Wednesday, November 26, 2008

L.A. billboards "perhaps worst in the nation"



L.A. billboards "perhaps worst in the nation' <http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/11/la_billboards_perhaps_wor.php>
8:22 PM Tuesday November 25, 2008

Kevin Fry, the president of Scenic America, was interviewed in The Planning Report <http://www.planningreport.com/tpr/?module=displaystory&story_id=1380&format=html> about the Los Angeles billboard situation. Excerpt:

The city of Los Angeles has surrendered its built environment to
advertising and sign companies. That's a terrible tragedy for L.A.
and the whole country, because what's playing out in L.A. is
happening on a smaller scale in other places....

Los Angeles probably has the worst billboard problem in the country.
No one knows exactly how many billboards there are in L.A. because
the industry has prevented the city from counting them, which was
the source of a series of lawsuits that were settled a couple of
years ago. There is a minimum of 10,000 to 11,000 billboards in the
city, of which probably a minimum of one-third are illegal. Signs
have been put up without permits, in the wrong place, and are of the
wrong size. The outdoor advertising companies, with the aid of
willfully blind or inept public officials, have allowed the outdoor
advertising industry to simply take over the street and put up signs
wherever it feels like....

The difference between Los Angeles and other cities is that other
places have taken the enforcement role seriously.

Ban Billboard Blight <http://banbillboardblight.org/> has been putting pressure on local politicians to try controlling signs for a change.



____________________________________
Will Wright,  Director of Government & Public Affairs
American Institute of Architects / Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 639-0777 phone | (213)639-0767 fax

ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.














Thursday, November 20, 2008

Mixed-Income Housing Technical Advisory Taskforce

Chamber to participate in new city housing taskforce
The L.A. City's Housing, Community, and Economic Development and Planning and Land Use Management committees voted Wednesday to create a Mixed-Income Housing Technical Advisory Taskforce, as advocated by the Chamber. The Chamber applauds City Councilmember Tony Cardenas for introducing a motion requiring the Planning Department to amend the citys Housing Element to include an analysis on how an inclusionary zoning policy may hinder housing availability and affordability. The Chamber supports the construction of more affordable housing but opposes the implementation of inclusionary zoning unless incentives are developed to offset the additional costs and encourage the production of new housing. Contact Public Policy Manager Vanessa Rodriguez, 213.580.7531 or vrodriguez@lachamber.com.


____________________________________
Will Wright,  Director of Government & Public Affairs
American Institute of Architects / Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 639-0777 phone | (213)639-0767 fax

ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.














Wednesday, November 19, 2008

San Francisco Pre-Tax Transit Benefit Ordinance

http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/ordinances08/o0199-08.pdf

The San Francisco Transit Benefit Ordinance

On August 8th, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the most far-reaching transit benefit ordinance in the country.  Employers with 20 or more employees have until January 20th to put a transit benefit in place or face fines of up to $800. Click here to read the ordinance text.

This law has strong support in the San Francisco business community

Here is what the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce communicated to its members in its weekly newsletter: 'While the Chamber generally opposes mandates on business, the city's newest requirement that businesses with 20 or more employees working in San Francisco establish a program to promote the use of public transit can be an economic benefit. In addition to helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by getting people out of cars and onto transit, the law can be a money-saver for businesses.'

When the Chamber of Commerce states that Commuter Check is a money saver for businesses, they are referring to the fact that employers do not pay payroll tax on any money that employees set aside. The Chamber should know, they have been offering Commuter Check to their employees for over ten years!


____________________________________
Will Wright,  Director of Government & Public Affairs
American Institute of Architects / Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 639-0777 phone | (213)639-0767 fax
will@aialosangeles.org | www.aialosangeles.org

ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.