The Brief

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Sept. 26, 2024.

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt proposals to update the Boyle Heights Community Plan, a blueprint for the neighborhood’s growth.

The update commits to addressing the housing needs of current and future residents and moves to update zoning regulations adjacent to the L.A. River and Pico-Aliso neighborhoods. It also moves to implement a series of amendments introduced by 14th District Councilmember Kevin de León that establish incentives for mixed-income projects that will require affordable housing.

De León called the adoption an aggressive move by the city, saying the “mandatory inclusionary housing policies” serve as guardrails against gentrification in the community.

“The concerns around displacement of residents and businesses in a gentrified market are very, very real,” De León said.“ The updated Boyle Heights Community Plan presents the opportunity to shape future developments.”

The plan is one of 35 neighborhood-specific plans that aim to improve the quality of life by addressing issues like housing, safety, infrastructure, land use and mobility, all while preserving the cultural identity of the neighborhoods they encompass. The Boyle Heights Community Plan was last updated in 1998.

At a Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) meeting last week, city planner Andy Pasillas stressed the prioritization of development along historic business and transit corridors in Boyle Heights like 1st Street, Olympic Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Avenue “as a strategy to discourage the displacement of existing communities.”

The City Council initially approved a modification to the community plan last December, but amendments requested by De León required further approval.

Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.

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Andrew Lopez

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Boyle Heights Beat

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In January, the City Planning Commission recommended an updated hybrid industrial zoning modification to the industrial areas on the western edge of Boyle Heights to offer a mix of new housing and non-residential incentives like legacy small businesses.

The latest update incentivizes developers to build in the proposed zones by the L.A. River. The plan will also offer opportunities for legacy small businesses to be relocated to the new development area to further preserve the culture and identity of the neighborhood. The Boyle Heights Community Plan already includes supportive policies for street vending and legalizes corner stores, creating paths for entrepreneurship in Boyle Heights.

Boyle Heights Community Plan update maps show existing development patterns (left) and proposed areas for more development (right).

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Graphic from City Planning Department

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Projections state the plan update will accommodate 38,000 new residents, 14,000 housing units and create 12,000 jobs by 2040, according to a city planning department presentation last week.

The plan implements new regulations for affordable housing developments across Boyle Heights and commits to developing affordable housing for acutely low-income to lower-income residents. To better serve the neighborhood demographics, there will also be a stronger push for apartments with two or more bedrooms in new developments.

Soil sampling throughout Boyle Heights will also be conducted to address the longstanding environmental stressors in the neighborhood.

In a December 2023 letter to the greater City Council and PLUM Committee, De León wrote that he supported plan-related development that uplifted small business, expanded upon affordable housing and resources that supported youth development. The councilman also suggested a study be done regarding the lack of parking infrastructure in the area that doesn’t match the “unabated parking demand.”

The plan, which has been a multi-year collaborative effort with input from community stakeholders, will now enter a “form and legality” process where its zoning regulations are reviewed and refined by the city attorney’s office to streamline implementation and also incorporate any action items from the City Council.

A city planning department spokesperson said the plan is anticipated to become effective in the second half of 2025.

Congrats to Big Bear's celebrity bald eagle couple.

Jackie and Shadow have two new chicks this Easter Sunday. Thousands of fans have been watching their eggs hatch on the popular nest livestream that made the eagles famous.

The first eaglet arrived last night around 9:30 p.m., the second followed around 8:30 a.m.

The nonprofit that runs the livestream, Friends of Big Bear Valley, says dad Shadow showed up after the second hatch and saw his two chicks for the first time.

Mom Jackie is is showing a natural behavior that’s actually a good sign. The nonprofit says she's salivating more — which helps provide electrolytes and antibodies her chicks need.

The two eggs each showed signs of a pip — or first crack — on Friday and Saturday.

Topline:

Why it matters: The new agreement spans four years, as opposed to the typical three-year deal. In a social media post, the WGA said the deal "protects writers’ health plan and puts it on a sustainable path, builds on gains from 2023, and helps address free work challenges."

