On Thursday, the Department of City Planning announced that it has collected and summarized comments from two recent public workshops on proposed new Transit Neighborhood Plans, which would affect the areas within a half mile of each of the three new Purple Line subway stations (Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega) in our area.
The two workshops, held at the end of June, provided information about the planning process for the transit-adjacent areas, and invited residents of those areas to comment about neighborhood features they like, don’t like, and would like to see improved…as well as how they would like to see development proceed near the new transit stops.  The comments collected at the workshops can now be found at http://www.latnp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PL-Notes-Summary.pdf
In general, according to the summary, the comments and requests fell into several easily-identifiable categories:
- More neighborhood-serving commercial uses, such as grocery stores, are needed to decrease necessary auto trips.
- Uses that serve visitors and support cultural institutions, such as restaurants, hotels, entertainment, and cafes, would help encourage activity throughout the day and are desirable.
- Density is generally appropriate in close proximity to the station but should taper down farther from the station or corridors, and in transition to residential uses.
- Buildings should be aesthetically pleasing and designed to enhance the pedestrian experience.
- The area as a whole needs a stronger district identity, continuity of design, and sensitivity to the existing historic character.
- Both real and perceived safety and security of pedestrians, transit users, and bicyclists is of utmost importance at the stations and along corridors.
- It’s important to have adequate parking for new development and at the transit stations to minimizeneighborhood impacts.
- Outdoor open space, green space, and public art are community amenities and should be encouraged indevelopment through parklets, plazas, and outdoor dining areas.
Planning Assistant Andrew Jorgensen said in a letter to the community on Thursday that “We will continue to gather comments over the coming months, and this input will be used in developing initial concepts for each station area. The next step will be to present these initial concepts to the community and explain how they address your visions.”
For more information, see the Transit Neighborhood Plan website, presentation materials from the June meetings, or contact Jorgensen at [email protected] or (213) 978-1281
