Item #3 Attachment - DRAFT_Western Ave Vision Plan_06-11-2013VISION PLANWESTERN AVENU
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The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant[s] from the Federal Highway
Administration and Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. The contents of this
report do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation.June 11, 2013
DRAFT
This is a project for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes with funding provided by the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG)
Compass Blueprint Program. Compass Blueprint assists Southern Californiaa cities and other organizations in evaluating planning options and
stimulating development consistent with the region’s goals. Compass Blueprint tools support visioning efforts, infill analyses, economic and policy
analyses, and marketing and communication programs. The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant(s) from the Federal
Highway Administration (FHW A) and the Federal Transit Administration (FT A) through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in accordance
with the provisions under the Metropolitan Planning Program as set forth in Section 104(f) of Title 23 of the U.S. Code.
The contents of this report reflect the views of the author who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The
contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of SCAG, DOT or the State of California. This report does not constitute a standard,
specification or regulation. SCAG shall not be responsible for the City’s future use or adaptation of the report.
Looking north on Western Avenue at W Park Western Drive
0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 PROCESS
1.1 Goals
1.2 Process
1.3 What is a vision plan?
2 ANALYSIS
2.1 What is the corridor?
2.2 Economics and Demographics
2.3 Public Realm and Streetscape
2.4 Mobility (Bicycle and Transit)
2.5 Branding and Signage
2.6 Precedents of Great Streets
3 RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Summary of Recommendations
3.2 Northern Segment
3.3 Middle Segment
3.4 Southern Segment
3.5 Mobility (Bicycle)
3.6 Mobility (Transit)
4 IMPLEMENTATION
5.1 Next Steps
5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Table of Contents
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT6
In 2012, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes embarked on a community-led
effort to improve Western Avenue for residents, businesses, and visitors
alike. This document summarizes and illustrates the shared vision, ideas,
and process that underlie the year-long planning effort.
The significance of this effort, for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and
the adjoining communities, cannot be overstated. It will shape Western
Avenue for the next generation and its recommendations will impact the
quality of life of residents and visitors, the potential of property holdings,
the provision of additional amenities and infrastructure, and the overall
image of the Avenue.
The study area constitutes a small segment of Western Avenue, one of
the longest streets in Southern California. At 27.5 miles, it could well
host the Los Angeles Marathon with room to spare. It is also the only
corridor in the region that connects the mountains (at Griffith Park) to
the sea (at White’s Point). In its long journey to the bluffs of San Pedro,
Western Avenue traverses some of the most iconic neighborhoods and
communities in the region, successively adopting their identities, and
serving as a lasting symbol of Southern California’s diversity and vitality.
The cities that host Western Avenue include Los Angeles, Westmont,
Gardena, Torrance, Lomita, and Rancho Palos Verdes, as well as the
unincorporated communities of Westmont and West Athens.
Western Avenue has an anachronistic name. Early in the twentieth
century it did indeed serve as the western boundary of the city of Los
Angeles. The city and the region have, since, decisively blown through
the frontier it represented, and Western Avenue today finds itself
occupying the heart rather than the periphery of the metropolitan region.
It has become the pre-eminent north-south boulevard of the region,
and the only one that matches the iconic significance of the region’s
celebrated east-west boulevards – Sunset, Hollywood, Wilshire, Venice,
Pico and Olympic.
Western Avenue is the primary corridor of the South Bay, Peninsula,
and San Pedro communities. This study focuses on a two-mile stretch
from Palos Verdes Drive North on the north to Peck Park at Summerland
Avenue on the south. This segment of Western Avenue has historically
provided services, amenities, connectivity, and residential opportunities
to the region.
The study corridor, for most of its length, constitutes the municipal
boundary between the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes (on the west) and
Los Angeles (on the east). It provides a diversity of uses with commercial
being concentrated on the south, a mix of commercial and residential
uses between Toscanini and John Montgomery Drives, and institutional
uses located at the north end. Western Avenue is by no means
homogenous. It provides a multitude of amenities to a multitude of users.
The corridor is, however, dated. Its patterns of development are
representative of a time and approach long past. The commercial cluster
on the south end of the study area is auto oriented; with a notably poor
pedestrian experience. The residential uses in the middle and north
segment turn their backs to the street and do not contribute to the
street’s vitality. Neither commercial nor residential developments would
be considered acceptable today. Further, the study corridor lacks special
places – plazas, parks, and other hubs of community life. These are
essential for a successful, if not great, boulevard.
The message heard resoundingly from stakeholders and the community
was to improve storefronts, quality of the public realm, and perception of
the corridor. It was felt that the corridor also needed to create diversity
in its retail, access, and mobility options. If the needs of locals were
addressed by providing amenities and improving the Avenue’s image,
surely visitors and business activity would follow thereafter.
The core recommendation of this vision is to update the nature of
development along the corridor and reverse the relationship that
buildings and surface parking have with the street. New developments
should be built along the property line creating a strong street wall.
Surface parking should not be located adjacent to the sidewalk and
should not serve as the arrival experience of the corridor. With buildings
located at the property edge on the sidewalk, active, visitor-serving uses
should be located at ground level. With regards to each of the three
segments of the corridor, the following recommendations apply:
S O UT h E RN S EGMENT (S U MMERLAND AV E TO
C A DDINGTON D R)
• This is the commercial heart of the study area, and its experience
and image needs updating to sustain its success.
• Reverse the relationship that buildings and surface parking
have with the street. New developments should be built along
the property line creating a strong street wall. Parking should
be located at the rear of the parcel and/or consolidated in
strategically located structures.
• Active, visitor-serving uses should be located at the ground level.
• Sidewalks widths should be 15-feet at a minimum with streetscape
(vegetation, furniture, lighting, and pedestrian amenities) that
promote a vibrant street life.
