Friday, March 30, 2012

The AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT - March 30, 2012

The AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT
March 30, 2012
from the desk of  Will Wright , Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs

This report is written in effort to keep the AIA|LA membership updated on the various efforts I've been involved with on behalf of the organization.  It's a call to action to inspire more architects to provide the leadership to improve the built environment.  

+ The AIA|LA Mayoral Candidates Forums 

As a city, how shall we select our next Mayor? What criteria will we use to analyze their leadership capacity?

Throughout February and March, we coordinated a series of forums with five prospective mayoral candidates.  Well-attended, the forums served as an opportunity for AIA|LA to hear more about each candidate's vision for the future of our city.  The forums also provided a chance to examine the candidate's leadership capacity to move our city forward, as well as, their general attitudes about the role of architecture and design.  Notable observations:

  • Most of the candidates agree with each other on broad principals, so the details of the devil?  Who will have the managerial skills, the charm, wit and leadership capacity to inspire the rest of the City of LA team to align around common goals?  Answer:  to be determined.
  • Core themes that emerged:  the need for wider and more effective community outreach, fiscal repair, regulatory streamlining and more civic engagement from our design-thinkers. 
  • Each candidate agreed that place making is a priority - however, in my opinion, no single candidate shared with passion the details about their favorite place - the where, the how and why, the what!  In other words, I think we want our civic leaders to have strong opinions and even stronger passions about specific places.  AIA|LA and the architecture profession have a key opportunity here to better educate the candidates and to inspire them about the core tenets of design matters.
  • Although all the candidates have a general idea about the importance of architecture and design, no single candidate shared a vision that resonated with confidence for what exactly could be done to transform our city.  General approaches, sure.  But step-by-step, catalytic steps are for the most part still not being discussed.  I think we need an implementable, process-oriented roadmap for how we can go from A to Z as a world-class city and in my opinion, much of this will begin with Charter Reform so that the city departments can be substantially reorganized to strengthen/ optimize internal connectivity and efficiency - and that so more influence can be leveraged on all the projects that are being executed within the City by other public agencies (such as LAUSD, Metro, LACCD, County, State and Feds, etc).  Also, there needs to be a re-affirmation that Public-private partnerships will be essential to fund and construct catalytic projects like Park 101, the Hollywood Central Park, the Figueroa Corridor and the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan.
As the campaign progresses, I recommend that architecture and designers remind each mayoral candidate about the essential role of the profession in shaping our city.  The door is opening and they're listening to what we have to say - so now is the chance to influence their campaigns and to let them know what we care most about as design leaders.

+ AIA|LA Executive Roundtable with State Architect CHET WIDOM, FAIA

On March 12th, we coordinated a roundtable discussion with Chet Widom at the offices of Harley Ellis Devereaux.  Topics discussed included:

  • Widom's commitment to improving the DSA and strengthening the values of design excellence statewide
  • The opportunity to better align Federal ADA and California access regulations
  • The opportunity for architects to help shape the next reiteration of the CalGreen Building Code
If you have interest in volunteering your time and expertise to help shape the refinements to CalGreen, then please contact me at (213) 639-0764 and I will put you in contact with the appropriate statewide resources.

+ Meeting with Deputy Mayor Borja Leon, P.E.

On Tuesday, March 27th, I met with Deputy Mayor Borja Leon, P.E. and Nat Gale from the Mayor's Office of Transportation.  We discussed ideas about how to celebrate the successful city-led projects under Mayor Villaraigosa's tenure, identify the process for how those projects were delivered (procurement, contracting and delivery methods), and ensure that that process is formally supported and institutionalized so that the process can survive the mayoral transition.  

Deputy Mayor Leon was especially interested in identifying ways to further highlight the Mayor's involvement with the current process being utilized with the Union Station Master Plan.  Another opportunity: to further recognize and celebrate the selection and delivery process that will be utilized for the Sixth Street Viaduct.

Both represent key catalytic projects that have the opportunity to use smart procurement and delivery methods, resulting in outstanding team-built place-making and city rebranding.

+ Meeting with Deputy Mayor Matt Karatz


Also on Tuesday, March 27th, along with Chava Danielson and Roger Sherman, I met with Deputy Mayor Matt Karatz, Dan Caroselli and Raffy Ardhaldjian from the Mayor's Office of Economic and Business Policy.  Generally, the meeting served as an excellent opportunity to further connect with the Mayor's office and share the notion about creating an Office of Architecture and Urban Design within the city's current departmental structure.  

Although such an office didn't seem to be a political reality, what did emerge is the opportunity that the LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE may serve as an instrument to reach the same goals.  The Land Development Committee, which was established by the Development Reform Strategic Plan, is comprised of the General Managers of DBS, DCP, BOE, DOT and DWP.  By establishing a clearer hierarchy of decision-making authority, the committee could forseeably in the future, resolve the types of conflicts that often compromise the design excellence of city-led projects.  An example cited included:  whether to widen the street to add a right-turn lane, or to widen the sidewalk instead for better pedestrian access. 

