Miracle Mile moves ahead in saving its historic past
MANSIONIZATION threatens the Mile. Photo courtesy of miraclemilela.com
After several community workshops, a thorough survey of the area and city officials getting on board, Miracle Mile is moving forward with obtaining an Historical Preservation Overlay Zone ordinance.
The ordinance, if adopted by the City Council, would protect the Mile from teardowns of its many Period Revival homes and preserve the character of the neighborhood, according to officials from the Los Angeles Dept. of City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources, who met with residents at an outreach meeting.
The area is historically significant due to its concentration of Period Revival styles built in the 20s, 30s and 40s, city planner Renata Dragland said at the gathering held at Los Angeles High School.
Tudor, Spanish Colonial, Mediterranean, French and American Colonial are among some of the styles that dot the area. In addition, the Mile has Mid-Century Modern homes.
“We’re finally at the point where we can shepherd it through the adoption process,” added co-host of the meeting Ken Bernstein, manager of OHR and principal city planner for policy planning, Dept. of City Planning.
The Miracle Mile Residential Association (MMRA) has already held several meetings to “educate the residents on this effort,” said Mark Zecca, MMRA HPOZ chair.
The group’s Historic Resources Survey identified 1,347 properties; 80 percent were found to be historically significant.
The city has a 70 percent target, so the Mile is definitely eligible for the ordinance, Dragland said.
Next up are workshops, hearings and more public and city input.
“We’re still working to confirm the precise dates and times of the workshops and hearings on the Miracle Mile HPOZ, which will likely be in mid-to-late July,” Bernstein said.
“We’re anticipating this will then go to the City Planning Commission in the fall, most likely in October.”
“It’s not a foregone conclusion,” he stressed. “It needs considerable public review… The city will host a diversified group of residents that represent both single-family and multi-family properties. After that is complete, it goes through a series of city department briefings and public hearings so the public has their say on these guidelines.”
Local HPOZ districts and boards exist throughout Los Angeles, which has 30 historic districts. Six more are in the works, including Miracle Mile’s.
Bernstein called the grass-roots HPOZ effort “probably the most effective tool that we have to protect historic neighborhoods.”
The HPOZ designation—which is added to an area’s zoning—regulates the exterior of the property, explained Dragland.
“It improves the quality of life and creates a sense of place.”
Watch the entire taped meeting at www.miraclemilela.com.
Category: Real Estate
