Proposed Hollywood Growth Plan Outlined

Los Angeles officials have completed revisions on a plan for Hollywood that would sharply reduce commercial and residential development over the next 20 years.

The revisions, presented to the city’s Planning Commission on Thursday, would allow two-thirds less commercial growth than is permitted under existing guidelines. In the 1,100-acre Hollywood redevelopment area, it would reduce potential commercial development from 45 million square feet to 24 million.

The proposal would would cut potential residential growth in Hollywood by about 40%. Officials estimate that it would accommodate 275,000 residents--200,000 fewer than envisioned under existing guidelines drafted in 1973. According to city statistics, 205,000 people currently live in Hollywood.

City planners said the revisions are intended to prevent construction from aggravating Hollywood’s vexing traffic problems.

“Most of the major intersections in Hollywood are already operating . . . with terrible gridlock,” said Lynell Washington, a planning assistant. “To allow traffic to flow, we had to down-zone.”

If approved by the City Council, the revised plan would be a blueprint for building until 2010. Developers seeking to build projects larger than those prescribed in the plan would need special permission. In the redevelopment area, builders would be required to pay for a variety of transportation improvements, which might include new freeway ramps to street widenings.

“It is important for us to signal very clearly in this plan that we want to protect residential neighborhoods,” said Hollywood-area Councilman Michael Woo, who urged the Planning Commission to approve the revisions. “At the same time, I believe the provisions of this plan will allow for slow, controlled growth to accommodate the need for additional housing in the area. I don’t think it is a blatantly anti-growth plan.”

About 40 residents and business people spoke during a 4-hour hearing. The Planning Commission postponed a vote until Aug. 11. City officials predicted that the final version of the plan will be considered by the City Council in October.

While leaders from several homeowner organizations praised the reduced commercial and residential densities in the revised plan, other residents complained that the reductions did not go far enough.

John Walsh, a member of Friends of Hollywood, called for a “no-growth” community plan. He described the proposed revisions as a “plan for slow death” and said homeowners who endorse them eventually will regret it.

“You might have saved your block, but the whole community is going to sink,” he said.

Several business people argued that the proposed restrictions were too far-reaching.

Representatives from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce complained that the new plan would destroy hopes of turning the decaying movie capital into a “high-energy” urban center. Donna Carlson, the chamber’s director of economic development, said the city was surrendering to its traffic problems.

Carlson said chamber members will meet with members of the City Council in an effort to win support for a less-restrictive plan.

“We are trying to attract new business to Hollywood,” she said after the hearing. “This plan will discourage people from looking seriously at building here.”