Another opportunity is to develop the BUILD LA software and web portal so that all of the moving parts that would otherwise be connected via the formal establishment of an Office of Architecture and Urban Design instead be connected virtually with better technology.

Additional topic discussed included:

The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance

Due the general fund cut to the Department of City Planning, many of the planners dedicated to important policy developments such as the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) have been temporarily assigned to case processing.  Therefore, progress to refine the ARO to include better opportunities for commercial uses in the historic core has been put on hold until at least July 2012.  We need to remind City Council during their annual budgeting process to dedicate general fund dollars to DCP so that we are able to invest in better, more progressive city planning tools.  

+ PARAMETRIC URBANISM:  The Role of BIG DATA in shaping the future of Cities

On March 21, the AIA|LA Urban Design Committee coordinated a discussion about Parametric Urbanism.   Conversation revolved around how governments are increasingly making available large data-sets that the private sector can access in effort to create innovative place-making tools.  German Aparacio shared with us insight from his Informed Cities initiative.  His presentation can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Mark Greninger, from the County of LA, shared with us all of the various data sets that he has been managing on the Los Angeles County GIS Data Portal.

The Data Portal makes easily available high quality geographic information such as updated parcel maps, infrastructure systems and tools such as the SOLAR MAP of LA County, which enable you to better identify potential renewable energy opportunities for your project area.

+  Encourage Los Angeles City Council to Invest in an Updated Zoning Code

Help us spread the word.

As the Director of Government & Public Affairs for AIA|LA, I strongly encourage you to reach out to your Los Angeles City Council and request that they support the Department of City Planning's budget request to fund the initial step to a comprehensive zoning code revision.  The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning has developed a proposal to embark on one of the City's biggest planning initiatives to date: a comprehensive revision of the City's Zoning Code. First adopted in 1946, the Zoning Code has grown from an 84-page pamphlet to a 600+ page book does not reflect our 21st Century needs or vision. 

To review DCP's proposed work program and budget plan, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Feel free to forward this information to anyone you feel might be interested.  This is an issue that AIA|LA advocated to support as part of our 2011 Issue Briefs.

It's also an issue that was identified in the 2011 City of LA Development Reform Strategic Plan.

With smart reform we can update our zoning code to provide the public with greater clarity and certainty a vision for the future of our city. A revised zoning code will not only save the taxpayer money by streamlining the amount of staff time required to administer projects, but it will also streamline the process for economically sustainable urban infill development.  I encourage you to learn more about the issue, and to lend support at the upcoming council meetings.

+ Multiple Approvals

On March 30th, the City Council voted on COUNCIL FILE 11-1140 to support the Multiple Approvals Procedural Revisions Ordinance.  The complete ordinance can be found by CLICKING HERE.

The proposed revisions will help streamline specific sections of the zoning code and ensure more predictability in the development process by clarifying language regarding the “utilization” of approvals.  The revisions will create more consistent procedures for the review of projects that require multiple approvals and will “synchronize” expiration dates of approvals in the effort to maximize efficiencies within the Planning Department.

Streamlining the approval procedures section of the zoning code will eliminate planning staff redundancies and simplify administrative processes, which in turn will help save the City money and enable more planning staff resources to have the time to focus on envisioning and executing urban planning on the behalf of our City, as opposed to untangling bureaucratic burdens.  Overall, these revisions will benefit the community by establishing a more transparent project review system, which will allow all stakeholders to more accurately assess the proposed project in context with its surrounding area.  In short, it will help bolster additional certainty and facilitate the development of a more livable city by enabling planners, developers, community-stakeholders and architects to concentrate on improving the project for the benefit of all.

+ Hollywood Community Plan

On March 27th, PLUM heard testimony on the proposed Hollywood Community Plan   Because of the complexity and the importance of the community plan the item has been continued to an upcoming PLUM meeting and I will continue to monitor its status and the progress.  Both Curbed LA and the NY Times have posted articles about the plan as it moves slowly through the process of public testimony.

DeLAB co-founder and walking advocate Alissa Walker responded to NY Times article with an excellent reminder that Hollywood is already an intrinsic part of our thriving metropolis, not a pastoral small-town isolated from LA's marbled mixture of chagrin and delight.  

Gelatobaby:  “Rakish small-town charm”

We're a complex city and we need simple planning tools to enable innovative and appealing design solutions.  If we can't encourage investment in our neighborhoods, then that money will be spent elsewhere (i.e., other cities, states and countries will become substantially more competitive as desirable places to live, work and recreate).  We will be exporting those creative design solutions as opposed to implementing them here in our own neighborhoods!   Los Angeles has the possibility to be the best city imaginable. All we need is to make certain that we are planning for our future in a way that will ensure we're revitalizing the urban core and making communities like Hollywood and Downtown LA and other Regional Centers as vibrant and as well designed as possible. In my opinion, the Hollywood Community Plan is a positive first step in reaching that goal.

