The DRAA Represents Over 800 Households in Del Rey
Winner of the Los Angeles Great Streets Challenge
May 3, 2023
Councilwoman Traci Park councilmember.park@lacity.org
Samantha Millman, President City Planning Commission
Diego Janacua-Cortez, Supervisor, Westside Community Plan Advocacy Group planning.thewestside@lacity.org
Re: Principles for New Construction from the DRRA Land Use Committee
Dear Diego Janacua-Cortez,
In light of the mandate and deadline for new and affordable housing construction, we submit the attached list of development standards [1] important to the Del Rey community.
When Planning asks: What do we want? What is best for our community? Please refer to these criteria.
Recent years have brought a building boom to Del Rey that has failed to make the neighborhood better – or more affordable.
Tell us, please: What is the best way for us to interact with Council and Planning around zoning issues and proposed changes? We want to work closely with you so that the development standards are predictable and equitably applied.
Please let us hear from you.
Regards,
Liz Layne, President
Del Rey Residents Association
SIGNED
CC
Ashley Lozada, Del Rey Deputy Planning Ashley.Lozada@lacity.org
pojua.bhagat@delreync.org
[1] DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS:
Building Massing
1) General compliance with Zoning Code and Community Plan for density, FAR and massing requirements.
a. NOTE: If compliance is met, the rest becomes less relevant.
2) Respect the height limits. 45 ft is generally appropriate in multi-family and commercial zones in Del Rey.
3) Provide building step-backs on upper levels.
4) Provide expanded front and rear yard setbacks to allow for significant landscaping.
5) Maintain sufficient and comfortable open space between properties (side yards).
6) Use multiple materials on all elevations and minimize use of stucco; incorporate plane and massing articulation into all facade designs.
7) Large frontage lots should provide open space relief along street front. The maximum length of a continuous wall to be 40’ before a minimum 10’ deep x 20’ long offset.
Use and Public Amenity
8) Housing projects should contain a minimum proportion of affordable units that is based on the City of LA Housing Element requirement (approx. 40% affordable units) for the current cycle.
9) Ground levels should be primarily public uses such as retail, food service, health/beauty/fitness, cultural, professional services, community services, etc.
10) Ground level parking restricted to short term, HC and entry ramps to subterranean. And charging stations for electric vehicles.
11) Sufficient parking should be provided to avoid any overflow parking in the neighborhood.
12) Account for the use of ride share vehicles and provide off-street pickup/drop-off area if appropriate.
13) Provide wider and improved sidewalks and streetscape for public benefit.
Development Standards, continued
Sustainability Features
14) Reuse existing structures whenever possible to minimize carbon footprint.
15) Provide significant in-ground front yard and rear yard landscaping, including mature trees on property (1 per 25’ of frontage min.) in addition to public parkway street trees.
16) Provide green or planted roofs in areas that are not used for equipment, solar panels or public decks.
17) Integrate alternative modes of transportation into property.
Additional Guidelines for Glencoe-Maxella SP area
18) Recognize the intent of the Specific Plan, in both massing and use.
19) In order to execute the intent of the specific plan, which identifies this area as the ‘Marina Arts District’, project should contain a significant component of Arts or Light Industrial facilities.
20) On sites where existing arts or industrial buildings exist (or recently existed), a significant portion of these buildings should be preserved and reused and integrated into the development.
21) Contribution (financial or constructed or both) to the overall improvement of pedestrian, handicap and bicycle functioning of the district including expanded sidewalks, walkways and paseos, crosswalks, street trees, shade structures, pocket parks, etc. Minimize vehicular access points onto the property,
END