March 11, 2006
Parking in Historic Eagle Rock
The Eagle Rock Association (TERA) reports that they are currently working with the ERCPR and the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society to convince the City of Los Angeles to follow its own Zoning Code regarding parking for designated historic landmark buildings, and to not require additional parking for those buildings when there is a change of use.
In a recent newsletter, TERA explained that there are businesses currently in Eagle Rock attempting to relocate into historic buildings, but that are having difficulty doing so because of statements in the Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan requiring additional parking for restaurants. Complicated this is the fact that the exemption for new parking for historic buildings that already exists in the Zoning Code is not being allowed. The article continues:
This makes it virtually impossible for viable, popular businesses to locate in historic buildings which “historically” have been unable to provide parking sufficient to meet modern code requirements. The end result of this kind of policy has been the demolition of the City’s older buildings in order to provide the land necessary to park cars for new businesses. This is contrary to the intent of the Specific Plan, which states, “To the maximum extent feasible, cultural resources, architecturally-significant or historic structures or community related landmarks shall be preserved.” As was reported previously in the E-Letter, the City Planning Department is currently drafting an ordinance which will amend the Colorado Boulevard Specific Plan and allow on street parking to be applied as a credit against the needs for commercial and retail uses along Colorado Boulevard. ERCPR, with the help of Civic Enterprise Associates, LLC has been working hard to make this happen as quickly as possible to assist these businesses and others that may be waiting to locate in the remaining historic or potentially historic buildings along Colorado Boulevard. We are looking for and indeed expecting the assistance of Councilmember Huizar in pushing through this ordinance, which will be used as a model for parking in other parts of the City having the same issues. This is a collaborative effort of businesses, residents, and preservationists to do something quickly that will result in benefits for the entire community. We look forward to making it happen.
Visit the TERA website at: http://www.tera90041.org.
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