Mar Vista Community Council Community Plan Committee

INITIAL INPUT DOCUMENT

MARCH 12, 2019 Table of Contents

Introduction 5 Part A: General Considerations 6 I. Zoning ...... 6 Background 6 II. Mobility ...... 15 Traffic 15 Emergency Evacuation 16 III. Infrastructure ...... 16 Streets, the Urban Canopy and Urban Runoff 16 a. Streets 16 b. Urban Canopy 17 c. Urban Runoff 19 Summary ...... 21 Part B: Zone-Specific Input 22 Zone 1 ...... 22 Background 22 Goals 23 Zone 2 ...... 27 Zone 3 ...... 28 Zone 4 ...... 29 Housing 29 Transit Considerations 29 reCode LA 31

MVCC - Master Input Document 2 of 61 MAR VISTA - Boyer’s Grove 34 Biona Hills (Boyer’s Grove) 36 A Hidden Jewel 36 ZIMAS Map of Parcels Affected 37 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11314 - 11325 38 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11328 - 11335 39 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11338 - 11345 40 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11348 - 11361 41 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11404 - 11421 42 Assessor Parcel Numbers for 11424 - 11435 43 reCode LA - Preserve Westward-Ho Multi-family 44 Biona Hills: The Phantom Tract 46 Boyer’s Grove 46 Biona Hills and the Westward Ho Club of 47 The Artland Club and the Westward Ho Country Club 47 The Peerless Tract 49 11406 Victoria Ave (13) 49 11410 Victoria Ave (14) 50 11354 Victoria Ave (15) 50 11350 Victoria Ave (16) 51 11359 Biona Dr (17) 51 About the author 51 Zone 5 ...... 52 Preserve R1 Zones 52 Design elements: Building Height 52 Infrastructure 53 Traffic Safety 54 Restore Venice Blvd 54 Adequate Parking 55

MVCC - Master Input Document 3 of 61 Commercial Zoned Properties 55 Building Mural Art 55 Green Space 56 Multi Unit Zoned Areas 56 Zone 6 ...... 57 Preserve R1 Zones 57 Design elements: Building Height 57 Infrastructure 58 Traffic Safety 58 Restore Venice Blvd 59 Adequate Parking 59 Commercial Zoned Properties 60 Building Mural Art 60 Green Space 60 Multi Unit Zoned Areas 60 Appendix A 61 Distant Vistas ...... 61

MVCC - Master Input Document 4 of 61 Introduction

Welcome to Mar Vista, Department of City Planning!

Though it will entail some time commitment, we, the citizens of Mar Vista, invite you to read the following History of Mar Vista, prepared by Mar Vista Historical Society Docent, S. Ravi Tam. It is in the Appendix or follow this link: Distant Vistas (http:// www.marvistahistoricalsociety.net/pdf/Distant_Vistas.pdf)

You will be glad you did, and you will appreciate what we value every day.

MVCC - Master Input Document 5 of 61 Part A: General Considerations

I. Zoning II. Mobility III. Infrastructure

I. Zoning

Background 2019 will mark the 92nd anniversary of Mar Vista as part of the city of . It has a colorful history and many facets, but all converge on its ocean views and its combination of the pastoral and the urban.

It began its journey as a family neighborhood as a part of Abbot Kinney’s Ocean Park Resort, and was ceded to his partner George Sanford as Ocean Park Heights in 1904. Grand View Blvd between Venice Blvd and Palms Blvd (Originally Ocean Park Ave) was the first gated community in Los Angeles County. A mammoth wrought iron gate spanning Grand View at Venice with “Ocean Park Heights” provided an impressive introduction to the community.

In 1923, another George, George Sunday, established subdivisions in Ocean Park Heights called Mar Vista and New Mar Vista, and in 1924, the newly formed Chamber of Commerce decided to change the name of Ocean Park Heights to Mar Vista. In 1927 Mar Vista was annexed into the City of Los Angeles.

During WWII, Mar Vista Hill was the site of an army anti-aircraft installation and, because of their proximity to the Douglas Aircraft Company, (in what is now Santa Monica Airport), who produced military aircraft for the US government, many tracts of Mar Vista were zoned to provide housing for Douglas employees, who at its production peak, numbered 44,000. After