Making Plans Deliver on Promises in the San Fernando Valley

Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who ushered the plan to adoption in 2013, sees his role in this growth as that of a "closer"—working at the city and state levels to create opportunities for development, and then "getting out of the way."

"The biggest city financial tool is subvention," he explains. His own political work concerning subvention moved Westfield’s opening date up by 10 years. Also useful has been the Local Development Corporation (LDC), a fund of mobility fees paid by new developments. Blumenfield is working on a framework for an entity to expend the funds, which are growing as development heats up in the area.

The Warner Center plan addresses a problem all too well known to planners and developers in Los Angeles:

"Previously, the area saw hodgepodge development—wherein everything came to the Council and needed a variance, and every issue was a fight. The plan creates a smoother path… It’s a plan that’s truly a plan."

It also shifts planning away from another quintessential Los Angeles issue: cars. The Valley is notorious for lacking public transportation options, so Blumenfield is working to get Metro to invest in transit capacity. That expectation is baked into the plan:

"The Warner Center 2035 Plan also relies on us thinking differently and not assuming that we have to drive everywhere. The plan envisions more pedestrian-friendly and more bike-friendly development. If you can live, work, and play in an area, you don’t have to get in your car every time."

Blumenfield’s experience with financing tools predates his tenure in the city council. As a state senator, he authored two bills aimed at reforming California Redevelopment Agencies. The full interview in The Planning Report explains how that effort ended with CRAs being eliminated altogether.