bruckner and Chung noted the plan's reliance on research, including a partnership with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation to identify land important for job preservation.
Finally, Bruckner commented on the promise of California's new Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts for Los Angeles County, which often struggles to implement change within the constraints of its limited jurisdiction:
"I was very encouraged to learn that [EIFDs are] scalable across regions and even jurisdictions. One of the perplexing issues we face is that some of the islands we plan for are surrounded by two or three other jurisdictions. It’s a challenge to bring them all together. Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts may be just the tool not only to bring people together politically, but also to bring the economics of the area together around infrastructure investment.
Some of these areas sorely need infrastructure investment, particularly where the transit system is going. Sometimes our TOD strategy is unfortunately limited to half of the street, because the other half is in the City of LA or another bordering incorporated city. The future of some of these areas is partnering with the adjacent communities, and I appreciate that EIFDs could help do that."
FULL STORY: General Plan Update 2035: A Forward-Looking Roadmap for Unincorporated LA County
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.