+ Updating the Mobility Element of the City of LA General Plan

Over the past several months, I've participated on the Mobility Element Task Force.  One of the community outreach tools that DCP and DOT have coordinated is a website to solicit a wide swath of community input entitled LA/2B.  I encourage everyone to get more involved in the process and to share innovative design solutions for how to enhance mobility throughout Los Angeles.

Questions to consider, for instance include:

1.  Is there an opportunity to facilitate demand-based transit routes that quickly respond to the user's needs?
2.  Can the definition of a street be expanded to be more about people and less about machines?
3.  How do we leverage mobility systems to enhance place-making?
4.  What streets are already working well and can serve as models?

+ Business Tax Reform

Unfortunately, the progress that was being made to reform City of Los Angeles Gross Receipts business Tax (GRT) policy has slowed down substantially due to differing analyses on financial impact.  For the year ahead, The City of Los Angeles is facing a fiscal shortfall of over $200 million (2012 CAO BUDGET OVERVIEW).  Depending on which GRT report you read, eliminating the City of LA GRT has a $400 million impact on the general fund.  However, by eliminating the business tax, it's reported to generate an additional $2 billion in economic activity - which in turn will vastly enhance the City's ability to access financial resources.  So, it's clearly a chicken and an egg, and all we need is the political will to take bold steps forward.

The City of Los Angeles Office of Economic Analysis has numerous reports that can help enlighten you on the issue:

According to BizFed CEO Tracy Rafter, "In the end, a key difference is each report’s estimate of the economic response that would result from elimination of the GRT."  To read more about BizFed's support to eliminate the gross receipts tax and other initiatives, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

+ USGBC-LA Collaboration

USGBC-LA leadership has reached out to me to identify opportunities to further collaborate on advocacy initiatives that advance the common goals between the organizations.  We discussed possible techniques for how to keep each other better informed and agreed to further connect on an ad-hoc basis whenever policy initiatives are underway that could benefit from the additional examination and expertise of each other's design-thinkers.

+ AIA California Council Advocacy Advisory Committee

On March 30, the AIACC AAC reviewed and discussed the merits of numerous pending statewide legislative items.  Many legislative issues in 2012 will impact the built environment and the architecture profession.  From next steps with Redevelopment Agencies, Infrastructure Finance Districts, CEQA Reform, ADA compliance, and Building Code issues - quite a bit is happening and all AIA|LA members are encouraged to become more involved with the leadership efforts of the California Council.  If you're interested in serving as a resource to represent an LA perspective, please contact me at (213) 639-0764 and we can determine the most effective way to get your input integrated into the process for advancing the issues you're most passionate about.

The Status of the Community Redevelopment Agency

So much is at stake for how we transition from our Redevelopment  process.  The California Planning & Development Report has created an excellent summary of all of the pending redevelopment legislation, which can be found by CLICKING HERE.  Pending legislation includes:

SB 654 (Steinberg) – Affordable Housing

SB 986 (Dutton) – RDA Bond Funds
SB 1151 (Steinberg) - Accounting for Properties
SB 1156 (Steinberg) – Community Development
SB 1220 (De Saulnier) – Affordable Housing
AB 1585 (Perez) – AB X1 26 Cleanup/Enforceable Obligations

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For more information, please contact:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director of Government & Public Affairs
AIA Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213.639.0764  phone
213.639.0767  fax

The AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT - February 17, 2012

The AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT
March 30, 2012
from the desk of Will Wright , Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs

This report is written in effort to keep the AIA|LA membership updated on the various efforts I've been involved with on behalf of the organization.  It's a call to action to inspire more architects to provide the leadership to improve the built environment.  

+ The AIA|LA Mayoral Candidates Forums 

As a city, how shall we select our next Mayor? What criteria will we use to analyze their leadership capacity?

Throughout February and March, we coordinated a series of forums with five prospective mayoral candidates.  Well-attended, the forums served as an opportunity for AIA|LA to hear more about each candidate's vision for the future of our city.  The forums also provided a chance to examine the candidate's leadership capacity to move our city forward, as well as, their general attitudes about the role of architecture and design.  Notable observations:

