Design Review Board Spring Training Recap!

By Jane Choi and Michelle Levy

On Friday, May 11 and Friday, May 18, City Planning Staff from the Valley, Central and West-South Project Planning Geo Teams hosted the Citywide Design Review Board Member Trainings. Design Review Boards are comprised of citizen volunteers generally appointed by the City Council offices.

These all day events were attended by over 50 of the 90 Design Review Board Members that serve on one of 13 Design Review Boards representing communities from the North Valley to South Los Angeles.

The day began with a discussion led by Lisa Webber, Deputy Director, and Shana Bonstin, Principal City Planner, with the board chairs and vice chairs about the unique roles that they play in creating a welcoming and fair experience for all involved in the design review process. Topics included ideas and guidelines for leading effective meetings and working with the DRB Project Planner as a resource in managing the multiple facets of a DRB meeting.

The rest of the board members joined the chairs and vice chairs after their session for the all-member training. The morning session was titled “Design Review Board Role, Authority, and Function,” and covered the important role of the DRBs as well as highlighted upcoming improvements to the function of the DRBs. Representatives from the City Attorney’s Office led the second session on the Brown Act, conflicts of interest, and code of conduct.

Ken Bernstein, Principal City Planner and Manager of the Office of Historic Resources and the Urban Design Studio gave an inspiring lunch keynote on how design shapes Los Angeles, providing a citywide context to the work done by each Design Review Board.

Young, Black and Planning

Based on recent data , African-Americans only represent 7.9% of those in the planning profession. In 2017, TheRoot.com published an article titled, “Urban Planning Can’t Happen Without Black People in the Room—Yet It Does,” reflecting on the importance of having multiple voices when planning and designing a city. In the City of Los Angeles, we see diversity throughout the City and in those who are helping plan the future of Los Angeles. In 2018, 16% of new hires and 12% of all promotions within the Department of City Planning were of African-Americans, representing 12% of the entire Department. Below, the Department of City Planning’s African-American City Planning Assistants and Associates share their advice for those interested in entering the profession. Scroll below to get their insights, and get inspired to plan! Kyle Winston "I grew up in South Central LA. I watched my neighborhood burn during the LA riots and then sit untouched for years wondering wh

City Planning Department Celebrates Women's Equality Day!

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Planning for the Environment | Fires and Mudslides and Rain, Oh My!

Imagine being woken up at 2:00AM to find your house, all of your possessions and precious memories being engulfed by flames. For many Southern California residents, this nightmare became an all too real, frightening reality on November 8 – when the Woolsey Fire gained speed and began destroying everything in its path. Now, nearly three weeks later, the fire is finally 100% contained but has destroyed approximately 1,500 structures and priceless memories for those in its path. This isn’t the first massive fire we’ve seen in California. You may even wonder why our region particularly vulnerable to wildfires? Or, what role does planning serve to improve our resiliency to wildfire events? In short, we can address these challenges through Climate Adaptation Planning. Wildfire Risk in Southern California To understand these recent devastating wildfires, let’s first consider our local environment. Wildfires are uncontrolled fires on undeveloped land and are

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