By Barbara Broide activist and president of Westwood South-of-Santa-Monica-Blvd Homeowners Assn …

The City has embarked upon a five-year process that will culminate in the re-writing of the City’s zoning code.

While long overdue, the effort has sparked concerns as part of the process, significant changes may be built into the new code document that may “streamline” development to the degree that opportunities for public input will be lost.  There are also concerns related to how the new code will foster change that completely changes the character of existing communities.

It is important that the public be educated about the process, be aware of opportunities for public input and participate / voice your opinion.  The Westside outreach meeting on the code revision program will be held this SATURDAY MORNING at 10 am at the Henry Medina Center, 11214 W. Exposition Blvd., LOS ANGELES, 90064.

Under the program, a website at http://recode.la has been set up for the public to keep track of the process and offer input on what they would like to see in their neighborhoods.

Planning Director Michael LoGrande said more than 100 workshops are being planned around the city to take public testimony on the plan and suggest changes.

The City’s website on the initiative can be found at: http://cityplanning.lacity.org/policyInitiatives/ZoneCode/ZoneCodeReform.htm:Invitation. The zoning code has not been revised since 1946 with only 84 pages and today it has over 600+ pages.