Los Angeles has low self-esteem.
I would like to know how the LA City Council got to have SO MUCH power in LA. It's really scary.
As I predicted, the Cultural Heritage Commission resolved in favor of recommending to City Council that it designate all of Griffith Park as an L.A. Historic Cultural Monument. Historic Resources said yes! And thank you so much to all of you who called or wrote, or registered your support for this, Mayor Sam people!
I thought it went straight to the City Council next, but no, there's another group, still part of the Council, that wants their day of power: the Planning and Land Use Management Committee(PLUM) which is composed of Councilmembers Reyes, Huizar and Weiss. (What their background is in landscape architecture, historic monuments, urban parks, etc, Lord only knows.) Then, if it passes them, on to the full Council (because you can never have too many Councilmembers in the pot.) More from LA Now.
(Okay, I just looked these 3 Councilmembers up. Reyes works to clean up the LA River. Weiss likes environmental issues. I don't know where Huizar is at. None of them have the proper background to MAKE this decision, from what I can find, but I predict they will allow this proposal and pass it on to the general Council. Even without creds.)
Back east, cities have respect for themselves. They honor history and provenance. They work to save what is valuable. Even when it's annoying to have every school field trip be to visit a monument or place that's OLD, which is the worst category that kids have, you feel proud of your country and your city at the end of it.
Not LA, oh no. But we do have the Office of Historic Resources, right? Well, as it turns out, the Office has only been in existence for two years. TWO YEARS. Cultural Affairs, which was it's earlier form, oversaw some landmarks, but they themselves didn't start until 1962!! A truly forward looking city, like people call Los Angeles, would pay more attention to its past.
And now we see that the OHR is toothless, anyway. They can only recommend. The City Council, with no training or education in architectural history or planning, can do whatever they feel like with that recommendation.
Photo ©Omar Omar of the old zoo site in Griffith Park, from Flickr Creative Commons.
Labels: donna barstow, griffith park, historic resources, LA City Council
Posted by Cartoons @ 11/02/2008 01:40:00 PM
11 Comments:
Excellent piece Donna.
You bring up some very good points. In my travels I've noticed this strange difference between LA and other cities.
However one reason why I believe it is this way is that there is no civic pride in LA. And that's because people don't see LA as one city.
Historically LA is not one city. It's a patchwork of towns that was cobbled together over political and other issues with no real plan or thought.
Think of it - most people who live in LA when you ask them where they're from they say Van Nuys, Mar Vista, Silverlake, etc. - the names these communities often had when they were not part of the City of LA.
So perhaps there is a call for secession now more than ever.
My theory about PLUM is that they act as a political filter for the Council. If an issue is too hot for the Council, a PLUM recommendation can be used as a way to redirect the finger pointing. I could be wrong, but it would be interesting to find out how many times the Council has not accepted the decision PLUM came to.
Due to Ed Reyes' obsession w/ the imaginary "rights" of illegal aliens as well as with what he perceives to be the restoration of the L.A. River, I predict Reyes will single-handedly revitalize our usage of the term "wetback."
"Los Angeles has low self-esteem."? Considering the current City officeholders (Mrs. Laura Chick excluded), it's not surprising.
As for Mrs. Chick, IMHO she's done a terrific job as Controller.
That's a good point Joe. I think there are a number of committees the Clowncil uses to "launder" proposals on their way from good strong idea to Clowncil termination. Public safety is another.
The photo looks like primitive man's attempt to build a subway.
Thanks, Michael!
Joe B, are you saying that PLUM is an arbitrary step for proposed matters? Some might go straight to the Council, and others are sidelined here first?
And I'm not sure, are you suggesting that the Council uses it as a straw dog? Yes, I'd like to find out the % of times the Council takes their decision.
I think if it's a land use issue it is not arbitrary, it's a step in the process. If PLUM was ONLY used for controversial or hot button issues, their credibility would be nil.
Straw dog? Only if necessary.
Donna --
Villaraigosa and the City Council don't really care about historic preservation; at least, not when it conflicts with the financial interests of the developers who fund their campaign.
I'm running for Mayor, and my platform expressly includes preserving L.A.'s historic low-rise, low-density architecture. I live in an HPOZ, and am a member of an HPOZ Board.
Please visit my website and, if you like what you see, tell everyone you know who cares about historic preservation to send a contribution check, and to get a bumper sticker and a yard sign.
Walter Moore
Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles
http://WalterMooreForMayor.com
Good evening Mister Moore, it's been awhile since I've seen you here.
Great post Donna. Very good points MIchael. Donna should look up all the historic sites in Huizar's district that have been destroyed and bulldozered. I believe there are 3 and now the historic bridges are in jeopardy because Huizar like Villaraigosa is all about developer money$$$$$$. Richard Muerolo the biggest crook in the city has bought tons of property in downtown LA because of Huizar and Villaraigosa.
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