LA City Council Approves "Density Bonus" After Vigorous Debate And Against Janice Hahn's Wishes

LA City Council approves new "density bonus" bonanza
by Zuma Dogg (because I didn't see any coverage in LA Times today)

I didn't see anything about this in the LA Times, but it kinda hit ZD as the biggest thing to hit the City of Los Angeles in years when it comes to traffic, density (and lack of infrastructure to accommodate the density) that will be created by the new "density bonus" that Los Angeles City Council is now offering to developers after yesterday's approval. (Since it wasn't passed unanimously, it will come back for one more vote/second reading, next Wednesday, but expect a final approval. )

Click here for Item 45 from the LA City Council Agenda from 2/13/08 to see the heated debate between Janice Hahn, CM Tom LaBonge and CM Bill Rosendahl vs Eric Garshady and the rest of his developer puppet-masters. In all my time following the council meetings, this was about the most lively debate, yet -- as opposed to the usual dog and pony show, non-debate. (It actually didn't pass unanimously. Hahn, LaBonge and Rosendahl voted "no".) You have to make it past CM Reyes who opens the debate, and will put you to sleep, but it picks up into a great reality show-style actual debate.

CM Wendy Greuel informed the public that, "I feel the reason we have the traffic today is because there is not enough affordable housing near where people work." (Near transit hubs.)

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF JANICE HAHN, WHO FILLED IN FOR ZD WITH HER ANTI-GARCETTI PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE.

zumadogg@gmail.com