  • Most of the candidates agree with each other on broad principals, so the details of the devil?  Who will have the managerial skills, the charm, wit and leadership capacity to inspire the rest of the City of LA team to align around common goals?  Answer:  to be determined.
  • Core themes that emerged:  the need for wider and more effective community outreach, fiscal repair, regulatory streamlining and more civic engagement from our design-thinkers. 
  • Each candidate agreed that place making is a priority - however, in my opinion, no single candidate shared with passion the details about their favorite place - the where, the how and why, the what!  In other words, I think we want our civic leaders to have strong opinions and even stronger passions about specific places.  AIA|LA and the architecture profession have a key opportunity here to better educate the candidates and to inspire them about the core tenets of design matters.
  • Although all the candidates have a general idea about the importance of architecture and design, no single candidate shared a vision that resonated with confidence for what exactly could be done to transform our city.  General approaches, sure.  But step-by-step, catalytic steps are for the most part still not being discussed.  I think we need an implementable, process-oriented roadmap for how we can go from A to Z as a world-class city and in my opinion, much of this will begin with Charter Reform so that the city departments can be substantially reorganized to strengthen/ optimize internal connectivity and efficiency - and that so more influence can be leveraged on all the projects that are being executed within the City by other public agencies (such as LAUSD, Metro, LACCD, County, State and Feds, etc).  Also, there needs to be a re-affirmation that Public-private partnerships will be essential to fund and construct catalytic projects like Park 101, the Hollywood Central Park, the Figueroa Corridor and the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan.
As the campaign progresses, I recommend that architecture and designers remind each mayoral candidate about the essential role of the profession in shaping our city.  The door is opening and they're listening to what we have to say - so now is the chance to influence their campaigns and to let them know what we care most about as design leaders.

+ AIA|LA Executive Roundtable with State Architect CHET WIDOM, FAIA

On March 12th, we coordinated a roundtable discussion with Chet Widom at the offices of Harley Ellis Devereaux.  Topics discussed included:

  • Widom's commitment to improving the DSA and strengthening the values of design excellence statewide
  • The opportunity to better align Federal ADA and California access regulations
  • The opportunity for architects to help shape the next reiteration of the CalGreen Building Code
If you have interest in volunteering your time and expertise to help shape the refinements to CalGreen, then please contact me at (213) 639-0764 and I will put you in contact with the appropriate statewide resources.

+ Meeting with Deputy Mayor Borja Leon, P.E.

On Tuesday, March 27th, I met with Deputy Mayor Borja Leon, P.E. and Nat Gale from the Mayor's Office of Transportation.  We discussed ideas about how to celebrate the successful city-led projects under Mayor Villaraigosa's tenure, identify the process for how those projects were delivered (procurement, contracting and delivery methods), and ensure that that process is formally supported and institutionalized so that the process can survive the mayoral transition.  

Deputy Mayor Leon was especially interested in identifying ways to further highlight the Mayor's involvement with the current process being utilized with the Union Station Master Plan.  Another opportunity: to further recognize and celebrate the selection and delivery process that will be utilized for the Sixth Street Viaduct.

Both represent key catalytic projects that have the opportunity to use smart procurement and delivery methods, resulting in outstanding team-built place-making and city rebranding.

+ Meeting with Deputy Mayor Matt Karatz


Also on Tuesday, March 27th, along with Chava Danielson and Roger Sherman, I met with Deputy Mayor Matt Karatz, Dan Caroselli and Raffy Ardhaldjian from the Mayor's Office of Economic and Business Policy.  Generally, the meeting served as an excellent opportunity to further connect with the Mayor's office and share the notion about creating an Office of Architecture and Urban Design within the city's current departmental structure.  

Although such an office didn't seem to be a political reality, what did emerge is the opportunity that the LAND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE may serve as an instrument to reach the same goals.  The Land Development Committee, which was established by the Development Reform Strategic Plan, is comprised of the General Managers of DBS, DCP, BOE, DOT and DWP.  By establishing a clearer hierarchy of decision-making authority, the committee could forseeably in the future, resolve the types of conflicts that often compromise the design excellence of city-led projects.  An example cited included:  whether to widen the street to add a right-turn lane, or to widen the sidewalk instead for better pedestrian access. 

Another opportunity is to develop the BUILD LA software and web portal so that all of the moving parts that would otherwise be connected via the formal establishment of an Office of Architecture and Urban Design instead be connected virtually with better technology.

Additional topic discussed included:

The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance

Due the general fund cut to the Department of City Planning, many of the planners dedicated to important policy developments such as the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) have been temporarily assigned to case processing.  Therefore, progress to refine the ARO to include better opportunities for commercial uses in the historic core has been put on hold until at least July 2012.  We need to remind City Council during their annual budgeting process to dedicate general fund dollars to DCP so that we are able to invest in better, more progressive city planning tools.  

+ PARAMETRIC URBANISM:  The Role of BIG DATA in shaping the future of Cities

On March 21, the AIA|LA Urban Design Committee coordinated a discussion about Parametric Urbanism.   Conversation revolved around how governments are increasingly making available large data-sets that the private sector can access in effort to create innovative place-making tools.  German Aparacio shared with us insight from his Informed Cities initiative.  His presentation can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Mark Greninger, from the County of LA, shared with us all of the various data sets that he has been managing on the Los Angeles County GIS Data Portal.