• Opportunities to create outdoors spaces and special places should
be a priority on all new redevelopments.
• The Terraces parcel is a key redevelopment opportunity and, if
programmed and designed sensitively, can serve as the catalyst for
positive transformation up and down the corridor.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
City of Los Angeles
City of Lomita
Rolling hills Estates
2.3 miles/45-min walk
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Executive Summary Starlight Cinema
Tae Kwan Do
Medi spa
h&R Block
Bully Fitness
Fed Ex
GNC
Marshalls
Trader Joe’s
K Williams Realty
Westview Escrow
Remax
Centinela Pet
Kobe Grill
Subs Rus
El Pollo Loco
7Destinations
17Destinations
SP Science Center School
Taper Elementary School
Tanning
Circus Donuts
Acupunture
Framing Gallery
1hr. Photo
Dentistry
harbor health
harbor Lights Escrow
School of Music and Art
Jewelry Store
Shell Gasoline
Ross
CVS
Office Depot
Atomic Boxing
Petco
Radio Shack
henry’s Farmers Market
Subway
Chase
Countrywide
Global Gifts
Tuesday Morning
Green hills
Memorial ParkGreen hills
Florist
Lomita Little
League
Defense Support
Point San Pedro (DFSP)
Alberstons
US Bank
Carrows Restaurant
Starbucks
Coco’s Bakery Restaurant
Wells Fargo
Bank
Strip Mall 11-12
Vendors/Retail
Smart & Final
Eastview Park
Peck Park
Self Storage
Christ Lutheran School
Opus Bank
Animal hospital
Del Taco
Tarragona Plaza
Office
AT&T
Fantastic Sams
Stix
Shell
Mc Donalds
US Bank
Blinds & Drapes
Taxco
Milestone Mortage
Chiropractor
Farmers
Ralphs
Del Taco
Beauty Supply
Jacaranda Gourmet
hussey Insurance
US Post Office
Sport Medicine
Pizza Place
Carls Jr.
Nails Saloon
Japanese Eatery
Day Spa
Cleanners
Muscle Market
Others
Denny’s
Asaka Grill
Marie Callender’s
Good Night
Mattres
Tabacco
Liquor
Cleanners
Bakery
L Star Chinese
Pet Grooming
Massages
Ros & Nails
Baskin Robins
Dentistry
Chiropractor
Farmers
Loan Office
Auto Parts
health Food Village
Maui Chicken
Domino’s Pizza
Jack in the Box
Ihop
Medicine Center
Cleaners
Dentistry
Physicians
Vac Sew & Carpet
Chevron
Americas
Best Value InnSteak house
Drapery
Fish & Chips
hair Cut
Eastview
Townhouse
Food Market
Papa Johns
Massage
Nancy Nails
Chinese Food
Auto Body Shop
Oil Change
America’s Tire Co.
Mary Star of the Sea HS
Dodson
Middle
School
‘hARBOR COVE’
‘PARK PLAZA’
‘PALOS VERDES PLAZA’
‘ThE TERRACES
ShOPPING CENTER’
‘WESTERN PLAZA’
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Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Office
80 DESTINATIONS
31 DESTINATIONS
0 DESTINATIONS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
M I DDLE S EGMENT (C A DDINGTON AV E TO J O h N
M O NTGOMERY D R)
• The east side of the street (primarily commercial) will receive
similar improvements as the southern segment.
• The west side of the street (primarily residential) presents a
challenge with regards to activation. The backyards of homes
are not going away and residents, by and large, do not support
reconfiguring backyards to allow secondary pedestrian access
directly off the street.
• As a result, improvements will mainly be cosmetic and address
softer treatments of the harsh cinder block wall. Several options
have been considered, with a variety of treatment options.
• Due to the lack of active uses and access to homes, parking along
the street is underutilized on the west side. The sidewalk here
can be widened by reclaiming the asphalt occupied by parking.
This expansion can serve as bio-swale to assist storm water
infrastructure and also provide a soft, vegetation buffer between
auto traffic and sidewalk.
N O RT h E RN S EGMENT (J O h N M O NTGOMERY D R TO
PA LOS V E RDES D R N)
• The east side of the street is entirely occupied by the fuel
storage infrastructure of the Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP)
San Pedro. This facility, for all practical purposes, is here for
perpetuity.
• The west side of the street is entirely occupied by Green Hills
Memorial Park. This facility too is here for perpetuity.
• Given that the east and west side of the streets will never house
active, visitor-serving uses the experience of this segment of the
study area is decidedly auto-oriented.
• Monumental public art, scaled to be visible to auto users, can be
located on the street edges (in partnership with the Cemetery and
DFSP).
• This segment is also an ideal location for a gateway element
announcing the arrival into the commercial heart of the study
corridor.
• Surface parking in the northern segment rarely sees any use. Like
on the west side of the middle segment, here too, the sidewalks
on both the east and west side of the street can be widened to
accommodate a bio-swale.
To be sure this is not a unique and innovative set of recommendations.
Celebrated boulevards all across the country and in Southern California
have used this pattern of development to great success. Stakeholders
repeatedly and decisively preferred precedents that exhibited these
characteristics. The reality is that undoing a generation of development
will not happen overnight and definitely cannot be mandated.
As a path to move forward the key next step recommended by this effort
is to prepare design guidelines that will apply to new developments as
they come online and incrementally shape the corridor in line with the
vision. While this may appear to be straightforward, it is anything but.
Western Avenue forms the municipal boundary of the Cities of Rancho
Palos Verdes and Los Angeles. As is typical of such frontier streets,
efforts to improve them are always more challenging because of the
jurisdictional constraints imposed on expenditure of city funds. A further
complication arises from Caltrans’ ownership and maintenance of the
right of way.
