Planning in the 20th Century
In the early 20th Century, the city began to be divided into districts of residential and industrial – thus beginning what is now known as “zoning.” The city began to expand and the population had seen a rapid increase, as a result of intensive real estate activity and businesses expansion, and real estate businessmen and homeowners alike wanted to protect their private investments and property values. [1] Zoning entailed the public regulation of private property and was contested at law with the Hadacheck v. Sebastian (1915) Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of this practice and cleared the path for more inclusive regulation that would lead to more effective city planning. [2] Zoning was needed as the city began to expand and the population was increasing and because of intensive real estate activity and businesses expansion. [1] The introduction of zoning caused civic leaders to realize that zoning alone could not improve the city. The city needed a general plan for the physical development of Los Angeles, a more systematic approach that could foster consistent development in Los Angeles. [2]
In Los Angeles, one of the goals of planning and improvements to the city was the protection of suburban districts that came about with the population boom. Issues such as congestion in downtown LA attracted notice and caused attempts to relieve it. [3]
The Municipal Art Commission - a commission dedicated to securing better cleaning and lighting for public streets and sought to influence the design of public buildings – recommended that the city employ Charles Robinson to lay out a plan for beautifying Los Angeles in 1906. Robinson was a writer and journalist, but was brought in to make recommendations.
Robinson’s proposal included:
Not all of his ideas came to fruition however. The Robinson Plan was primarily devoted to the aesthetic phases of city planning, but also provided for widened streets to relieve the traffic congestion in downtown LA and recommended the present location of the Civic Center. [2] The mayor and the city council wanted to develop a comprehensive plan for Los Angeles that considers the needs of the city itself, so they established the City Planning Committee in 1910. This committee, however, did not accomplish anything because they did not have adequate funds and faced a great deal of contestation. City planning in Los Angeles had begun to become a movement, and city officials recognized the need to develop an effective comprehensive plan.
In consideration of what planning for Los Angeles would benefit the city in the future, reformers to the previous endeavors (The Robinson Plan and the City Planning Committee) concluded that public officials should assume additional responsibility to oversee and supplement private enterprise in order to shape the landscape of Los Angeles. This idea was the foundation for city and regional planning and helped bring about the development of the City Planning Association in 1915. This association was comprised of volunteers and was influential through its personnel. [4] It promoted planning until 1920 when the City Planning Commission was established. This was the city’s first commission, comprised of 51 members with overlapping three year terms composed of representatives from 17 business and civic groups. [3] This commission immediately assumed the responsibility for the physical development of the city, and began.
Here is a list of major planning events and ordinances that came about with the Commission [5]:
In the early 20th Century, the city began to be divided into districts of residential and industrial – thus beginning what is now known as “zoning.” The city began to expand and the population had seen a rapid increase, as a result of intensive real estate activity and businesses expansion, and real estate businessmen and homeowners alike wanted to protect their private investments and property values. [1] Zoning entailed the public regulation of private property and was contested at law with the Hadacheck v. Sebastian (1915) Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of this practice and cleared the path for more inclusive regulation that would lead to more effective city planning. [2] Zoning was needed as the city began to expand and the population was increasing and because of intensive real estate activity and businesses expansion. [1] The introduction of zoning caused civic leaders to realize that zoning alone could not improve the city. The city needed a general plan for the physical development of Los Angeles, a more systematic approach that could foster consistent development in Los Angeles. [2]
In Los Angeles, one of the goals of planning and improvements to the city was the protection of suburban districts that came about with the population boom. Issues such as congestion in downtown LA attracted notice and caused attempts to relieve it. [3]
The Municipal Art Commission - a commission dedicated to securing better cleaning and lighting for public streets and sought to influence the design of public buildings – recommended that the city employ Charles Robinson to lay out a plan for beautifying Los Angeles in 1906. Robinson was a writer and journalist, but was brought in to make recommendations.