The Data Portal makes easily available high quality geographic information such as updated parcel maps, infrastructure systems and tools such as the SOLAR MAP of LA County, which enable you to better identify potential renewable energy opportunities for your project area.

+  Encourage Los Angeles City Council to Invest in an Updated Zoning Code

Help us spread the word.

As the Director of Government & Public Affairs for AIA|LA, I strongly encourage you to reach out to your Los Angeles City Council and request that they support the Department of City Planning's budget request to fund the initial step to a comprehensive zoning code revision.  The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning has developed a proposal to embark on one of the City's biggest planning initiatives to date: a comprehensive revision of the City's Zoning Code. First adopted in 1946, the Zoning Code has grown from an 84-page pamphlet to a 600+ page book does not reflect our 21st Century needs or vision. 

To review DCP's proposed work program and budget plan, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Feel free to forward this information to anyone you feel might be interested.  This is an issue that AIA|LA advocated to support as part of our 2011 Issue Briefs.

It's also an issue that was identified in the 2011 City of LA Development Reform Strategic Plan.

With smart reform we can update our zoning code to provide the public with greater clarity and certainty a vision for the future of our city. A revised zoning code will not only save the taxpayer money by streamlining the amount of staff time required to administer projects, but it will also streamline the process for economically sustainable urban infill development.  I encourage you to learn more about the issue, and to lend support at the upcoming council meetings.

+ Multiple Approvals

On March 30th, the City Council voted on COUNCIL FILE 11-1140 to support the Multiple Approvals Procedural Revisions Ordinance.  The complete ordinance can be found by CLICKING HERE.

The proposed revisions will help streamline specific sections of the zoning code and ensure more predictability in the development process by clarifying language regarding the “utilization” of approvals.  The revisions will create more consistent procedures for the review of projects that require multiple approvals and will “synchronize” expiration dates of approvals in the effort to maximize efficiencies within the Planning Department.

Streamlining the approval procedures section of the zoning code will eliminate planning staff redundancies and simplify administrative processes, which in turn will help save the City money and enable more planning staff resources to have the time to focus on envisioning and executing urban planning on the behalf of our City, as opposed to untangling bureaucratic burdens.  Overall, these revisions will benefit the community by establishing a more transparent project review system, which will allow all stakeholders to more accurately assess the proposed project in context with its surrounding area.  In short, it will help bolster additional certainty and facilitate the development of a more livable city by enabling planners, developers, community-stakeholders and architects to concentrate on improving the project for the benefit of all.

+ Hollywood Community Plan

On March 27th, PLUM heard testimony on the proposed Hollywood Community Plan   Because of the complexity and the importance of the community plan the item has been continued to an upcoming PLUM meeting and I will continue to monitor its status and the progress.  Both Curbed LA and the NY Times have posted articles about the plan as it moves slowly through the process of public testimony.

DeLAB co-founder and walking advocate Alissa Walker responded to NY Times article with an excellent reminder that Hollywood is already an intrinsic part of our thriving metropolis, not a pastoral small-town isolated from LA's marbled mixture of chagrin and delight.  

Gelatobaby:  “Rakish small-town charm”

We're a complex city and we need simple planning tools to enable innovative and appealing design solutions.  If we can't encourage investment in our neighborhoods, then that money will be spent elsewhere (i.e., other cities, states and countries will become substantially more competitive as desirable places to live, work and recreate).  We will be exporting those creative design solutions as opposed to implementing them here in our own neighborhoods!   Los Angeles has the possibility to be the best city imaginable. All we need is to make certain that we are planning for our future in a way that will ensure we're revitalizing the urban core and making communities like Hollywood and Downtown LA and other Regional Centers as vibrant and as well designed as possible. In my opinion, the Hollywood Community Plan is a positive first step in reaching that goal.

+ Updating the Mobility Element of the City of LA General Plan

Over the past several months, I've participated on the Mobility Element Task Force.  One of the community outreach tools that DCP and DOT have coordinated is a website to solicit a wide swath of community input entitled LA/2B.  I encourage everyone to get more involved in the process and to share innovative design solutions for how to enhance mobility throughout Los Angeles.

Questions to consider, for instance include:

1.  Is there an opportunity to facilitate demand-based transit routes that quickly respond to the user's needs?
2.  Can the definition of a street be expanded to be more about people and less about machines?
3.  How do we leverage mobility systems to enhance place-making?
4.  What streets are already working well and can serve as models?

+ Business Tax Reform

Unfortunately, the progress that was being made to reform City of Los Angeles Gross Receipts business Tax (GRT) policy has slowed down substantially due to differing analyses on financial impact.  For the year ahead, The City of Los Angeles is facing a fiscal shortfall of over $200 million (2012 CAO BUDGET OVERVIEW).  Depending on which GRT report you read, eliminating the City of LA GRT has a $400 million impact on the general fund.  However, by eliminating the business tax, it's reported to generate an additional $2 billion in economic activity - which in turn will vastly enhance the City's ability to access financial resources.  So, it's clearly a chicken and an egg, and all we need is the political will to take bold steps forward.

