AIALA and the draft STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT REFORM - Building a Better LA

On Thursday, June 16th on behalf of AIA|LA, Will Wright attended an industry stakeholder meeting at LADBS about the draft 

Strategic Plan for Development Reform:  Building a Better LA.  This meeting was a follow-up to the list of recommendations that we provided back in January 2011.

***AIA|LA members are encouraged to review the Development Services Strategy Map (see below) and nine action priorities for the strategic plan and provide written comments directly to Will {at} aialosangeles.org by June 21st so that we are able to deliver prompt and insightful feedback.

The Strategic Plan will enable to City of Los Angeles to implement technical and procedural improvements to the development review process.  These changes will 

transform the process so that it becomes more transparent, predictable and efficient with the vision to make Los Angeles "a premiere place to live, work and visit."

AIA|LA President-elect Stuart Magruder and Board Director Angie Brooks were also in attendance to encourage Planning Director Michael LoGrande to engage AIA|LA directly as a leadership resource in the City's efforts to conduct comprehensive zoning code reform.  AIA|LA members Tom Avilla, Simon Ha and Chava Danielson also attended the session to share their thoughts about the draft plan.  Mr. Avilla noted that

 for the City to become more accountable, pre-design phase 'zoning approvals' will provide greater clarity and certainty.  Because interpretation of the zoning code may often be difficult to predict, having the City offer 'zoning approval' prior to the design process will help architects deliver better solutions in advance.  Often, waiting for 'zoning approval' after construction drawings and plan check, creates design conflicts that could have been resolved more effectively at the beginning of the process.

Overall, we're confident that the Strategic Plan for Development Reform will streamline the process and result in a healthier, more delightful  and economically competitive Los Angeles.

This is your chance to share your thoughts so that we're able to better articulate the design perspective to the City's development consultants and decision-makers.

-The AIA|LA Design Advocate.

Strategy Map and Focus.pdf Download this file

LA Dev Reform-Exec Sum 2 page.pdf Download this file