Stop Lobbyists From Gutting Sign Ordinance

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Stop Lobbyists From Gutting New Sign Ordinance! On Oct. 18, the City Council PLUM committee will take up the latest draft of a revised citywide sign ordinance. This draft is nothing less than a surrender to developers and sign companies who want to put up unlimited numbers of new signs without taking a single existing sign down in return. The draft would also open the door to advertising in city parks and other public properties, and allow the city to be blanketed with digital business signs without regulations to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, and other adverse effects. An army of lobbyists has been working overtime in City Hall telling politicians that economic development and job creation depends upon plastering the city with greater numbers of large, bright, intrusive billboards and other types of advertising signs. We need to counter that message by telling politicians that a "Blade Runner" vision of our city's future will make it a less desirable place to live and do business. We need to tell our politicians that failing to protect community character and residential neighborhoods from the unwanted affects of digital billboards and building-size supergraphic signs might be a short-term benefit for developers and sign companies, but will have a destructive effect on the city's long-term future. We need to tell our politicians that making it impossible to drive, walk, go to a park or recreation facility, or otherwise move about the city without being assaulted at every turn with advertisements is bad for the social health of everyone.  For further details, including the full ordinance text and latest revisions, click here. Below is a sample letter to the PLUM committee members. Please copy and past the letter into an e-mail to committee members before next Tuesday's hearing. Please consider personalizing it by adding your own comments, particularly if you are directly affected by a digital billboard or other kinds of outdoor advertising. Also, please send a copy to your own City Council representative, and to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. (see e-mail addresses below) And if at all possible, come to the meeting. We can be sure that lobbyists will be out in force, and the public can send a strong message by filling the hearing room. When: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2:30 p.m. Where: Room 350, City Hall SAMPLE LETTER:  To: Planning And Land Use Management Committee Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, Chair Councilmember Jose Huizar Councilmember Paul Krekorian Re: Council File 08-2020 Citywide Sign Ordinance Dear Committee Members: I urge you to reject the latest draft of the citywide sign ordinance. At a minimum, any sign ordinance revisions should do the following: Require the removal of existing billboards at a more than one to one square footage ratio in exchange for any new billboards or other types of off-site advertising signs. Provide absolute protection for city parks and other public facilities from commercial advertising. Require any pending sign district applications not yet approved by the City Planning Commission to conform to the takedown provision and other future provisions of the sign ordinance. Prohibit digital signage anywhere until comprehensive regulations are in place to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, excess energy use, and change in community character. I do not want the areas of the city I work in and travel through to be turned into replicas of Times Square or "Blade Runner." Please do everything you can to protect it for me, my family, my neighbors, and everyone else who loves the city and wants it to be a good place to live and work. Sincerely, Your name & address ______________ E-mail your comments to the committee's legislative assistant, Michael Espinosa, at michael.espinosa@lacity.org and ask that your comments be distributed to the members for the Oct. 18 meeting.  Please send a copy of your message to info@banbillboardblight.org. COUNCIL CONTACT LIST District 1-Ed Reyes City Hall Office (213)-473-7001 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 410 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.reyes@lacity.org District 2-Paul Krekorian City Hall Office (213)-473-7002 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 475 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org District 3-Dennis Zine City Hall Office (213)-473-7003 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 450 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.zine@lacity.org District 4-Tom LaBonge City Hall Office (213)-473-7004 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 480 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org District 5-Paul Koretz City Hall Office (213)-473-7005 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 440 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.koretz@lacity.org District 6-Tony Cardenas City Hall Office (213)-473-7006 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 455 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org District 7-Richard Alarcon City Hall Office (213)-473-7007 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 425 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org District 8-Bernard Parks City Hall Office (213)-473-7008 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 460 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.parks@lacity.org District 9-Jan Perry City Hall Office (213)-473-7009 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 420 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.perry@lacity.org District 10-Herb Wesson City Hall Office (213)-473-7010 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 430 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.wesson@lacity.org District 11-Bill Rosendahl City Hall Office (213)-473-7011 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 415 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org District 12-Mitch Englander City Hall Office (213)-473-7012 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 405 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.englander@lacity.org District 13-Eric Garcetti City Hall Office (213)-473-7013 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 470 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org District 14-Jose Huizar City Hall Office (213)-473-7014 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 465 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.huizar@lacity.org Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa 200 North Spring Street, Room 303 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 978-0600 mayor@lacity.org   Do You Think L.A.'s visual environment is degraded by too much commercial advertising? Sign up for regular news items, website updates, and alerts about actions you can take to bring control of our public visual spaces back to the people, where it belongs. Already on our mailing list? Forward this newsletter to anyone you know who may be interested in the issue. Ban Billboard Blight  is a California-registered non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers.  But maintaining a website, putting out mailings, and preparing materials for meetings and hearings are just some of things we have to spend money on.  For details on how you can help by making a donation, go here. You are receiving this e-mail because you signed up at our website, or otherwise expressed an interest in the issue of outdoor advertising. Unsubscribe will@aialosangeles.org from this list. Our mailing address is: Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight 2700 Military Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90064 Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2011 Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight All rights reserved. Forward this email to a friend Update your profile