Robinson’s proposal included:
- Better street lighting
- Creating street intersections and tunnel entrances to be more aesthetically pleasing
- Getting rid of fences that separated residential lots
- Planting trees and promoting parks
- Called for wider boulevards and an emphasis on parks [3] (Figure 1)
Not all of his ideas came to fruition however. The Robinson Plan was primarily devoted to the aesthetic phases of city planning, but also provided for widened streets to relieve the traffic congestion in downtown LA and recommended the present location of the Civic Center. [2] The mayor and the city council wanted to develop a comprehensive plan for Los Angeles that considers the needs of the city itself, so they established the City Planning Committee in 1910. This committee, however, did not accomplish anything because they did not have adequate funds and faced a great deal of contestation. City planning in Los Angeles had begun to become a movement, and city officials recognized the need to develop an effective comprehensive plan.
In consideration of what planning for Los Angeles would benefit the city in the future, reformers to the previous endeavors (The Robinson Plan and the City Planning Committee) concluded that public officials should assume additional responsibility to oversee and supplement private enterprise in order to shape the landscape of Los Angeles. This idea was the foundation for city and regional planning and helped bring about the development of the City Planning Association in 1915. This association was comprised of volunteers and was influential through its personnel. [4] It promoted planning until 1920 when the City Planning Commission was established. This was the city’s first commission, comprised of 51 members with overlapping three year terms composed of representatives from 17 business and civic groups. [3] This commission immediately assumed the responsibility for the physical development of the city, and began.
Here is a list of major planning events and ordinances that came about with the Commission [5]:
Mid-20th Century Los Angeles
A new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance was established in 1946 and intended to zone all areas of Los Angeles, monitor zoning so that past mistakes are not repeated, and insure the elimination of nonconforming buildings in residential zones.[2] The purpose of this zoning plan was to better control the land-use of the expanding population. This expanding population especially hit a boom in the years after World War II, and as a result there was a housing shortage. To address this shortage, the city created the Master Plan of Housing in 1945. To address blight in Los Angeles, the Community Redevelopment Act was established to redevelop these areas.
A new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance was established in 1946 and intended to zone all areas of Los Angeles, monitor zoning so that past mistakes are not repeated, and insure the elimination of nonconforming buildings in residential zones.[2] The purpose of this zoning plan was to better control the land-use of the expanding population. This expanding population especially hit a boom in the years after World War II, and as a result there was a housing shortage. To address this shortage, the city created the Master Plan of Housing in 1945. To address blight in Los Angeles, the Community Redevelopment Act was established to redevelop these areas.
The Master Plan
The Master Plan for Los Angeles had been thought of since 1941, however the plans that were being discussed lacked the fundamental economic, social, and geographical studies needed for such a comprehensive plan and had not been guided by a set of goals for the future. The plan started to finally come together in 1964 when a Statistical Profile of Los Angeles was released. This data was able to calculate population estimates, housing inventories, and industrial development statistics. [2] Such a plan was needed especially since Downtown Los Angeles had been in economic decline because of sprawl and suburbanization to places such as the San Fernando Valley. There was more traffic congestion and a lack of parking facilities that came with the suburbanization and the increased reliance on cars instead of public transportation. The plan was mainly a comprehensive plan for the central city and included considerations such as:
· Economic, social, and physical concepts that related the central city
· Physical concepts concerning future development in the central city
· A program to improve projects and activities geared toward the future
A Centropolis report was completed in 1960 and 1962. The second report was considered to be the “General Development Plan” and the purpose was to serve as a basic form and guide in the preparation of the more elaborated final plan for development as well as to assist in the formulation of an efficient traffic and transportation pattern to provide access and circulation. [2] The report concluded that basic transportation needs for the downtown area have necessitated:
· The completion of freeways with improved thoroughfares
· Computer-controlled traffic controls
· Diversion of all “through” traffic
· A better method to service buildings. [2]
This first comprehensive plan serves as the basis of continued planning of the City of Los Angeles today.