In a statement posted on its website, AMPTP said, "We look forward to building on this progress as we continue working toward agreements that support long-term industry stability."

Why now: AMPTP and the WGA have been in negotiations since March. The announcement yesterday came a little under a month before the union's current contract was set to expire on May 1.

The backstory: In 2023, contract negotiations broke down between writers and producers, which led to a historic five-month writers strike. That strike ended with the WGA notching huge gains in compensation, streaming residuals and AI protections.

What's next: The tentative agreement still needs to be ratified by the full WGA membership. The union's negotiating committee said union members will receive detailed information in the coming days.

The Hollywood Burbank Airport is advising flyers to arrive at least two hours earlier than usual for the next 60 days because of construction slated to begin Monday.

Road closures: One lane of traffic on the southbound side of Hollywood Way next to Thornton Avenue will be closed during construction. The sidewalk and bike lane on the west side of Hollywood Way between Winona Avenue and Thornton Avenue will also be closed.

When: Construction will occur Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through June 6.

Why: Airport spokesperson Mike Christensen told LAist crews are building a retaining wall as part of Hollywood Burbank's passenger terminal construction project.

Alternatives: Officials recommend passengers use the Empire Avenue entrance or take Thornton Avenue to get to the airport.

While living in L.A., I’d been hearing about this thing — “the desert.” Seemed a bit odd to someone who lived on the Westside next to the ocean, but OK, you can also see mountains from my house, so why not throw in an entire landscape food group?

A few years ago, I figured it was time to try it out, and my family and I headed to Joshua Tree for the weekend.

We began driving east and were soon in that vast no man’s land around the 10 Freeway. On one side, I could see a moving train, with all those boxcars. I was watching, entranced, waiting to see it go past. And it kept going. And going. It was like a vibrant desert serpent, wending its way through the landscape, each boxcar a different hue. It seemed so romantic, and then I thought “in each one, there’s a whole load of hanging car air fresheners, dental floss and Japanese waving cats” and suddenly the spell was broken. Ah well.

The eerie, alien Joshua Tree.

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Sean Gallup/Getty Images,

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Getty Images North America

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As we got nearer, I said “Huh, what's that weird thing that looks like an alien?” and my husband said, “Yes, that’s a Joshua Tree.”

What? Wait, stop the car. There’s an actual Joshua Tree? First, who knew, and second, that is no tree. That, sir, is a weird misshapen cactus, with multiple crooked arms reaching into the air, each with its own spiky fur muff. Kinda like one of those waving inflatable guys if they were static. (Ah, I've been in L.A. too long).

Bougie smores

The vast desert sky.

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Steve Holtzman

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Courtesy Suzanne Levy

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We finally arrived at our destination, a campsite — OK, a glamping campsite, a whole bunch of airstream trailers laid out with firepits. I knew it was bougie when I went to buy a smores kit from the shop and came back with 70% dark chocolate, artisanal graham crackers and single origin marshmallows. (I made that marshmallow one up, but it really is just a matter of time).

We made a fire, marveling at the gorgeousness of the sunset, the morphing colors and the vastness of the sky. I sat afterwards watching the flames, the cold air on my skin, under a blanket of stars. Tears pricked my eyes.

In the morning we headed to Joshua Tree National Park. When we got out of the car, the vista hit me, with that bright, bright sun, strange looking rocky outcrops, and nothing but Joshua trees as far as the eye could see. I thought: I have never seen anything like this. I couldn’t have even imagined something like this. In London, if you go on a day trip, you can go back in time, say to the thatched roofs of the Cotswolds — but not to a different planet.

What an extraordinary continent this is, I think. I am awestruck by its endless, varied landscapes — the plains, the Rockies, the oceans and the forests. And there’s something particular about the desert — its simplicity, its reduction to just three or four elements, which relaxes you, chills you out.

I remember heading back to L.A. after the weekend, happy and mellow, smiling as we drove west into the setting sun. It’s a cliche, but the desert does call you back. And I hope to get back there very soon.