Stop Lobbyists From Gutting Sign Ordinance

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Stop Lobbyists From Gutting New Sign Ordinance! On Oct. 18, the City Council PLUM committee will take up the latest draft of a revised citywide sign ordinance. This draft is nothing less than a surrender to developers and sign companies who want to put up unlimited numbers of new signs without taking a single existing sign down in return. The draft would also open the door to advertising in city parks and other public properties, and allow the city to be blanketed with digital business signs without regulations to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, and other adverse effects. An army of lobbyists has been working overtime in City Hall telling politicians that economic development and job creation depends upon plastering the city with greater numbers of large, bright, intrusive billboards and other types of advertising signs. We need to counter that message by telling politicians that a "Blade Runner" vision of our city's future will make it a less desirable place to live and do business. We need to tell our politicians that failing to protect community character and residential neighborhoods from the unwanted affects of digital billboards and building-size supergraphic signs might be a short-term benefit for developers and sign companies, but will have a destructive effect on the city's long-term future. We need to tell our politicians that making it impossible to drive, walk, go to a park or recreation facility, or otherwise move about the city without being assaulted at every turn with advertisements is bad for the social health of everyone.  For further details, including the full ordinance text and latest revisions, click here. Below is a sample letter to the PLUM committee members. Please copy and past the letter into an e-mail to committee members before next Tuesday's hearing. Please consider personalizing it by adding your own comments, particularly if you are directly affected by a digital billboard or other kinds of outdoor advertising. Also, please send a copy to your own City Council representative, and to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. (see e-mail addresses below) And if at all possible, come to the meeting. We can be sure that lobbyists will be out in force, and the public can send a strong message by filling the hearing room. When: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2:30 p.m. Where: Room 350, City Hall SAMPLE LETTER:  To: Planning And Land Use Management Committee Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, Chair Councilmember Jose Huizar Councilmember Paul Krekorian Re: Council File 08-2020 Citywide Sign Ordinance Dear Committee Members: I urge you to reject the latest draft of the citywide sign ordinance. At a minimum, any sign ordinance revisions should do the following: Require the removal of existing billboards at a more than one to one square footage ratio in exchange for any new billboards or other types of off-site advertising signs. Provide absolute protection for city parks and other public facilities from commercial advertising. Require any pending sign district applications not yet approved by the City Planning Commission to conform to the takedown provision and other future provisions of the sign ordinance. Prohibit digital signage anywhere until comprehensive regulations are in place to protect communities from light pollution, traffic hazards, excess energy use, and change in community character. I do not want the areas of the city I work in and travel through to be turned into replicas of Times Square or "Blade Runner." Please do everything you can to protect it for me, my family, my neighbors, and everyone else who loves the city and wants it to be a good place to live and work. Sincerely, Your name & address ______________ E-mail your comments to the committee's legislative assistant, Michael Espinosa, at michael.espinosa@lacity.org and ask that your comments be distributed to the members for the Oct. 18 meeting.  Please send a copy of your message to info@banbillboardblight.org. COUNCIL CONTACT LIST District 1-Ed Reyes City Hall Office (213)-473-7001 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 410 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.reyes@lacity.org District 2-Paul Krekorian City Hall Office (213)-473-7002 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 475 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org District 3-Dennis Zine City Hall Office (213)-473-7003 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 450 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.zine@lacity.org District 4-Tom LaBonge City Hall Office (213)-473-7004 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 480 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org District 5-Paul Koretz City Hall Office (213)-473-7005 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 440 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.koretz@lacity.org District 6-Tony Cardenas City Hall Office (213)-473-7006 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 455 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org District 7-Richard Alarcon City Hall Office (213)-473-7007 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 425 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org District 8-Bernard Parks City Hall Office (213)-473-7008 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 460 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.parks@lacity.org District 9-Jan Perry City Hall Office (213)-473-7009 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 420 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.perry@lacity.org District 10-Herb Wesson City Hall Office (213)-473-7010 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 430 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.wesson@lacity.org District 11-Bill Rosendahl City Hall Office (213)-473-7011 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 415 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org District 12-Mitch Englander City Hall Office (213)-473-7012 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 405 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.englander@lacity.org District 13-Eric Garcetti City Hall Office (213)-473-7013 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 470 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org District 14-Jose Huizar City Hall Office (213)-473-7014 200 N. Spring Street, Rm 465 Los Angeles, CA 90012 councilmember.huizar@lacity.org Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa 200 North Spring Street, Room 303 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 978-0600 mayor@lacity.org   Do You Think L.A.'s visual environment is degraded by too much commercial advertising? Sign up for regular news items, website updates, and alerts about actions you can take to bring control of our public visual spaces back to the people, where it belongs. Already on our mailing list? Forward this newsletter to anyone you know who may be interested in the issue. Ban Billboard Blight  is a California-registered non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers.  But maintaining a website, putting out mailings, and preparing materials for meetings and hearings are just some of things we have to spend money on.  For details on how you can help by making a donation, go here. You are receiving this e-mail because you signed up at our website, or otherwise expressed an interest in the issue of outdoor advertising. Unsubscribe will@aialosangeles.org from this list. Our mailing address is: Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight 2700 Military Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90064 Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2011 Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight All rights reserved. Forward this email to a friend Update your profile

ACTION ALERT: Sign up to comment on PUC Energy Program Funding TODAY!