Fortunately, the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Angeles are strong
partners in the process and actively support the vision. Both should
commit to partnering on preparing joint design guidelines for the corridor
where the east and west sides of the streets are looked at holistically; and
ideally via a similar SCAG funded process.
Now is the time to begin setting the policies and crafting the incentives to
improve Western Avenue so it can continue to serve as the pre-eminent
corridor of the Peninsula and South Bay. It will take time, as positive
change always does, but the vision is in place, the stakeholders are lined
up in support, and the jurisdictions are ready to get going.
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MEMORIAL PARK
CITY OF LOMITA
hOUSING
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PONTE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT
Southern Segment Middle Segment Northern Segment
View within parking lot on Western Ave at Capitol Dr.
Improve, improve, improve: storefronts, public
realm, and perception.
Guiding Principles and Aspirations:
Create diversity: retail, access, and mobility.
Locals first: address the needs of local residents
and the rest will follow.
Partner with San Pedro and other adjoining
communities to market the Western Avenue brand.
Create amenities and a destination for visitors
and residents alike.1Process
1.1 Goals
In 2012, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes embarked on a community-led
effort to improve Western Avenue for residents, businesses, and visitors
alike. This document summarizes and illustrates the shared vision, ideas,
and process that underlies the yearlong planning effort.
To inform this effort, the project team established principles and
aspirations as shared by the Vision Committee, stakeholders, the
community, and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes:
PROCESS 9
1.2 Process
This effort was conducted in three phases: Research and Analysis,
Alternatives, and Final Plan. Community outreach was woven into each
step and served as a critical component in driving the overall Vision.
R E SEARC h A ND A N ALYSIS: Our analytical process was one
of listening and discovering. We began the process with an open mind
and established a dialogue with all of the interested stakeholders, who
guided the discovery process. This first phase culminated with a clear
set of agreed-upon goals, as well as design principles which framed the
subsequent stages of our work.
A LTERNATIVES: Once the design guidelines and principles were
established, the team explored alternatives, in an iterative process based
on engaging the community and stakeholders at intensive workshops
and charrettes. A public workshop and exhibition of ideas was held to
present these alternatives to the stakeholders and solicit their feedback.
A preferred alternative was identified based on their feedback.
F I NAL P L AN: During this phase, a “preferred plan” was selected and
both phasing and implementation strategies explored. Elements of the
plan were identified for both immediate actions, or recommended for
more advance study at a future date.
Visions are successful only when they are shared and built on bedrock
of transparency. To that end, stakeholder engagement has played
a critical role in creating and refining the vision for Western Avenue
Corridor. Outreach was proactive and conducted at two levels. First,
a vision committee was established at the project kickoff and was
charged with the following tasks:
• Representing the broader community and stakeholders in the
Western Avenue planning process.
• Helping to identify opportunities, issues, and challenges to
address in the planning process.
• Providing feedback on research conclusions and planning
concepts to the project team.
• Serving as advocates of the process, assist with publicizing
community involvement opportunities, and attending
workshops.
• Working cooperatively with other Vision Committee members,
listening and considering different perspectives.
The makeup of the Vision Committee was intended to represent the
entire range of voices of the larger community. It provided equal
representation to both the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (west side of the
corridor) and San Pedro (on the east). Members represented residents,
businesses, property owners, and agencies that will have a role in
implementing the recommendations of this effort.
The second level of outreach directly engaged members of the larger
community. An open house and public workshop was held in April
2013 at Peck Park. Community members were invited to review the
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT10
team’s findings and preliminary ideas and provide feedback. The team
sought input at two levels. First, “what are the long terms aspirations
for the corridor?” And second, “what are issues and problems that need
immediate fixes?” Both were invaluable in prioritizing improvements.
1.3 What is a Vision Plan?
The efforts and recommendations described in this document constitute a
Vision Plan. A Vision Plan, in the fields of urban design and city planning,
is a unique and often misunderstood tool that is always the critical first
step in any long-term city building effort. The following narrative aims to
clarify the goals of this visioning effort in particular, and vision plans in
general.
By its comprehensive and aspirational nature, a vision plan takes the long
view. For it to be effective, it must articulate and illustrate the qualitative
character and attributes of the future vision it is describing. A vision plan
illustrates the finish line of a community’s march to success, and its own
success comes from broad grassroots support. The vision’s horizon of
implementation is viewed in generational terms. Typically, vision plans
(including this one) look at a 20 to 30-year timeline.
A vision plan is not a development plan. It is not meant to solve every
problem or resolve every constraint. Rather, it sets a broad framework
of feasibility, and within that framework generates and test ideas (some
provocative) to address the communities issues.
Vision plans typically do not have any implementation funds associated
with them. In fact, one of their measures of success is the ability to
raise funds for catalyst projects identified in the plan. In the long-term,
it is the free market that will ultimately determine the pace of a vision’s
realization. To be clear, the guidelines and incentives that the vision
recommends are meant to accelerate the rate of improvements (both
private development and public improvements).
While all implementation efforts ultimately flow from the
recommendations of a vision plan, jurisdictions must first set the stage
by establishing the policy and regulatory frameworks that support the
vision. In the case of Rancho Palos Verdes, the immediate next steps
may include updating the Western Avenue Specific Plan, revising the
zoning code and development standards, or partnering with the City of
Los Angeles.
Cities cyclically reinvent and reinvest in themselves. Vision planning
is the tool by which this natural process is best managed. It lies
squarely at the intersection of good urban design, rigorously engaging
the public, relying on sound market analysis, and most importantly,
building the optimism of the community.
PROCESS 11
Looking south on Western Avenue at Palos Verdes Drive N. 2013.
