Presentation to City Planning Commission on Hollywood Mega-Project
December 10, 2009 REGARDING THE PROPOSED COLUMBIA SQUARE PROJECT CPC-2007-9911-GPA-VZC-HD-CUB-CUX-VCU-SPR-DA A MIXED-USE PROJECT IN THE HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY PLAN AREA I am Richard Platkin, a city planning consultant, presenting today on behalf of the La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association of Hollywood. I am offering testimony in support of their opposition to seven entitlements for the proposed Columbia Square project, including a plan amendment, zone change, and height district change Prior to becoming a planning consultant, I earned graduate degrees in city planning and sociology, worked for the City of Seattle, worked for non-profits and private firms in Los Angeles, and was a Los Angeles City planner from 1987 to 2007. During my 20 years in LA’s Department of City Planning most of my professional assignments dealt with long range planning, and I was, in fact, part of the team which prepared the General Plan Framework. I therefore think I can speak with some expertise on whet