Dear ClimatePlan partners and allies - 

This session, the legislature failed to reauthorize the public goods charge which places energy efficiency, sustainability and climate change programs across the state at risk. In particular, it is likely that the programs and research that makes the connections between land use and energy will be cut. We've worked hard to keep land use at the forefront to ensure that we meet our sustainability goals – and if programs and research on land use do not continue, it would be a blow to efforts to meet our sustainability goals.

Each of these programs is attached to PUC rulemakings – the ones we need to send comments about are: R. 11-05-005; R.11-03-012; R.10-05-004; R.10-05-006; R.09-11-014; R. 08-06-024; Application (A).11-07-008. To review each of these rulemakings in detail, click here to access the Order Instituting Rulemaking, which lists out the rulemaking number and program. 

To keep these programs in place, PUC needs to hear from us. To send comments to PUC about funding for the energy/land use programs, you need to join their service list today! Send an email to Process_Office@cpuc.ca.gov with: your name, name of your organization, address, phone number, and email address and state that you want "PARTY STATUS" for each of these rulemakings: R. 11-05-005; R.11-03-012; R.10-05-004; R.10-05-006; R.09-11-014; R. 08-06-024; Application (A).11-07-008. Initial comments are due on October 20^th but if you want your comments considered, you need to sign up for the service list today! We'll follow up next week with an email reminder and suggested talking points for your comments.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me or send me an email at chanell@climateplanca.org. 

Thanks!

Chanell Fletcher
Program Associate
ClimatePlan
510-740-3150 ext. 307

www.climateplan.org

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Addressing the land use decisions that shape our climate and our lives.

AIA|LA UDC & Townhouse Dev. Hollywood

Hi Erick,

I hope you'll be at next Wednesday's AIA Urban Design Committee meeting. 

Gerhard Meyer mentioned Townhouses as one alternative housing model but that it is not present here as stand-alone housing. I agree with him that it would be something that should be in the mix.  I had mention a "townhouse" project in Hollywood. It is called the Gatsby and the units are sold as single family residences. Would you know much about 'how' these were processed or if the 'fall' within the current codes. It is definitely more a question of their process and lad-use than architecture. 

Here are two links regarding the developer, etc,

www.thegatsbyhollywood.com

www.hollywoodhousing.org

I put a call into M2A Architects but have not heard back.

The  photos attached are from a few days ago. 

Otherwise I hope al lis going well and that I'll see you next week. 

 

Thomas M. Jones, Architect
AIA     MBA     LEED AP
thomas.j-k@sbcglobal.net
mobile 1 (323) 363-0670

See the full gallery on Posterous

AIA|LA UDC & Townhouse Dev. Hollywood

Hi Erick,

I hope you'll be at next Wednesday's AIA Urban Design Committee meeting. 

Gerhard Meyer mentioned Townhouses as one alternative housing model but that it is not present here as stand-alone housing. I agree with him that it would be something that should be in the mix.  I had mention a "townhouse" project in Hollywood. It is called the Gatsby and the units are sold as single family residences. Would you know much about 'how' these were processed or if the 'fall' within the current codes. It is definitely more a question of their process and lad-use than architecture. 

Here are two links regarding the developer, etc,

www.thegatsbyhollywood.com

www.hollywoodhousing.org

I put a call into M2A Architects but have not heard back.

The  photos attached are from a few days ago. 

Otherwise I hope al lis going well and that I'll see you next week. 

 

Thomas M. Jones, Architect
AIA     MBA     LEED AP
thomas.j-k@sbcglobal.net
mobile 1 (323) 363-0670

See the full gallery on Posterous

Approved: LA City Solar Zoning Ordinance at Commission

Hello,

The proposed Solar Zoning Ordinance was approved with some changes at today's City Planning Commission hearing. The changes allow residential rooftop decks with solar structures on top, as well as a height increase in the Multifamily, Commercial, Manufacturing and Public Facility zones to allow for more architectural creativity. This language has not yet been finalized.

You can subscribe to be emailed future hearing dates by clicking the top middle button here. The staff report and ordinance is available here. And, lastly, you can "like" Code Studies on Facebook for information on other code revision proposals. 

If you have any questions/comments please let me know.

Thanks!

Deborah

Approved: LA City Solar Zoning Ordinance at Commission

Hello,

The proposed Solar Zoning Ordinance was approved with some changes at today's City Planning Commission hearing. The changes allow residential rooftop decks with solar structures on top, as well as a height increase in the Multifamily, Commercial, Manufacturing and Public Facility zones to allow for more architectural creativity. This language has not yet been finalized.

You can subscribe to be emailed future hearing dates by clicking the top middle button here. The staff report and ordinance is available here. And, lastly, you can "like" Code Studies on Facebook for information on other code revision proposals. 

If you have any questions/comments please let me know.

Thanks!

Deborah