2Analysis
2.1 What is the Corridor?
Western Avenue is the primary corridor of the South Bay, Palos Verdes
Peninsula, and San Pedro communities. This study focuses on a two-mile
stretch from Palos Verdes Drive on the north to Peck Park on the South.
This segment of Western Avenue has historically provided services,
amenities, connectivity, and residential opportunities to the region.
The study area constitutes a small segment of Western Avenue, one of
the longest streets in Southern California. At 27.5 miles, it could well
host the Los Angeles Marathon with room to spare. It is also the only
corridor in the region that connects the mountains (at Griffith Park) to
the sea (at White’s Point). In its long journey to the bluffs of San Pedro,
Western Avenue traverses some of the most iconic neighborhoods and
communities in the region, successively adopting their identities, and
serving as a lasting symbol of Southern California’s diversity and vitality.
The cities that host Western Avenue include Los Angeles, Westmont,
Gardena, Torrance, Lomita, and Rancho Palos Verdes, as well as the
unincorporated communities of Westmont and West Athens.
Western Avenue has an anachronistic name. Early in the twentieth
century it did indeed serve as the western boundary of the city of Los
Angeles. The city and the region have, since, decisively blown through
the frontier it represented, and Western Avenue today finds itself
occupying the heart rather than the periphery of the metropolitan region.
It has become the pre-eminent north-south boulevard of the region,
and the only one that matches the iconic significance of the region’s
celebrated east-west boulevards – Sunset, Hollywood, Wilshire, Venice,
Pico and Olympic.
The study corridor constitutes the municipal boundary between the cities
of Rancho Palos Verdes (on the west) and Los Angeles (on the east). It
provides a diversity of uses with commercial being concentrated on the
south, a mix of commercial and residential uses between Toscanini and
John Montgomery Drives, and institutional uses located at the northern
end. Western Avenue is by no means homogenous. It provides a
multitude of amenities to a multitude of users.
The study area has not seen any significant new development for several
years. Consequently, the patterns of development reveal dated building
types and intents. But the corridor is also not so old that it displays any
sense of historic, pre-automobile development. A further challenge
ANALYSIS 13
Looking south on Western Avenue at Wilshire Boulveard. Source: www.you-are-here.com. 2012.
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Western Avenue is the preeminent mountain-to-ocean boulevard. At 27.5 miles, it could
well host the Los Angeles Marathon with room to spare. It is also the only corridor in the
region that connects the mountains (at Griffith Park) to the sea (at White’s Point).
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT14
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in establishing a shared vision for the corridor is the complexities of
jurisdictional boundaries. Caltrans owns and maintains the right of way.
City of Rancho Palos Verdes is located on the west (except for one block
where it jumps across to the east). The City of Los Angeles is located on
the east, while the City of Lomita has jurisdiction of the key intersection
with Palos Verdes Drive North. What all stakeholders – both private
and public – should strive to avoid is the typical fate of such streets - the
neglected frontier, shared by all but claimed by none. This SCAG-funded
effort , and indeed others that will follow, provide a unique opportunity
(and perhaps the only avenue) by which Western Avenue can be looked at
holistically (with both sides and the right-of-way being treated as equals).
The corridor exhibits dated development patterns. The commercial
cluster on the south end of the study area is auto oriented; with a notably
poor pedestrian experience. The residential uses in the middle and
north segment turn their backs to the street and do not contribute to the
street’s vitality. Neither commercial nor residential developments would
be considered best or acceptable today.
Certain significant parcels along the corridor will have uses that are never
going away and will never house active, visitor-serving uses. The vision
efforts need to work around them and sensitively include their constraints
in the planning process.
Aerial view of Rancho Palos Verdes, looking north. Source: Kelly-Holiday
Collection of Negatives and Photographs. December 2, 1955.
Looking north on Western Avenue from Palos Verdes.
Source: Dick Whittington Studio. 1961.
Bicycling on Western Avenue, looking north.
Source: Security Pacific National Bank Collection. Looking north on Western Ave. 2013.
ANALYSIS 15
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
City of Los Angeles
City of Lomita
Rolling hills Estates
2.3 miles/45-min walk
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The study corridor, for most of its length, constitutes the municipal boundary between
the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes (on the west) and the City of Los Angeles (on the
east). It provides a diversity of uses with commercial being concentrated on the south,
a mix of commercial and residential uses between Toscanini and John Montgomery
Drive, and institutional uses located at the northern end.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT16
Looking south at Palos Verdes Drive N and Western Ave. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
Looking north at Summerland Drive and Western Ave. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
ANALYSIS 17
Retail destinations typically attract the highest numbers of visitors on a regular basis. An analysis
of destinations along the corridor illustrates a sharply skewed distribution. The densest cluster of
retail establishments is located south of Caddington, with commercial uses located on both the
sides of the Avenue. A moderate cluster is located mid-corridor where residential uses are located
on one side and commercial uses on the other. The northern most segment of the corridor has
no destinations that attract regular visitors (Green Hills Memorial Park Cemetery on the west and
inaccessible fuel storage on the east). This distribution of destinations creates three clear natural
segments of the corridor.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT18
Starlight Cinema
Tae Kwan Do
Medi spa
h&R Block
Bully Fitness
Fed Ex
GNC
Marshalls
Trader Joe’s
K Williams Realty
Westview Escrow
Remax
Centinela Pet
Kobe Grill
Subs Rus
El Pollo Loco
7
Destinations
17
Destinations
SP Science Center School
Taper
Elementary
School
Tanning
Circus Donuts
Acupunture
Framing Gallery
1hr. Photo
Dentistry
harbor health
harbor Lights Escrow
School of Music and Art
Jewelry Store
Shell Gasoline
Ross
CVS
Office Depot
Atomic Boxing
Petco
Radio Shack
henry’s Farmers Market
Subway
Chase
Countrywide
Global Gifts
Tuesday Morning
Green hills
Memorial ParkGreen hills
Florist
Lomita Little
League
Defense Support
Point San Pedro (DFSP)
Alberstons
US Bank
Carrows Restaurant
Starbucks
Coco’s Bakery Restaurant
Wells Fargo
Bank
Strip Mall 11-12
Vendors/Retail
Smart & Final
Eastview Park
Peck Park
Self Storage
Christ Lutheran School
Opus Bank
Animal hospital
In &
Del Taco
Tarragona Plaza
Office
AT&T
Fantastic Sams
Stix
Shell
Mc Donalds
US Bank
Blinds & Drapes
Taxco
Milestone Mortage
Chiropractor
Farmers
Ralphs
Del Taco
Beauty Supply
Jacaranda Gourmet
hussey Insurance
US Post Office
Sport Medicine
Pizza Place
Carls Jr.