The Master Plan for Los Angeles had been thought of since 1941, however the plans that were being discussed lacked the fundamental economic, social, and geographical studies needed for such a comprehensive plan and had not been guided by a set of goals for the future. The plan started to finally come together in 1964 when a Statistical Profile of Los Angeles was released. This data was able to calculate population estimates, housing inventories, and industrial development statistics. [2] Such a plan was needed especially since Downtown Los Angeles had been in economic decline because of sprawl and suburbanization to places such as the San Fernando Valley. There was more traffic congestion and a lack of parking facilities that came with the suburbanization and the increased reliance on cars instead of public transportation. The plan was mainly a comprehensive plan for the central city and included considerations such as:
· Economic, social, and physical concepts that related the central city
· Physical concepts concerning future development in the central city
· A program to improve projects and activities geared toward the future
A Centropolis report was completed in 1960 and 1962. The second report was considered to be the “General Development Plan” and the purpose was to serve as a basic form and guide in the preparation of the more elaborated final plan for development as well as to assist in the formulation of an efficient traffic and transportation pattern to provide access and circulation. [2] The report concluded that basic transportation needs for the downtown area have necessitated:
· The completion of freeways with improved thoroughfares
· Computer-controlled traffic controls
· Diversion of all “through” traffic
· A better method to service buildings. [2]
This first comprehensive plan serves as the basis of continued planning of the City of Los Angeles today.
Concepts for Los Angeles
In 1970, the Department of City Planning released its Concepts of Los Angeles General Plan (Concepts for Los Angeles)(Figure 3) for restructuring Los Angeles’ city form and serve as the city’s framework for the next long-range general plan. This plan was designed to help the city meet needs based on projections of increases in population. The plan drew on four general concepts: Centers, Dispersed, Corridors, and Low Density. This document focused on housing density options, spatial structure, transportation framework, and open space network as the policy variables.[1] The document analyzed how all of these variables interacted with each other.
The “Centers” concept entails an emphasis n both single-family and high-density housing. It is intended to develop a highly urban city in character while also leaving the single-family lifestyle character of the city an option as well.
The “Dispersed” concept’s main focus is on single-family and low- and medium density housing.
The “Corridors” concept focuses mainly on medium-density corridors that are developing out from the core.
The “Low Density” concept looked at potentially capping the population at four million and focusing on most of it’s housing to be single-family lots. [1]
The Concepts for Los Angeles emphasized the importance of single-family housing. The Centers Concept proposed a network of 29 centers within the city that would vary in size. These centers would contain a core that would be near transit stations to promote transit transportation. These concepts also promoted a network of mostly small-scale open spaces as well. Many plans were never implemented however. But ideas such as the emphasis of development near transit stations served as a model for current transit oriented developments.
This plan was adopted as part of the General Plan in 1974 and even though it was not highly successful, the plan was able to identify the city’s main planning issues. [1]
In 1970, the Department of City Planning released its Concepts of Los Angeles General Plan (Concepts for Los Angeles)(Figure 3) for restructuring Los Angeles’ city form and serve as the city’s framework for the next long-range general plan. This plan was designed to help the city meet needs based on projections of increases in population. The plan drew on four general concepts: Centers, Dispersed, Corridors, and Low Density. This document focused on housing density options, spatial structure, transportation framework, and open space network as the policy variables.[1] The document analyzed how all of these variables interacted with each other.
The “Centers” concept entails an emphasis n both single-family and high-density housing. It is intended to develop a highly urban city in character while also leaving the single-family lifestyle character of the city an option as well.
The “Dispersed” concept’s main focus is on single-family and low- and medium density housing.
The “Corridors” concept focuses mainly on medium-density corridors that are developing out from the core.
The “Low Density” concept looked at potentially capping the population at four million and focusing on most of it’s housing to be single-family lots. [1]
The Concepts for Los Angeles emphasized the importance of single-family housing. The Centers Concept proposed a network of 29 centers within the city that would vary in size. These centers would contain a core that would be near transit stations to promote transit transportation. These concepts also promoted a network of mostly small-scale open spaces as well. Many plans were never implemented however. But ideas such as the emphasis of development near transit stations served as a model for current transit oriented developments.
