Council Approves Height Restrictions for Sunset Blvd in Echo Park

ECHO PARK — The Los Angeles City Council approved a new height limit for Echo Park on Tuesday, which establishes a new limit of 45 feet and will help to maintain the character of the commercial district along Sunset Boulevard.

Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell originally introduced the motion last July in an effort to preserve the feeling and association of the 1920s era in the City of Angels. The action today will encourage development that is an appropriate scale to the street and the surrounding neighborhood context.

“This change is critical to promote the unique characteristics of this area including historic homes, scenic hillsides, and winding roads,” said O’Farrell. “The height district change is a tool to shape the massing of future development and will provide for long-range protection of the existing residential neighborhood and its local commercial corridor, which I see as vital to maintaining the character that Angelenos love about this special neighborhood.”

The height district change from 1L (75 feet) to 1VL (45 feet) will include the following parcels in the Echo Park area:

-Parcels fronting Sunset Blvd. between Glendale Blvd. and Mc Duff St. (excluding the south block from Echo Park Ave. to Laveta Terrace)

-Parcels south of Sunset Blvd. along Lemoyne St. and Logan St.

-Parcels north of Sunset Blvd. along Echo Park and Laveta Terrace

-Parcels north of Sunset Blvd. along Fairbanks Pl. and Mc Duff St.

This zone change will impact parcels in and adjacent to the Echo Park Community Design  Overlay (CDO) and help ensure that future development is compatible with the existing  historic structures along this main street corridor. The proposed change area is currently subject to a 75’ height district while the adjacent properties to the north, south, east and west all have a maximum 45’ height district.

“The Echo Park Historical Society (EPHS) is thrilled to finally see the long promised height reduction in it’s “historic downtown” Echo Park district,” said Jim Schneeweis, President of the Echo Park Historical Society. “This height reduction will still allow for natural growth and redevelopment without changing the character of Echo Park’s “downtown.”  EPHS looks forward to working with Councilman O’Farrell and his staff on future preservation and planning issues.”

“The Echo Park Improvement Association (EPIA) applauds Councilman O’Farrell on his foresight in correcting this antiquated Height allowance,” said Andrew Garsten, President of the Echo Park Improvement Association. “Putting density on busy commercial and transit corridors is ideal, and this change does just that, maintaining a low rise skyline along Sunset while providing redevelopment and height incentives along Glendale Blvd.

“I want to thank City Planning for their hard work, as well as the community stakeholders for attending the public hearings and partnering with my office on this effort,” said O’Farrell. “I also want to give special recognition to the Echo Park Improvement Association and the Echo Park Historical Society for their support.”