Nails Saloon
Japanese Eatery
Day Spa
Cleanners
Muscle Market
Others
Denny’s
Asaka Grill
Marie Callender’s
Good Night
Mattres
Tabacco
Liquor
Cleanners
Bakery
L Star Chinese
Pet Grooming
Massages
Ros & Nails
Baskin Robins
Dentistry
Chiropractor
Farmers
Loan Office
Auto Parts
health Food Village
Maui Chicken
Domino’s Pizza
Jack in the Box
Ihop
Medicine Center
Cleaners
Dentistry
Physicians
Vac Sew & Carpet
Chevron
Americas
Best Value InnSteak house
Drapery
Fish & Chips
hair Cut
Eastview
Townhouse
Food Market
Papa Johns
Massage
Nancy Nails
Chinese Food
Auto Body Shop
Oil Change
America’s Tire Co.
Mary
Star
of the Sea HS
Dodson
Middle
School
‘hARBOR COVE’
‘PARK PLAZA’
‘PALOS VERDES PLAZA’
‘ThE TERRACES
ShOPPING CENTER’
‘WESTERN PLAZA’
14
41316
245
13
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Destinations
Office
80 DESTINATIONS
31 DESTINATIONS
0 DESTINATIONS
Plan diagram of retail destinations along Western Avenue.
ANALYSIS 19
“Northern Segment.” Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
“Middle Segment.” Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
“Southern Segment.” Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT20
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one-sided street
active businesses on east
backyard of homes on west
auto-oriented experience
inactive street edges on both sides
one active, visitor serving edge / one inactive edge
0.9 miles / 20 minute walk
inactive edges
0.6 miles / 10 minute walk
active, visitor serving edges
0.75 miles / 15 minute walk
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“the heart of Western Avenue”
active cluster of businesses
surface parking lot at street edges
ANALYSIS 21
2.2 Economics and Demographics
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT22
ANALYSIS 23
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT24
ANALYSIS 25
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT26
ANALYSIS 27
2.3 Public Realm and
Streetscape
Western Avenue evolved and grew in that window of urban history
where the automobile was king and pedestrians were irrelevant. The
legacy of its origins are clearly manifest today in the poor quality of
pedestrian experience and places and an exuberant accommodation
of automobiles on surface lots with prime street frontage. While the
corridor is clearly attractive as a place to conduct business (there are over
110 retail destinations in the southern segment), it is being held back
from even greater success due to the lack of a sense of place, identity,
and pedestrian amenities.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT28
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PECK PARK
GREEN HILLS CEMETERY
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MARY STAR OF THE SEA HIGH SCHOOL
TAPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SP SCIENCE CENTER SCHOOL
CHRISTLUTHERAN CHURCH
PARK WESTERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
BANDINI STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
WILLENBERG SPECIAL EDUCATION
LEGEND
Designated Park
Open Space
School/Cemetery
Aerial diagram of open spaces along Western Avenue.
ANALYSIS 29
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30253061030185015
585
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240PECK PARK
EASTVIEW PARK
700
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GREEN HILLS
MEMORIAL PARK
Surface Parking (3,421 total)
Street Parking (530 total)
LEGEND
NOTES
1. Quantities represent surface lots only and do
not include subsurface or covered parking.
2. Quantities shown are estimated based on aerial
photography.
Aerial diagram of the abundance of street and surface parking along Western Avenue
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT30
Species UnknownSpecies Unknown
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MEMORIAL PARK
NOTES
1. Quantities shown are estimated based on aerial photography.
Location of street tree
LEGEND
Pittosporum spp.Pyrus kawakamiiLagerstroemia indicaTristania confertaWashingtonia robustaPhoenix dactylifera Ficus spp.Pinus spp.Species TBDSpecies TBD
Aerial diagram of the inconsistent canopy of trees along Western Avenue
ANALYSIS 31
Looking north on Western Ave at Fitness Dr. 2013.
“Protect, enhance and perpetuate views available to property owners and visitors because of the
unique topographical features of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. These views provide unique and
irreplaceable assets to the City and its neighboring communities and provide for this and future
generations examples of the unique physical surroundings which are characteristic of the City.”
-- Quote from Purpose Section I.a. from the 2004 City of Rancho Palos Verdes “Guidelines and
Procedures for Preservation of Views Where Structures are Involved.”
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT32
200
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3.5%
3.0%
4.0%2.0%
LEGEND
View
Grade along Western Ave.
200’ Contour Line
Storm Drain Inlet
3.5%
Aerial diagram of the varied street grading and views along Western Avenue
ANALYSIS 33
Looking north on Western Avenue at Peninsula Verde Dr. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
Looking south on Western Avenue at Palos Verdes Dr N. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT34
Fuel
Streetscape Opportunities
1 Low planting can be added to median while preserving views.
Portions of seldom used sidewalk can be used for stormwater bioretention.