The City of Los Angeles Office of Economic Analysis has numerous reports that can help enlighten you on the issue:

According to BizFed CEO Tracy Rafter, "In the end, a key difference is each report’s estimate of the economic response that would result from elimination of the GRT."  To read more about BizFed's support to eliminate the gross receipts tax and other initiatives, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

+ USGBC-LA Collaboration

USGBC-LA leadership has reached out to me to identify opportunities to further collaborate on advocacy initiatives that advance the common goals between the organizations.  We discussed possible techniques for how to keep each other better informed and agreed to further connect on an ad-hoc basis whenever policy initiatives are underway that could benefit from the additional examination and expertise of each other's design-thinkers.

+ AIA California Council Advocacy Advisory Committee

On March 30, the AIACC AAC reviewed and discussed the merits of numerous pending statewide legislative items.  Many legislative issues in 2012 will impact the built environment and the architecture profession.  From next steps with Redevelopment Agencies, Infrastructure Finance Districts, CEQA Reform, ADA compliance, and Building Code issues - quite a bit is happening and all AIA|LA members are encouraged to become more involved with the leadership efforts of the California Council.  If you're interested in serving as a resource to represent an LA perspective, please contact me at (213) 639-0764 and we can determine the most effective way to get your input integrated into the process for advancing the issues you're most passionate about.

The Status of the Community Redevelopment Agency

So much is at stake for how we transition from our Redevelopment  process.  The California Planning & Development Report has created an excellent summary of all of the pending redevelopment legislation, which can be found by CLICKING HERE.  Pending legislation includes:

SB 654 (Steinberg) – Affordable Housing

SB 986 (Dutton) – RDA Bond Funds
SB 1151 (Steinberg) - Accounting for Properties
SB 1156 (Steinberg) – Community Development
SB 1220 (De Saulnier) – Affordable Housing
AB 1585 (Perez) – AB X1 26 Cleanup/Enforceable Obligations

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For more information, please contact:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director of Government & Public Affairs
AIA Los Angeles
3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213.639.0764  phone
213.639.0767  fax

Development Reform Strategic Plan

City of Los Angeles
Development Reform Strategic Plan: Building a Better LA

Dev_Reform_Strategic_Plan_Vol_1.pdf Download this file

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

In Response to The Hollywood Community Plan

Here's the comment that I added to Curbed LA's article about the HCP at PLUM yesterday:

Hollywood Debates Its New Planning Standards at City Hall

California's population is expected to increase from today's 37 million to 60 million people by the year 2050.  Our world's population is expected to increase from 7 billion to over 9 billion.

So it's only 'smart' that we anticipate the most economically and environmentally compelling way to accommodate this many people without further thrashing and compromising our natural resources.

Personally, I love the wilderness.  Those that know me best know I'm happiest when I'm lost in thought near the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest or along the Lost Coast.

How do we preserve that wilderness?  How to do we preserve the agricultural land that we will need to not only feed ourselves but to help feed the world?  My answer:  we build cities.  And we build the best cities imaginable.

Los Angeles has that possibility - to be the best city imaginable.  All we need is to make certain that we are planning for our future in a way that will ensure we're revitalizing the urban core and making communities like Hollywood and Downtown LA and other Regional Centers as vibrant and as well designed as possible.  In my opinion, the Hollywood Community Plan is a positive first step in reaching that goal. 

Yours truly,

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA

The Mineta Transportation Institute - The Impact of Center City Economic and Cultural Vibrancy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation

The Impact of Center City Economic and Cultural Vibrancy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation
(PDF 1.6MB)

Principal Investigator: Matthew J. Holian, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT

Urban planners and scholars have focused a great deal of attention on understanding the relationship between the built environment and transportation behavior. However, other aspects of the urban environment – including the vibrancy and quality of life in urban areas – have received little attention. This report seeks to close this gap by analyzing the effects of both land-use and urban vibrancy on transportation patterns. Analysis of data from a variety of sources suggests that in addition to the built-environment, the vibrancy of the urban environment also affects transportation behavior. Moreover, vibrancy affects land-use patterns. By integrating objective measures of center-city quality of life into transportation choice models, our new statistical results inform public policy. We discuss specific public policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing public transit use.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

MATTHEW J. HOLIAN PH.D.

Matthew J. Holian is an Assistant Professor at San Jose State University in the Economics Department and a research associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute. He completed his Ph.D. in Economics in 2008 at the Ohio State University. His scholarly publications have appeared in journals such as Journal of Housing Economics and Public Choice. His research focuses on industrial, public, transportation and urban economics.

MATTHEW E. KAHN, PH.D.

