City Planning Commission votes in favor of new zoning rules near three G Line stops

At its June 25 meeting, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the new land use regulations that will bring L.A.'s updated zoning code into the San Fernando Valley.

The Orange Line Transit Neighborhood Plan, which references the original name of the G Line, will enact new zoning for properties near the busway's stations at Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood and Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards in Van Nuys. The overall area is home to roughly 100,000 people and more than 25,000 jobs. In addition to existing services such as the G Line and the B Line, planning or construction is also underway for additional transit lines which will reach these areas such as the East San Fernando Valley light rail line, the Pasadena-North Hollywood bus rapid transit line, and a future subway serving the Sepulveda Pass. While the plan was initially intended to also include neighborhoods near stops at Sherman Way and Reseda Boulevard, the rezoning for those G Line stops will instead occur through the update of the Southwest Valley community plans.

As written, the plan impacts properties which are currently zoned for commercial or multi-family residential uses, and deliberately excludes single-family and industrial zones - though recent housing bills at the state level will impact some single-family zones. Pending City Council approval, new general plan land use designations will be adopted for all eligible parcels within the plan area, and with that, the City's new zoning system based on form, frontage, development standards, use, and density districts which provide limits on building design, type of land use, and intensity of land use. This system is currently enacted only in the Downtown community plan area, and will soon be implemented in the Boyle Heights area.

Existing overlays and specific plans which also regulate development within the plan area are to be rescinded or amended as part of this effort, including design overlays regulating the Van Nuys commercial corridor and the North Hollywood Arts District. The design regulations previously contained in these overlays or specific plans will instead be incorporated into the regulations of the new zoning code.

While the base development rights generally remain unchanged through the new plan, some exceptions include parcels with industrial land use designations along Sepulveda Boulevard, which have been re-designated for commercial land uses, where housing is allowed by-right. Additional development rights can be achieved through a base-bonus incentive system, similar to those included in the Downtown and Boyle Heights community plans, in which the provision of affordable housing other desired features can allow for higher density housing and larger buildings. This G Line-specific bonus system would override the citywide transit oriented incentive program within the plan area.

Moving forward, the plan will next head to the City Council's Planning Committee for consideration, and then to the full Council for adoption.

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