Often-used street parking should remain.
2
3
3
2
14
(Typical)
1
2
1
Street section diagram of Western Avenue Palos Verde Drive N and Peninsula Verde Dr
ANALYSIS 35
Looking north on Western Avenue at Westmont Dr. Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
Looking north on Western Avenue at Fitness Dr. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT36
Take advantage of existing trees for branding & identity
Utility lines can be moved underground to relieve visual clutter
Seldom-used street parking on the west can be converted to other uses
Median planting can be refreshed to establish unity and color
Decorative street lighting can be added to increase safety and promote identity
Street trees can be added along west side of street
Streetscape Opportunities
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3 4
5
6
6
Street section diagram of Western Ave between Fitness Dr and Westmont Dr
ANALYSIS 37
Looking north on Western Avenue at Capitol Dr. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
Looking south on Western Avenue at Caddington Dr. Source: Google Maps Street Views. 2013.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT38
Streetscape Opportunities
1 Median presents opportunity to establish consistent rhythm of trees/identity
Street parking lane can be converted into bump-outs at corners or bike lane
Standard cobra street lights can be replaced, enhanced, or added where none exist today to promote district identity
Utility lines can be moved underground to relieve visual clutter
Low planting can be installed to soften parking lots
Portion of paved parkway can be converted to buffer planting or bioretention strip
2
3
4
5
6
6
4
1
2
3
5
Street section diagram of Western Ave between Caddington Dr and Capitol Dr
ANALYSIS 39
EXISTING BICYCLE CONDITIONS
Class I Bikeway
Class II Bikeway
Class III Bikeway
Source: Section 890.4 of the California Department of Transportation Streets and Highways Code.
2010 BICYCLE PLAN, CITY OF LOS ANGELES
Proposed Linkages by Los Angeles
Source: Los Angeles Department of City Planning,
2010 Bicycle Plan, A Component of the City of Los Angeles Transportation Element, Adopted March 1, 2011.
1990 BICYCLE PLAN, RANChO PALOS VERDES
Proposed Linkages by Rancho Palos Verdes
Proposed linkages shown on map are those that
fall within the study area only. Source: City of
Rancho Palos Verdes, Conceptual Bikeways Plan, Adopted January 22, 1990.
2.4 Mobility (Bicycle and Transit)
Cyclists looking out to the Pacific Ocean from Rancho Palos Verdes.
Source: http://thesource.metro.net. January 15, 2013.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT40
EXISTING TRANSIT CONDITIONS
Showing rail, bus, and local shuttle.
REGIONAL TRANSIT ACCESS
Showing Metro Local Service.
Study Corridor
Study Corridor
205
246
232
many transit options
few transit options
The corridor is served by local and regional bus transit, but there is no fixed-rail transit access and the corridor
presently does not appear on any improvements in Metro’s 30-year plan. Also, there exists no bus rapid transit
access and there are no plans to provide such access in the future. Regional transit is provided by two service
providers: Metro and MAX (Municipal Area Express). However, there is a general lack of access to regional
transit in the South Bay area. There are insufficient transit options for the existing local customer base to access
the corridor – especially from San Pedro. This has ingrained an over-dependence on the automobile for even
the shortest of trips. Moreover, the South Bay and Peninsula are disproportionately low on benefiting from
future County-wide transit projects.
METRO BUS 205 connects San Pedro the Blue Line/Green Line station at the 105 Freeway in Willowbrook,
providing access to the regional transit system. METRO BUS 205 connects San Pedro to the Blue Line/Green
Line station at the 105 freeway (In Willowbrook), providing access to the regional transit system. METRO BUS
205 has headways of approximately 25 minutes on weekends and hourly on the weekend. METRO BUS 246
provides the next closest access down Pacific Avenue in San Pedro. It’s too distant to serve the corridor METRO
BUS 232 provides access along PCH connecting LAX to Long Beach
Existing Conditions (all modes)
Regional Transit Access (Metro Bus)
ANALYSIS 41
REGIONAL TRANSIT ACCESS
Showing Metro Limited Express
Service.
REGIONAL TRANSIT ACCESS
Showing Municipal Area Express (MAX) Service.
Metro operates two LIMITED EXPRESS bus routes in the vicinity of the Corridor. Although primarily targeting
rush-hour commuters, both services operate throughout the day (not rush hour only). ROUTE 550 connects
West San Pedro, south of the corridor, to the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. ROUTE 450 connects
south San Pedro to downtown Los Angeles. Neither the 450 or the 550 provide any kind of access to the heart
of the corridor.
MAX was specifically designed to “address the commuting needs of South Bay residents who work in the
El Segundo employment center.” MAX offers three routes through the South Bay and operates during the
morning and afternoon peak commuting hours. Torrance Transit acts as the lead agency for MAX. Route 3
connects South San Pedro via Western Avenue to El Segundo. Route 3x connects South San Pedro via the
110 and 405 freeways to El Segundo. Both route 3 and 3x provide four ride options, each in the morning and
afternoon rush hours. The likelihood of future collaboration may be uncertain as “The City of Rancho Palos
Verdes has decided to withdraw from the MAX program effective 6/30/2011.” As a result, Line 2 that provided
service to the interior of the peninsula, was truncated at Pacific Coast Highway.
Regional Transit Access (Metro Limited Express)
Regional Transit Access (MAX)
Study Corridor
Study Corridor
550
450
El Segundo
3 3x
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT42
LOCAL TRANSIT ACCESS
Showing Palos Verdes Transit Au-
thority (PVPTA) Access.
LOCAL TRANSIT ACCESS
Showing DASH Access (as operated by LADOT).
