The Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell is committed to ensuring the residents of Ladera Heights and the surrounding communities of the Ladera Center are engaged and part of Los Angeles County’s process for any proposed land-use and zoning changes for the Ladera Center. One third (1/3) of the Ladera Center is in the City of Los Angeles and two-thirds (2/3) is in the Los Angeles County.
For this reason there are two separate land-use and zoning plans.
The City of Los Angeles has released its draft land use plan for Westchester-Playa del Rey, which includes the Ladera Center. The City of LA Westside Community Plans can be found here.
Los Angeles County is in the process of completing an Environmental Impact Report to present to the community for input on June18 before its proposed land-use and zoning changes for the Ladera Center can be presented to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for a vote at the end of this year.
LA COUNTY WEST SIDE AREA PLAN
LADERA CENTER FACT SHEET
This fact sheet is regarding Los Angeles County’s Westside Area Plan (WSAP) and proposed land-use and zoning changes to the Ladera Center.
Overview on LA County Plans
The Los Angeles County Area Plans implement the land-use and zoning policies for the unincorporated communities. Area Plans consider the unique characteristics and needs of communities while connecting to the unified vision of the countywide General Plan, which provides the policy framework for how and where the unincorporated County will grow to meet the needs of residents through the year 2035.
State Housing Element law mandates that local government housing element plans be updated every eight years and that specific components be included in local governments’ strategies for addressing housing needs.
Westside Area Plan - Ladera Center
The Ladera Center is one of 11 community-specific sites in the Westside Area Plans (WSAP) for housing, commercial, and open space. The WSAP does not remove existing homes, businesses, or other permitted uses or provide approval for development projects. It only regulates land use and zoning. Property owners decide whether to maintain their property as-is or redevelop it.
LA County’s Proposed Land-Use and Zoning Changes for Ladera Center:
To change the current land-use from Commercial-General
to Mixed-Use with the following maximums:
To change the current land-use from Commercial-General to Mixed-Use with the following maximums:
- Building heights: maximum 65 feet (an estimated 4.5 to 6.5 stories), with building heights reduced to transition to adjoining residential neighborhoods. The current height restriction for Ladera Center is 35ft/ 2 stories.
- Density: Up to 150 dwelling units per acre
- Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.): 3.0 - - this means that one-third of the total buildable acreage of land can have a building on it. Currently the F.A.R. for Ladera Center is 1.0 since it is for non-residential.
- Total Property Acreage within LA County: 10.4 acres
- Parking: This property is not subject to mandated automobile parking requirements within Assembly Bill 2097. However, if a proposed project for this site would have more than 10 dwelling units then the parking would need to meet current standards. Overall parking requirements depend on what a proposed development project would include.
The City of Los Angeles Draft Zoning Plan for Ladera Center:
The City of Los Angeles’s draft zoning plans include changing the Ladera Center’s current land use from Commercial-General to a Regional Center. Generally Regional Centers will have a F.A.R. that ranges from 1.5:1 to 6:1 and are characterized by buildings 6 to 20 stories or higher.
The Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell does not support the current draft zoning plans of the City of Los Angeles for a Regional Center designation. It is important that both County and City of LA zoning plans be aligned on key parameters including height and density and that both plans are informed by Ladera Heights residents.
For more information from the City of Los Angeles you can email: planning.thewestside@lacity.org or contact the Westchester-Playa Del Rey planner Charlotte Kings at (213) 978-3094
Current Status of the LA County West Side Area Plan:
Los Angeles County is in the process of drafting a proposed plan and an EnvironmentalImpact Report (EIR). The EIR analyzes the potential effects zoning and land use changes canhave on the environment, including traffic, and efforts to mitigate those effects. The EIR isscheduled to be available for a 45-day public review starting on June 18th, 2024 to allowresidents to provide feedback on the plan.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell is looking forward to reviewing the EIR and community feedback from residents to inform her decision on this important issue at the end of this year. To receive updates from our office on this topic, click here or email: HollyJMitchell@bos.lacounty.gov
Timeline & Next Step
The below timeline is from the West Side Area Plan website. The draft EIR is set to be published on June 18, 2024. Starting on this date, residents will have 45 days to provide public feedback on the EIR.
Additional Information
- To learn more about Los Angeles County’s Westside Area Plan, visit https://planning.lacounty.gov/long-range-planning/westside-area-plan/or email WestAreaPlan@planning.lacounty.gov.
- LA County Department of Regional Planning Westside Area Plan Fact Sheet
- West Side Area Plan Community Events Page
- West Side Area Plan Draft Goals and Policies
Stay Engaged and Informed
You can reach Team Mitchell on this matter via email at hollyjmitchell@bos.lacounty.gov, please include in the subject line:
“Westside Area Plan”, “WSAP” or Ladera Center