This plan was adopted as part of the General Plan in 1974 and even though it was not highly successful, the plan was able to identify the city’s main planning issues. [1]
Los Angeles Leading into the 21st Century
In 1992, large riots broke out in the City of Los Angeles after the courtroom ruling in the Rodney King case. These riots produced about $450 million worth of damage and destroyed more than 1,000 structures in South Central. “Rebuild L.A.” was established by Mayor Bradley’s administration to help South Central recover and put more money into this neighborhood. This program renovated 63 percent of the businesses that were lost within two years of the program's inception, and also created a hiring boom. [6]
In 1992, large riots broke out in the City of Los Angeles after the courtroom ruling in the Rodney King case. These riots produced about $450 million worth of damage and destroyed more than 1,000 structures in South Central. “Rebuild L.A.” was established by Mayor Bradley’s administration to help South Central recover and put more money into this neighborhood. This program renovated 63 percent of the businesses that were lost within two years of the program's inception, and also created a hiring boom. [6]
[1] Sloane, D. (2012). Planning Los Angeles. Chicago: American Planning Association.
[2] Los Angeles (Calif.). Dept. of City Planning. Administrative Services Division. (1964). City
Planning in Los Angeles: A History. Dept. of City Planning, Administrative Services
Division.
[3] Blackford, M. (1993). The Lost Dream: Businessmen and City Planning on the Pacific
Coast, 1890-1920. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
[4] Fogelson, R. (1993). The Fragmented Metropolis Los Angeles, 1850-1930. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
[5] Designing the Civic Center and the Sprawling 20's. (2011, October 22). Retrieved February
28, 2015, from https://laplanninghistory.wordpress.com/1913-1941/
[6] L.A. Riots: Rebuild L.A.'s Ambitious Attempts To Revive The City. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2015, from http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/04/la-riots-rebuild-las-ambitious-attempts-revive-neighborhood
IMAGES:
[Figure 1] retrieved from: https://ohiostatepress.org/Books/Complete%20PDFs/Blackford%20Lost/Blackford%20Lost%205.pdf
[Figure 2] retrieved from: https://archive.org/stream/CentropolisThePlanForTheCentralCityLosAngeles/centropolisLA1963#page/n29/mode/2up
[Figure 3] retrieved from: http://www.planetizen.com/node/23535
[Figure 4] retrieved from: http://20years.operationhope.org/gallery/the-los-angeles-riots-from-chaos/
[2] Los Angeles (Calif.). Dept. of City Planning. Administrative Services Division. (1964). City
Planning in Los Angeles: A History. Dept. of City Planning, Administrative Services
Division.
[3] Blackford, M. (1993). The Lost Dream: Businessmen and City Planning on the Pacific
Coast, 1890-1920. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
[4] Fogelson, R. (1993). The Fragmented Metropolis Los Angeles, 1850-1930. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
[5] Designing the Civic Center and the Sprawling 20's. (2011, October 22). Retrieved February
28, 2015, from https://laplanninghistory.wordpress.com/1913-1941/
[6] L.A. Riots: Rebuild L.A.'s Ambitious Attempts To Revive The City. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2015, from http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/04/la-riots-rebuild-las-ambitious-attempts-revive-neighborhood
IMAGES:
[Figure 1] retrieved from: https://ohiostatepress.org/Books/Complete%20PDFs/Blackford%20Lost/Blackford%20Lost%205.pdf
[Figure 2] retrieved from: https://archive.org/stream/CentropolisThePlanForTheCentralCityLosAngeles/centropolisLA1963#page/n29/mode/2up
[Figure 3] retrieved from: http://www.planetizen.com/node/23535
[Figure 4] retrieved from: http://20years.operationhope.org/gallery/the-los-angeles-riots-from-chaos/