Matthew E. Kahn is a Professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Public Policy. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and Mineta Transportation Institute. Before joining the UCLA faculty in January 2007, he taught at Columbia and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He has served as a Visiting Professor at Harvard and Stanford. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago. He is the author of Green Cities: Urban Growth and the Environment (Brookings Institution Press, 2006) and the co-author of Heroes and Cowards: The Social Face of War (Princeton University Press, 2009). In September 2010, Basic Books published his book titled Climatopolis. His research focuses on environmental, urban, real estate, and energy economics.

TECHNICAL

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Authors: 

Matthew J. Holian, Ph.D. and Matthew E. Kahn, Ph.D.
Published: March 2012 
Keywords: Urban transportation, Exhaust gases, Land use planning, Public transit. 

1002-Center-City-Economic-Cultural-Vibrancy-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions-Transportation.pdf Download this file

ClimatePlan :: Weekly Update - March 28th, 2012

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Weekly Update
March 28th, 2012
In the Spotlight  

 

A Big Week for Sustainable and Equitable Communities

ClimatePlan Blog -- March 27, 2012
By Autumn Bernstein

Last week saw a flurry of milestones for SB 375, culminating in a hearing at the Air Resources Board that shined a spotlight on key issues such as gentrification, "Redevelopment 2.0," and the transformation of SCAG into a leading force for healthy and sustainable communities in Southern California. Both Southern California (SCAG) and Sacramento (SACOG) are poised to adopt their first-ever Sustainable Communities Strategies under SB 375. These plans, taken together, allocate $560 billion in transportation funding over the next 25 years and lay out a vision for where and how their regions should grow. 

Read more

 

Register Today for TransForm's Transportation Choices Summit!

Let's show our leaders in Sacramento that Californians need real transportation choices. Creating communities that are safe for walking and biking and have good public transit must be a priority. Please join us in Sacramento on Tuesday, May 1 for the Transportation Choices Summit. You can also join the following day, May 2nd, for an Advocacy Day to take the message directly to our legislators! Some full scholarships still available!!

Click here to register today 

 

 

 


In This Issue

San Diego


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Statewide and National Statewide
News & Events

 

Road congestion wastes 1.9 billion gallons of gas

USA Today - March 28th, 2012

By Gary Stoller

As Americans pay about $4 per gallon for gasoline, they're wasting 1.9 billion gallons of it annually in traffic on congested roads, a new Treasury Department report says. Traffic congestion costs drivers more than $100 billion annually in wasted fuel and lost time, according to the report released Friday.

Link to article
 

Pressure Mounts on House to Take Up Senate Bill. Does the House Care?

Streetsblog Capitol Hill - March 28th, 2012

By Angie Schmitt

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, Congressional Democrats, some Congressional Republicans, unions, industry groups, politicians from New Jersey, Chicago and Louisiana - they all have one message for the House of Representatives: Pass the Senate transportation bill. President Obama made it a key part of his weekly address this Sunday, pointing out that the economy would "take a hit" without a full reauthorization.

Link to article

 

Two More Down! SoCal and Sacramento do right in regional sustainability plans

NRDC Switchboard - March 26th, 2012

By Amanda Eaken

Last Thursday, the implementation of SB 375 hit another milestone with the Air Resources Board's (ARB) review of two more Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS)-from Southern California and Sacramento. ARB members heard staff presentations on the two plans, asked questions of the regional agency directors, and heard stakeholder reactions.

Link to blog

 

Bid to appease bullet train critics may violate law

Los Angeles Times - March 26, 2012
By Ralph Vartabedian and Dan Weikel

A series of concessions over the last year to quiet opposition to the California bullet train has created a potentially lethal problem: the revised blueprint for the system may violate requirements locked into state law when voters approved funding for the project in 2008. The Legislature packed the law with an unusual number of conditions intended to reassure voters, protect the project from later political compromises and ensure that it would not end up a bankrupted white elephant.
Link to article

 

Pre-Recess Redevelopment Bill Status Update (Updated)

California Planning and Development Report - March 23rd, 2012

By California Planning and Development Staff

Perhaps more quickly than anyone would have thought, the California Legislature is already considering a collection of bills designed to both smooth the process of dissolving redevelopment agencies and to introduce new tools that cities can use in redevelopment's absence. For supporters of redevelopment, Senate Bill 1585 (Perez) is the Holy Grail. Or, if not the Holy Grail, at least a big help. It both cleans up some of the challenging aspects of Assembly Bill X1 26, thus making the dissolution process clearer for successor agencies, and expands the definition of enforceable obligations.

Link to article

 

Why Bicyclists Are Better Customers Than Drivers for Local Business

Streetsblog Capitol Hill - March 23rd, 2012

By Tanya Snyder

Do local and state officials tune out when you try to talk to them about bicycling? Are they unconvinced by arguments about public health, transportation options, or clean air? Do business leaders send you packing when you suggest building new bike lanes and bike parking, fearing that the loss of car parking will keep customers away?

