917-921 19th Street
Category: 'News'
2006-07-17
To: PLANNING COMMISSION
Barbara Brown, Darrell Clarke, Julie Dad, Jay Johnson, Hank Koning, Terry O'Day, Gwynne Pugh
Council Liaison: Councilmember Pam O'Connor
RE: August 16, 2006 Meeting Item: 917-921 19th Street
After carefully reviewing the presentation by PLUS Architects to the Board of Directors of the Wilshire-Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) on July 17, 2006 regarding the above-noted project, the Board of Directors cannot support the project because of the following questions and concerns:
1. Mass of project
We are concerned about the mass of the project which is far greater than any other existing building in the immediate area.
2. Parking
While acknowledging that the architect has included more parking places than are legally required, the density of this project assures that its construction will worsen an already untenable parking problem in the area.
For decades, former Planning Commissions have allowed the construction of thousands of buildings with inadequate or NO parking for their tenants. The misguided City policies of the past have assured that these residents have no place to park except on the street. When the current Planning Commission continues to allow over-development, where are the long-term residents supposed to park?
3. Density
The Wilshire-Montana district is the most densely-populated part of the second most densely-populated city in Southern California. Replacing the four existing units with the proposed eight units continues an unacceptable level of over-development in our neighborhood.
4. Loss of community rental properties
The construction of this building will eliminate 2 1-bedroom properties and 2 2-bedroom properties, some of which are currently rent-controlled. This continued gentrification is destroying our community's diversity and denying mid-low income families a place to live.
We applaud the architect for responding to the group's concerns about the courtyard size and building color. However, until the above-noted questions for this project are fully addressed, the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) cannot approve or endorse developments that would change the character of the neighborhood and continue the trend towards increasing community density.
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