Ed Fuentes

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — It's Monday, March 2nd, and Downtown's looking to get a make-over thanks to new rules headed to Council's Planning and Land Use Management committee. The Downtown Design Guidelines set out standards for more people-friendly streets and development.

MONDAY: Two committees are in session: Public Safety and Budget and Finance. Neither offers a Downtown-specific item, but if you owe the city money you might want to pay attention to the latter. CF 08-2848 would allow the City to contract with additional debt collection companies in order to collect on millions owed it.

TUESDAY: Council's in session, as are two committees: Planning and Land Use Management and Information Technology and General Services.

At Council, Item 22 is CF 07-1764-S1, a motion regarding funds for the annual El Grito event, a celebration of the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. The event has traditionally been on the steps of City Hall and run by All Access Entertainment, who also produce Fiesta Broadway. The motion says that CD13 intends to create "a large-scale event that will continue this tradition."

At Planning and Land Use Management committee, CF 09-0385 and CF 09-0385-S1 encompasses aspects of the Downtown Design Guidelines, prepared by the Planning Department's Urban Design Studio. The document sets up pedestrian-friendly standards for future growth.

Information Technology and General Services will be hearing programming and pricing changes from the various cable operators providing service in Los Angeles.

WEDNESDAY: Council and three committees have posted agendas.

Housing, Community and Economic Development will hear CF 09-0277, a CRA request to spend $150,000 with the Project for Public Spaces to look at streets as "placemaking." Broadway is listed as a possible demonstration site, as is Gilbert Lindsay Plaza next to the Convention Center.

At Council, Item 27 is CF 09-0322, the $75,000 for Little Tokyo Service Center that went through committee last week. The money was originally given as a loan, but is now being converted to a grant.