Then show them the money.

Link to article

 

How Can Cities Reverse Urban Sprawl, Increase Transit Use, Reduce Emissions?

The Sacramento Bee - March 22nd, 2012

By Mineta Transportation Institute

The Mineta Transportation Institute has published The Impact of Center City Economic and Cultural Vibrancy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation. It documents that vibrant downtown areas are associated with lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from driving, and with greater public transit use.  

Link to article

 

How To Talk About Cities Without Ticking Off Folks Who Don't Live There

The Altantic Cities - March 22nd, 2012

By Emily Badger

Mitchell Silver spends a lot of time traveling the country in his role as the president of the American Planning Association. In that time, he has learned that there are certain words you just don't use with audiences outside of the urban core. For instance: urban. "The minute I open about 'urban,' they say it's time for me to leave," Silver says, referring to crowds in smaller towns and rural com

Link to article 

 

 
Southern California
 SoCal

 

A wider view of area transit challenges

San Gabriel Valley Tribune - March 24th, 2012

Opinion - By Hasan Ikhrata

In the weeks ahead, elected leaders from throughout the Southern California Association of Government's six-county region will vote on whether to formally support the SCAG's 2012-2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainability Community Strategy (RTP/SCS). The plan is more than simply a blueprint for how our growing population will get from home to work and school. The RTP/SCS maps out what it's going to take to preserve our quality of life, bolster our economy and protect our environment.

Link to article 

 

While Congress Fiddles, Southern California Shows How to Get Things Done

The Huffington Post - March 23rd, 2012

By Gloria Ohland and Denny Zane

When a delegation from the L.A. Chamber of Commerce visited Congress earlier this month to lobby for passage of the federal surface transportation reauthorization, members were greeted warmly by federal transportation officials who noted that L.A. was providing a model for Congress on how to get things done. "You check your politics at the door," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who with U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Federal Transit Administration head Peter Rogoff, complimented the chamber delegation on the bold and broad business-labor-environmental coalition that is supporting massive investment in L.A.'s public transportation system.

Link to article   

 

Event: Annual Sustainability Summit

Hosted by Los Angeles Business Council

April 27th, 7:30am - 2pm

The Getty Center

1200 Getty Center Drive

Los Angeles, CA

Click here for more information 

 

Event: Pedestrians Count! 2012

Hosted by California Walks

May 3rd and 4th

LA Metro Headquarters
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952

Click here for more information and to register

  

Click here for more on the Southern California region and their Sustainable Communities Strategy.

 

 

 

Bay Area BayArea
News & Events

 

Muni fares still cheap compared to other U.S. systems

San Francisco Examiner - March 27th, 2012

By Will Reisman

The cost of a monthly Muni pass with BART access inside The City is once again poised to increase, but frustrated riders can take solace: Public transit in San Francisco is still much cheaper than other major U.S. cities. Next year, that Muni pass is expected to cost $76, marking nearly a 70 percent increase since 2009.
Link to article

 

Fisherman's Wharf needs sidewalks, not asphalt

San Francisco Chronicle - March 23rd, 2012

By John King

San Francisco is preparing to see if a street can be made to be both ceremonial and intimate - and in the chaotic realm of Fisherman's Wharf, no less. Two blocks of Jefferson Street will be recast by June 2013 to favor people on foot, rather than motor vehicles of all sizes, shapes and license plates.

Link to article 

 

Event: Sustainable Communities? LA, Sacramento, and San Diego

Hosted by SPUR

April 12th, 12:30pm

654 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA

Click here for more information

 

Event: Building a Jobs-Rich Region - A conversation with Ryan Avent

Hosted by Greenbelt Alliance

April 19th, 2012

Knight Management Center

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Oberndorf Event Center

(North Building 302)

655 Knight Way

Stanford, CA

Click here for more information 

 

Learn more about the Bay Area and their Sustainable Communities Strategy. 

 

 

San Joaquin Valley SJV
News & Events

 

City of Fresno Heading in Right Direction

March 28, 2012

The City of Fresno is preparing an update to its General Plan, a plan that will guide development and growth in the city through 2035.  Last week, the city's Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend one scenario to the City Council, Scenario A.  This is exciting news, as this alternative would focus much of the city's new growth into already-developed areas, and would guide a revitalization effort for downtown. 

Click here for information on the benefits of this scenario and how you can help move it towards adoption.

 

County officials discuss easing squeeze on farmland

Modesto Bee - March 26, 2012
By Garth Stapley

Another growth control policy across Stanislaus County could take shape much sooner than the mayors' initiative that has been driving headlines. On Wednesday, the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission is scheduled to discuss options for an official policy to save ever-shrinking farmland. If panel members agree on one strategy among many, they could ask for input during a 30-day period and schedule a public hearing, essentially ignoring the mayors' initiative.
Link to article