Growth vs. No-Growth Debate by Los Angeles Officials
I am writing to thank the many citizens of the Sixth District and surrounding areas who have supported my efforts to begin the badly needed and long overdue coastal planning process in Venice. Thanks to those efforts, the Coastal Interim Control ordinance is now law and Venice can focus its attention on drafting a Local Coastal Plan.
The urgent need for an ICO and LCP has been demonstrated quite clearly by the onslaught of permit applications and zone change/plan amendment applications which exceeded the limits of the Coastal Commission guidelines over the past few years. The total number of permits in all the other Sixth District neighborhoods combined has not come close to matching the number in Venice alone.
The sheer number of troublesome permits is abetted by the traffic and parking problems they bring with them. Venice is the most important coastal recreation area in the city and traffic conditions on Lincoln Boulevard, Rose Avenue, Venice Boulevard, Washington Street and Pacific Avenue are abominable.
These existing problems must be taken into consideration when we look at the area’s large proposals such as Playa Vista, Marina del Rey intensification, Marina Place and, right at the gateway to Venice, Admiralty Place. Projects of this size can no longer be tolerated in a planning vacuum.
I challenge all developers to submit their proposals to open public scrutiny by participating in the LCP process over the coming months.
RUTH GALANTER
Councilwoman, Sixth District
Los Angeles
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
