Lights, Camera ... Hollywood Community Plan!

by Gary Toebben

Hollywood. The name alone is iconic; conjuring up images of fame, fortune and glamour. The Hollywood Sign sitting atop Mount Lee constantly reminds us that our past, present and future is inextricably linked to that image — the movies.

But Hollywood is more than an image and it is more than the film industry. It is a real community with geographical boundaries where people live and work. Hollywood is not just a destination for the world’s tourists; it is also an important economic driver as a location for creative start-ups, professional services and urban housing.

The recent revitalization of Hollywood is the result of committed stakeholders like the City of Los Angeles and tremendous investment by the business community. Crime is down, the number of quality tourist destinations is up and Hollywood is now home to a growing array of new employers and eclectic places for tourists and residents to shop, dine and live.

With this new interest in investing in Hollywood, now is the time to place a final stamp of approval on a consensus document that the Planning Department of the City of Los Angeles has been working on with community stakeholders for more than eight years. The Hollywood Community Plan is a blueprint that will guide the future growth and development of this historically important regional center for residents and investors alike.

This extensive outreach, by the City Planning Department and the City Councilmembers that represent Hollywood and the surrounding area, has included more than150 stakeholder meetings to discuss the components of this plan and the future design of the community. Countless hours of input and public testimony have provided a balanced approach to the varied needs of residents and businesses alike.

The Hollywood Community Plan directs development away from residential neighborhoods and near major arterials and mass transit. It preserves single family neighborhoods and historic resources and provides for open space, theater districts, new housing and locations for film industry businesses that call Hollywood home. Supported by residents, elected officials and the business community, it provides certainty to all the stakeholders about the future of Hollywood.  

After eight years on the drawing board, it is time for the City to approve this plan and call out the famous Hollywood line “Lights, Camera . . . Action!”

And that's The Business Perspective.