Upcoming hearing on Sunset Flats Development in Echo Park
Rough outline of where Sunset Flats will be built according to a city hearing notice
Last week, we wrote about the Sunset Flats development – a 60+ unit apartment complex planned for the form Echo Park Community Garden site along Sunset Blvd. and Rosemont. Coming up on Monday, November 22, the city will hold a hearing on the requested variances for the project, including a density bonus. Echo Park Now has learned that there will be no actual decision made on the project, but will just be a meeting with the hearing officer. A decision will be made on January 13, 2011.
Everyone is still encouraged to submit letters for the record as well as show up to the hearing (to protest or support the project) as every little thing does make a difference.
For those not familiar with the project, here’s the low-down (and some updates from previous reports):
- 12 total buildings with 62 total units (one-two bedrooms) and commercial storefronts
- 10-11 low-income units will be provided, which is the minimum required for this project
- Existing structures (approximately 6 buildings with 11 units) will be removed
- Project is a mixed-use project where the developer is applying to combine residential zoning with commercial zoning under SB 1818
- 113 parking spaces (101 are required) with 12 of those being guest parking
- Front of project, along Sunset, will be five stories if the developer gets approval from the city (the developer is arguing for 12 extra feet, making the project five stories at a total of 57 feet)
- Back of project, along Elsinore, will be two stories
- All parking will be access through Elsinore street, which will be a terrible impact on that small neighborhood
The bottom line is, the problem with this development is that although the developer can legally build a structure this size, it’s not going to serve the community. In addition, the issue has blown up because of the developer’s lack of communication with the community (including even those living in houses they plan to demolish), and there’s a sense that they are pretty hot-headed. For instance, at the neighborhood council meeting last month, architect Jay Vanos told everyone he could build a bigger, 127-unit complex if he wanted. This was right before the committee voted to approve the project (despite objections by residents), so it seems the threat worked. We do have one office on our side – Garcetti has said publicly that he remains on the community’s side.
In fact, it’s gotten quite nasty. On the comments section of an Eastsider LA, someone who identifies himself as “Al” and has some relationship with the developer (perhaps a consultant?) writes, “If the proposed building will not be acceptable then we will build what is by RIGHT and then it will be bigger.” Seems a little threatening for someone trying to get the neighborhood’s support.
In another article, this on on the LA Weekly blog, the same “Al” attacks an Echo Park resident by name (who we know to be incredibly involved in Echo Park and does amazing things for our community), calling her emotional. More recently, the developer agreed to meet with the Echo Park Improvement Association, but failed to attend last Wednesday’s meeting and couldn’t (or wouldn’t) meet later that week.
On a personal note, this is what bothers us the most. Garcetti’s office will continue to work to bring together the developers and the community to discuss the issues with the project. But the developer has to stop threatening to make the project bigger if he doesn’t get support from the community, and he’s not going to get it if they don’t communicate.
The best thing residents can do is make sure the city hears us and our opinions go down on record. Click here to download the hearing notice. Go to the hearing, or write a letter be snail mail or email, all the info is below:
Hearing:
Monday, November 22, 2010 at 11:00 am
Los Angeles City Hall
200 North Spring Street (Entrance on Main Street between Temple Street and 1st Street)
10th floor, Room 1020
For more info: Rogelio Flores 213/ 978-1478 rogelio.flores@lacity.org
In writing:
Los Angeles Department of City Planning
Community Planning Bureau
City Hall
Room 667
200 North Spring Street. Los Angeles CA 90012
Case # CPC-2009-3488-DB-SPR
Email: rogelio.flores@lacity.org
You should also CC Eric Garcetti’s office at councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org
We are in the process of writing a letter ourselves, if you would like some help please feel free to contact us and we can help you with some of those complicated talking points.
Looks like a decent project. I’m not sure what the uproar is. This is quite literally the main intersection of Echo Park, and its an appropriate place for this kind of density. Its not like there aren’t any other 5 story structures close by. What’s the new school across the street- 4 or 5 stories? What about the 6 story Angelus Temple parking garage? The 12 story Citibank building down the street?
Bottom line is that developers will continue building along Sunset in Echo Park. Its an in-demand neighborhood, and Sunset Blvd is zoned for mid-rise mixed-use. Developers can build these projects *by right*. I’m looking forward to the new retail that this project will bring, along with the new retail inbound at Echo 1030 across the street.
Thanks for your opinion Chris, I definitely hear ya. The problem is we’re not willing to let developers come in and do whatever they want, but also to do whatever they want just to piss off the neighbors is childish and unnecessary. And because there aren’t any 5 story buildings nearby doesn’t mean there should be – it would tower over the rest of the community.
They are certainly legally allowed to build this size, the problem really is with the city regulations at that point. SB 1818 does not serve the community when we get a project this size and when a majority of the neighborhood (especially those directly impacted) doesn’t want it. What was once designed as a law to encourage retail shops along Sunset now has severely unintended consequences. What’s good about a project when the City doesn’t approve of it, when the neighbors don’t approve of it, and when the developer says to your face “screw you, I’ll do whatever I want”? We don’t want that in our neighborhood.
You can still have those retail shops that you want, but it doesn’t have to come with a huge condo complex in a down market on a street that wasn’t meant for high density (which Elsinore was not meant for, so it’s not an appropriate place for high density).
DESTROY> BUILD>DESTROY California has a history of this and it will not end, cheap construction to make some bucks then move on unfortunately, this is not Europe, for better and worse.
I don’t really have a dog in this fight anymore- we’re moving Downtown next month, mainly because my wife and I want to be more amenities so we can enjoy the “car-light” lifestyle we did back in DC. When we moved to Echo Park we thought it was the next hot spot, and assumed that gentrification would be happening a bit quicker here. I assumed there’d be more retail and mixed-use projects like Sunset Flats popping up. I was hoping for the whole “urban village” thing, where the pace is slightly slower than in the heart of the city, but where the essentials are all within walking distance. After a year of watching and waiting, its clear that progress is coming to Echo Park too slowly for our liking, and that residents don’t want anything to change anyway. To each their own.
I live in the neighborhood and I think Sunset is the place where developers should be building dense projects. The project is right across from a bus stop and is the perfect place for a mixed use development. That area is rather dark and could use some more life on the street. Five stories on sunset tapering down do two on Elsinore seems fine to me if it is well designed.
I am always disappointed with the lack of creativity in the goals of these kind of existing neighbors vs. impending development battles. Echo Park has attracted many because of it is one of the few areas in Los Angeles that has the potential to be a place not like the rest of LA, a place where one can ride a bike or walk to restaurants, bars and small shops. Instead of working together to help make Echo Park realize that potential, some are saying “Not in My Backyard” to a mixed-use development right where it could do the most good. What is the goal? To preserve a vacant lot on Sunset Boulevard? To maintain our infamous low-density sprawl at all costs? To ensure that LA remains the land of far-flung and disparate destinations, only reachable by car? And Elsinore Street, although residential is quite wide, so the access dispute is a moot point. What this dispute reads like is: current stakeholders like their current funky surroundings, are still bitter about losing their community garden and would rather that nothing new got built, especially by developers who lack social skills. Which would be understandable if this were yet another LA stucco box monstrosity. But the proposed design is well thought-out, with articulation and terracing that has precedence in Echo Park. A better battle to wage would be to insist that developers who want a zoning exception should make further contributions towards improving the vicinity of the project. As an example, the nearby major intersection of Sunset and Alvarado would benefit greatly from vegetation canopies, sidewalk treatments or even something as simple as scheduled cleaning.
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