PVPTA provides weekday service to local destinations in the Palos Verdes Peninsula. 4 routes of PVPTA
provide service to the corridor – Orange, Green, Green Eastview, and 225. Orange route provides morning and
afternoon service specifically targeting peninsula schools. Green Eastview operates on a loop in the morning
and afternoon connecting Western Ave to Miraleste Plaza. Green Route operates throughout the weekday
providing access to several destinations in the interior of the peninsula. Route 225 provides all-day service
connecting the corridor to the north-eastern end of the peninsula and destinations along the interior.
DASH is operated by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT). DASH San Pedro provides daily
service including holidays connecting the southern end of the corridor to south and downtown San Pedro.
Local Transit Access (PVPTA)
Local Transit Access (DASh)
Study Corridor
225
Orange
San Pedro DASh
Green
Green
Eastview
Study Corridor
ANALYSIS 43
One stakeholder on the vision committee romantically referred to
Western Avenue as the “Boulevard of Blue Dreams.” This theme can
build on the larger story of Western Avenue – the only street in the region
that connects the mountains to the ocean – and provide the framework
for a comprehensive corridor-wide identity.
Public art is another opportunity that can pay quick dividends in creating
a themed identity for the corridor. The northern segment, which is
necessarily auto-oriented, can play host to art installations that are
monumentally scaled to engage quick-moving automobiles. The southern
segment can have public art installations strategically located within
the planned network of special places. Chapter 3 provides additional
concepts on public art, both temporary and permanent.
2.5 Branding and Signage
Western Avenue has little announcement of arrival into the commercial
district (southern segment). Vehicular signage and pedestrian signage
are rudimentary and do not provide any answers to the typical questions
that visitors have, “Where should I go?” and “how do I get there?”
The identity of Western Avenue should reflect the diversity and energy
of its destinations and adjoining communities. Rancho Palos Verdes’
adjoining communities provide a range of design references. Rolling
Hills has a rustic and equestrian feel. The quiet sophistication of Spanish
colonial is found in high Palos Verdes. San Pedro is imbued with a
nautical ambience. From this milieu will emerge an identity for the
corridor that is both unique and immediately recognizable. South Lake
Avenue in Pasadena has taken dramatic steps to brand an entire corridor
along a theme, complete with its own website and marketing materials
(www.southlakeavenue.org). The operational structure of a Business
Improvement District can facilitate these programs.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT44
Palos Verdes Estates: Mediterranean/Spanish San Pedro: Nautical/Maritime Rolling Hills Estates: Equestrian
Western Avenue is surrounded by areas with strong and long standing identities that
are reinforced through their place-making features.
ANALYSIS 45
A wide street width and restricted space within the pedestrian right-of-way along Western
Avenue lends itself to median located features, choosing from a variety of branding elements:
vertical, repeated, sculptural art, iconic markers, entry monuments, and more.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT46
CORRIDOR BRANDING – Placemaking Precedents
To create a memorable and lasting identity for Western Avenue, a series of placemaking
features such as signage and streetscape elements needs to be introduced.
ANALYSIS 47
1 2
3 4
5
1Western Avenue at Summerland Avenue, view north Western Avenue at Crestwood Street, view north
Western Avenue at Capitol Drive, view north
Summerland Avenue at Western Avenue, view west Crestwood Street at Western Avenue, view east
Crestwood Street at Western Avenue, view west Capitol Drive at Western Avenue, view west Western Avenue at Caddington Drive, view south
Western Avenue at Toscanini Drive, view south Western Avenue at Westmont Drive, view south Western Avenue at Avenida Aprenda, view southWestmont Drive at Western Avenue, view west
2
2 3
6 6 7
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT48
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Crestwood
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Summerland
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Westmont
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Avenida
Aprenda
Toscanini
Drive
1 2 3
4
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6
7
LEGEND
Northbound location
Southbound location
NOTES
1. The majority of commercial use and activity is
concentrated at the southern end of the project
site between Crestwood Street and Caddington
Drive. There is a smaller retail zone centered
around Westmont Drive. Current land-use
patterns suggest that both northbound and
southbound entry monuments should be
located within this commercial zone. The
highlighted areas are potential areas for entry
monuments and identity features.
Aerial diagram of potential locations for entry monuments/identity features along Western Avenue
ANALYSIS 49
2. Looking north at Summerland Drive and Western Ave. Source: Google Map Street Views. 2013.
1. Looking south at Palos Verdes Drive N and Western Ave. Source: Google Map Street Views. 2013.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT50
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LEGEND
NOTES
1. There is little sense of arrival or identity for
the City of Rancho Palos Verdes at any of its
regional or neighborhood access points.
Project Area
Regional Access
Neighborhood Access
Aerial diagram of neighborhood and regional access roads connecting to Western Avenue
ANALYSIS 51
2. A C TIVE G R OUND F L OORS
Vibrancy of street life always correlates to the presence of active ground
floor uses in buildings located along the street. These uses draw visitors
and provide the foot traffic that is critical to a successful boulevard.
Usually, these ground level activities are retail-oriented (or food venues),
but do not always have to be. Galleries and theatres are good examples
of non-retail active uses.
3. S P ECIAL P L ACES
All corridors we studied at had a clear network of special places. These
were plazas or parks or paseos that served as the heart of a cluster of
destinations. They provided places of rest, pause, and community, and
served as the fulcrum of activity. Special places provide a sense of
discovery and respite from the busy street.
4. E N h A NCED Q UALITY O F P U BLIC R E ALM
The public realm of a place, at its most basic, is its outdoor experience
and the memories it creates. It is the spaces between buildings, the
milieu in which the built environment grows and evolves. It is its streets,
plazas, parks, alleys, and informal gathering spaces. It is what gives
a place its character and its identity. Successful corridors and places
make efforts to elevate the quality of the public realm and pedestrian
experience beyond the ordinary (via signage, vegetation, hardscape,
street, furniture, lighting, among others).
