Presentation Regarding Potential PLUC Motion

Request that CD11 Planning staff advocate with Planning Dept to support Downtown Westchester Community Design Overlay (CDO)** enforcement, specifically restricting ground-floor use to commercial only.

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Building a Better Westchester-Playa (BaBPW) presented a draft motion to the Neighborhood Council Planning and Land Use Committee (PLUC) as an agenda item for that meeting.  After our presentation, Committee discussion, and public comment, the Committee drafted specific language for a motion which passed unanimously.  Next step: NC Board consideration, possibly at their next meeting on May 6.

(Note: we’ll post copy of the final motion here when available it’s made available by the Committee.)

Current Situation

• BaBWP supports ED1 development in our area, viewing ED1 as a hopeful incentive for developing more affordable housing to our community. However, we are also concerned about preserving the future of a dense but livable, walkable community for future Westchester Town Center residents.

• CDO Downtown Westchester Requirement mandates ground floor commercial use is protected by the area’s CDO requirements, confirmed in 2008. This requirement is intended to preserve the commercial character of the area between (roughly) Manchester and LAX on Sepulveda.

• Q Condition Language from CDO Ordinance #179907, amending Section .12.04 of the LA Municipal Code by amending the zoning Map.

Key Considerations Supporting a Motion

1. Next-generation high density development applications are now in play for Downtown Westchester;
2. It’s important to support the commercial viability of Downtown Westchester as a future “walkable” community by requiring a majority of the Sepulveda street frontage be CDO compliant;
3. The first major new application for Downtown Westchester redevelopment—the Staples replacement with senior housing—resulted in Planning removing the Sepulveda-facing ground-floor commercial use requirement of the existing CDO;
4. The developer of 8819 Sepulveda Eastway (an ED1 project) is now asking for relief from the existing CDO requirement of first-floor commercial, and potentially setting a negative precedent for future Planning enforcement of the existing CDO; and
5. The developer of 8820 Sepulveda (an ED1 project) is planning only 25% of its total building frontage on Sepulveda as dedicated commercial use.

Specific Local Examples:

• 8704 Sepulveda / Staples Replacement Senior Living project: 1^st floor commercial? No. Planning gave developer relief from CDO Q condition for ground floor commercial. As a result, community lost about ~40% of one block’s commercial frontage.

• 8819 Sepulveda Eastway = 1^st floor commercial? No. The developer  has specifically asked for relief from the CDO condition of first-floor commercial use, in order to deliver 100% housing on every floor of the project. Note: this request for relief if ground floor commercial is not a formal application waiver. Planning file: ADM-2024-4730-DB-VHCA-ED1

• 8820 Sepulveda = 1^st floor commercial? Yes but…only 25% of the Sepulveda frontage. First floor commercial is “built in” (good). But at 1850 sq ft total, actual Sepulveda Frontage for commercial is only about a quarter of total Sepulveda Frontage. The remaining 3/4’s of the ground floor is programmed exclusively for residential lobby and other residential uses, again, in violation of the downtown Westchester CDO. Planning File: ADM-2025-652-DB-CDO-HCA-RED1

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**LA Planning Department’s definition of Community Design Overlays (CDO): contain design guidelines that enhance the visual identity and character of a neighborhood. They can apply to new development projects and to improvements to existing properties.