Wilshire Community Plan - Update

1/2000

The role of the Wilshire Community Plan (WCP) is to guide development by stating the planning goals, objectives, policies and development standards desired by this community and City of Los Angeles.  The L.A. Planning Department is currently updating this plan.  They have spent the last year or more gathering views from a variety of individuals and groups.  They have put together a draft report and are providing an  environmental review of this report.   

The plan area is bound by Melrose Ave. to the north, Pico Blvd. to the south, Hoover St. to the east, and Beverly Hills to the West.  This area's population is about 350,000 with an employment base of about 150,000.  This area has about 40 million sq. ft of retail and office space.  Comparison is with Central City, Downtown, population of 27,000, employment base of 210,000, and office/retail space of 57 million.

The report's main sections are Land Use Plan Policies and Programs, Coordination Opportunities for Public Agencies, and Urban Design Guidelines.

One of the principle issues that the Planning Department wants  to resolve in this plan update is the projected population growth of approximately 70,000 within the WCP area.  Their obvious solution is to up zone our area to accommodate this projected increase in people.  This solution will increase the most dense area outside of New York.  The question is, can this area accommodate this increase?  It's possible if the necessary resources are provided.  

The CRA Wilshire Center and Koreatown Community Advisory Committee (CRA-CAC) support the increase in density which is affected by zone change, plan amendment, or any other discretionary action, when the decision-makers make the following finding: The public infrastructures serving the project site shall have adequate capacity to accommodate the users. Based on project site users needs, public infrastructures shall consist of schools, security, maintenance recreation/park, and transportation. Example: A family housing project requires that there be adequate schools, security, recreation/park, maintenance and transportation for the residences. Commercial project users would not require schools/recreation/park facilities but adequate security, maintenance and transportation.

Another major element of the Plan is transportation. The Plan has some new ideas that are worth supporting. CRA-CAC supports the Plan’s goal of developing additional and alternative public transit systems which improve mobility with efficient, reliable, safe, convenient alternatives to automobile travel. One objective states we need to encourage the planning, design, and implementation of a light rail, elevated all-electric, rubber-tired, Monorail System, as an additional mode of public transit in the Wilshire Community Plan Area. 

OBJECTIVE 10-3 POLICIES:

10-3.1 Establish the location of the Wilshire Monorail System along the approximately 10 miles of routes, and nine station locations, and the Customer Service and Maintenance Center, located as shown on the Wilshire Public Transit Map.

Program: Coordinate the planning, design and development of the Wilshire Monorail System with the MTA and LADOT, and private interests, to expedite completion of the system.

10-3.2 Coordinate the Wilshire Monorail System to function as a complement to the routes, stops, and station locations of other forms of existing and proposed public transit, such as the Subway Stations, Major Bus Line Routes and Stops, DASH Routes and Stops, and Smart Shuttles.

Program: Continue to work with the MTA and LADOT to establish increased public transit efficiency through common and integrated route and station locations.

10-3.3 Encourage the connection and extension of the Wilshire Monorail System to the east to the Wilshire and Western Subway Station; and to the north into Hollywood; and to the west into Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Century City, and Santa Monica; as a continued complement to the routes, stops, and station locations of public transit in those adjacent areas.

Program: Continue to work with the MTA and LADOT to establish increased public transit coordination through the extension and connection of the Wilshire Monorail System through common and integrated route and station locations in those adjacent areas.

10-3.4 Encourage the involvement and participation of private groups in the financing, planning, design, development, marketing, and operation of the Wilshire Monorail System.

Program: Continue to work with the MTA and LADOT, and with participating private groups, to expedite the completion of the Wilshire Monorail System.

10-3.5 Encourage the use of the street side areas of City of Los Angeles right-of-ways, along Wilshire Major Class II and Secondary Highways, for the placement of small support pylons for the Wilshire Monorail System.

Program: Continue to work with the MTA and LADOT, and with participating private groups, to locate areas for pylon placement which will minimize interference with vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The last major section of the Plan is the Urban Design Guidelines within the Community Plan. This section represents most of what the CRA-CAC Urban Design Committee has discussed for the last two years.  CRA-CAC position is to support the Urban Design Chapter as written.