Wright meets with Brenner, District Director for Assemblymember Mike Gatto

On Wednesday, June 15th, on behalf of AIA|LA, Will Wright met with Stacy Brenner, District Director for Assemblymember Mike Gatto.  Wright informed Ms. Brenner about the importance of AB 710 (Skinner), which will "modify the description of sustainable communities to additionally include communities that incentivize infill development.  AB 710 will help infill projects by lowering the parking requirements to "one parking space per 1,000 square feet of nonresidential improvements and one parking space per unit of residential improvements for any new development project in transit intensive areas".

AB 710 passed the assembly floor on June 2nd with 76 ayes and 0 no's.  It will next be considered by the California State Senate.

Additionally, Wright and Brenner discussed the importance of the encouraging more communities to weigh in on the current redistricting process, which will have significant impacts on political boundaries.  At present, several of the legislative districts around Downtown LA are being analyzed and may shift dramatically.  Constituents are strongly encouraged to get involved with the process and to share their local perspective with the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Healthy City and RedrawCA have also created an interactive community outreach tool that encourages citizens to share thoughts on how they define their neighborhood boundaries.  Redistricting has long range political impacts and needs to be implemented with a true understanding of what constitutes a holistic and complete community, and at the same, what will have the most positive impact on our region's environmental health and economic prosperity.

Wright also updated Brenner on some various CEQA Reform initiatives and will make plans to include Brenner in future conversations as he makes a wider effort to build a coalition of many other business and environmental organizations.

If you are interested in CEQA reform, or in any of the above - you're encouraged to contact Will Wright directly at (213) 639-0764.

-The AIA|LA Design Advocate