Industrial Land Use Policy

Budget Cuts Mean Delays for Downtown Community Plans

By Eric Richardson — May 08, 2009 — 5 Comments

Eric Richardson

Buried in the middle of a five hour budget hearing last Friday was news that updates to Downtown's two major community plans will be delayed unless the Planning department receives more funding and can hire additional planners.

The impact of those delays would be felt quite differently in the two plan areas. While development in the bulk of Downtown would be largely unaffected, the Arts and Industrial districts would remain in a development no-mans-land. — Continued Inside...

Mayor Touts Green Corridor, but Can Downtown Support His New Industry?

By Eric Richardson — April 14, 2009 — 7 Comments

Eric Richardson

In his State of the City speech this afternoon, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa promoted the creation of a five-mile "CleanTech Corridor" that would stretch north through Downtown's Industrial District. The project would "transform our industrial core into ground zero for green jobs," Villaraigosa said.

Unsaid, though, is just how the city plans to turn antiquated industrial land with small plots into space that would support new green businesses. — Continued Inside...

Catching Up With... Industrial Land Use

By Eric Richardson — December 28, 2008 — 12 Comments

Eric Richardson

As we go through the last few days of 2008, we thought it useful to take a look at some of the important Downtown projects working their way through the system.

The first issue to rear its head Downtown in 2008 was that of Industrial Land Use, as the Planning Department and Community Redevelopment Agency announced an agreement that, among other things, limited residential conversions on industrially-zoned land south of the Arts District. Proponents of the plan argued that the city needed the land to attract industrial jobs, particularly in green technology. Detractors claimed that the land was unsuitable for large industry due to small lot sizes and a cramped street grid.

Latest Status: Though no large-scale changes have taken place recently, City Council did just approve a boundary change for the Arts District, opening a small swath of new area to live-work conversions. — Continued Inside...

Council Expands Artists-In-Residence Zone

By Eric Richardson — December 19, 2008 — 3 Comments

Eric Richardson

The Arts District got a little bit bigger this week, as City Council approved an expansion of neighborhood's official boundaries. The expansion south from 6th to Violet, a small street one block south of 7th, makes it easier for developers to turn industrial buildings into housing for artists and artisans. — Continued Inside...