Silver Lake and Echo Park, two of Los Angeles’ trendier neighborhoods, have been undergoing big changes throughout the years with more development projects in the works. For those who have been longtime residents, it is clear that the area is quickly becoming gentrified — especially with the steady construction of new apartment complexes and small-lot residential homes.

Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles City Councilmember of the 13th District, is working on slowing things down within these neighborhoods.

The councilmember put forward two motions recently, one for Echo Park and the other for Silver Lake, pushing for tighter regulations on new building construction. 

While looking to protect “significant architectural landmarks” ranging from homes dating back to the early 20th century to midcentury modern residences, O’Farrell wants to “ensure that any potential future development complements, and is consistent with, the scale and character of the built environment.”

If these motions are accepted, the areas of focus in Echo Park would be around Echo Park Avenue, Scott Avenue, Logan Street, Lemoyne Street, Montana Street, and Morton Avenue. In Silver Lake, planners would need to review the effects that high-density zoning would have on lower-density residential areas. They would focus on areas on hillside streets that don’t meet current standards.

"I don’t want to have any more situations where we have regret because we didn’t think ahead and put in proper zoning that would guide the kind of growth that people would accept and even embrace,” O'Farrell said in an interview with KPCC.

In order for these motions to go through, they must be approved by the full council.

Article by Sandra Chen of www.neighborhoods.com/blog/ 
Photo by Clinton Steeds / CC BY