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 won...

City Planning Department Celebrates Women's Equality Day!

*CUE* Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World – Girls’ Imagine walking into your office on a Monday. You look to your left, you look to your right, and all of your colleagues are men. No, this isn’t an episode of The Twilight Zone, however for many women working in the field of urban and regional planning this is an everyday reality. So, how can we imagine an innovative and immersive city if diverse voices aren’t heard – or asked to even take a seat at the table? That’s where the City of Los Angeles steps in. Here in LA, the City Planning Department has made concerted efforts to hire and train employees to create a more accessible and equitable city. From the Deputy Director of Planning to our Graphics team and everyone in between, women have played a vital role in shaping our City. Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself, well, how many women are actually working at City Planning. Check the stats: 58% of our Employees are women. 57% of Planners are women. 5...

Building a City with the City Planning Department

Let’s build a city, and we’re not talking about the SIMCITY game here people! Welcome to You-ville! A new city that’s going to be completely created and maintained by YOU. Although this is “You-ville,” it’s hard to imagine a city with a population of just one, so you’ll have to plan for at least a modest population. Ready to start? Let’s get to it! First, some things to consider…. Where do people live? Where do people work and how far is that from where they live? Where do people purchase the goods and services they need? Do you have any schools, if so, how many and what types? What do your streets look like? Can you play in a local park? Can you park at the park? Are people walking, driving, using public transportation or speeding overhead on autonomous flying drones? What do you HAVE to have in your city to make it work? We know, that’s a lot to think about (and not even everything to think about), so let’s break this down how a cit...

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