A deal is a deal, right? Not necessarily. Los Angeles has a long, if complicated, tradition of imposing conditions on proposed developments in exchange for stakeholder support. Conditions, which include everything from height restrictions to parking requirements to aesthetic improvements, are a key part of negotiations between developers, community members, and public officials. But stakeholders in L.A. are increasingly concerned that the city lacks the means to enforce conditions. Westside Councilmember Mike Bonin has called for the Department of City Planning to devise ways to ensure that developers uphold the commitments they make to City Hall in return for permission to build. Can and should the City change the ways it enforces conditions of approval? Is this truly a problem, or just another issue raised by NIMBYs? Would these changes add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy to the already complex development process? How can we impose reasonable conditions, ensure accountability, and promote better projects and happier communities at the same time?
Moderator
Kevin Keller, Director of Planning and Housing Policy, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
Panelists
Councilmember Mike Bonin, Los Angeles Council District 11
Sharon Commins, Co-Chair, Los Angeles Zoning Advisory Committee
Benjamin M. Reznik, Esq., Chairman of the Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
Councilmember Mike Bonin, Los Angeles Council District 11
Sharon Commins, Co-Chair, Los Angeles Zoning Advisory Committee
Benjamin M. Reznik, Esq., Chairman of the Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