5. P E DESTRIAN E X PERIENCE I S P R IMARY
The experience of the pedestrian in the precedents studied outranked
all others. This approach is critical for commercial corridors because
foot traffic is the economic engine that drives street businesses. Every
opportunity to improve the pedestrian experience was sought and
achieved (by widening sidewalks, introducing crosswalks at corners and
mid-block locations, public art, and signage).
Because of these inherent qualities, the following five corridors were of
particular interest to the project team and Vision Committee:
C O LORADO B LVD, PA SADENA , CA
Old Pasadena has seen great success in recent years with a multi-
pronged approach to activating Colorado Boulevard and its adjoining
alleys. The boulevard displays a strong street wall with a mix of historic
and contemporary buildings. A strategic parking strategy has eliminated
the need to provide on-site parking and instead consolidates spaces in
multiple public garages built on the blocks behind the boulevard. Unlike
Western Avenue, Colorado Boulevard in Old Pasadena has no surface
parking located on prime street frontage.
2.6 Precedents of Great
Streets and Places
Great boulevards do not arise in a vacuum. They evolve as a
consequence of their own unique context, the lessons they learn from
others, and most importantly the proactive and deliberate intentions of
stakeholders who have an aspirational vision of the future. Toward that
end, our approach toward recommending improvements along Western
Avenue stressed two primary themes: 1) integrate with and enhance
what already exists, and 2) learn from precedents and past experience.
The team analyzed and reviewed several successful corridors in the
region to help understand what made them appealing. In almost all
cases, the following five characteristics emerged as the qualities that
made these boulevards special:
1. S T RONG ST REET WA LLS
A street wall is the implied “wall” which is created when buildings are
built right up at the front property edge along the street. The street-
facing walls of the individual buildings collectively give rise to a street
wall, and this element of a street’s experience is usually the most
defining memory of a street. The boulevards that were analyzed all had
strong street walls that clearly defined and engaged the public realm.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT52
S A NTA M O NICA B LVD, W E ST h OLLYWOOD, CA
High-density, multi-family housing surrounds the boulevard, providing
a large consumer base to ground-floor retail units. A proposed transit
overlay zone encourages mixed-use development along the boulevard.
Dedicated bicycle lanes exist along the boulevard’s west end, with bike
parking throughout. Landscaped medians feature drought-resistant
plants, in addition to providing a space to showcase temporary and
permanent art pieces and sculptures. Street trees are planted with gap-
graded soil that allows roots to grow and access air and water without
lifting sidewalks and causing significant disrepair.
SUNSET PLAZA, W EST h O LLYWOOD, C A
Sunset Plaza refers to the 8600-8700 block of Sunset Boulevard, a two
block strip made up of sidewalk/outdoor cafes and fashionable boutiques
right along the street edge. Similar to Western Avenue, the strip is flanked
by steep residential hills. In an effort to maintain its neighbors’ views,
the strip is typically limited to 1-2 story developments, although taller
buildings (e.g. hotels) are established when the topography allows.
P I NE AV E, L O NG B E AC h , CA
Significant investments have been and continue to be made in the public
realm of Pine Avenue. These have improved streetscape, signage, lighting,
and infrastructure. These improvements have, in turn, set the stage
for private reinvestment in the corridor, with several recent mixed-use
developments coming online (housing above ground level retail).
VENTURA BLVD, ENCINO, CA
While most of the boulevard is littered with surface parking lots at its
street edge, efforts are being made to develop commercial property with
a strong frontage. This, along with brand signange and landscaping, is
progressively improving the identity of Ventura Boulveard.
sidewalk activity
street-edge retail
landscaped medians
street parking bike lane
bulb-out, wide sidewalk
mid-block pedestrian crossing
sidewalk activity
street-edge retail
landscaped medians
gateway signage
street parking
wide sidewalk
mix of uses along street
branding/signage
street parking
bulb-out, wide sidewalk
ANALYSIS 53
Looking south on Western Avenue at Caddington Drive
3
3.1 Summary of Recommendations
The 2-mile stretch of Western Avenue under consideration is well-
positioned to compete with other destinations in the region. Rethinking
existing architecture by updating buildings to meet current expectation of
visitors, potentially rezoning parcels to optimize space and add interest,
and improving signage, lighting and landscaping would all contribute
to improved appearance and function for Western Avenue. Specifically,
the core recommendation of this vision is to update the nature of
development along the corridor and reverse the relationship that
buildings and surface parking have with the street. It must be generally
emphasized that:
• New developments should be built along the property line creating
a strong street wall where surface parking should not be located
adjacent to the sidewalk and should not serve as the arrival
experience of the corridor. With buildings located at the property
edge on the sidewalk, active, visitor-serving uses should be located at
ground level.
• Underutilized street parking can be converted into dedicated bike
lanes or wider sidewalks.
• More street trees, bio-swales, and other green infrastructure can
help to assist storm water management and provide a soft vegetation
buffer between auto traffic and the sidewalk.
The pages that follow offer a more detailed list of recommendations
specific to each of the three segments, from streetscape to mobility and
redevelopment. The imagery associated with each of the segments is
a compilation of ideas and studies that were completed with guidance
from the Vision Committee and stakeholder input. While the project team
understands that not every idea shown represents the full support of the
public, the project team finds still finds it important to showcase them as
a process of thought in idea and provocation.3Recommendations
RECOMMENDATIONS 55
commercial heart of the study area
new developments built along the property line create a strong street wall
parking located at rear of parcel and/or consolidated in structures
active, visitor-serving uses located at ground level
sidewalks widths at 15-feet minimum with streetscape that promote vibrant street life
Terraces parcel is redeveloped serving as catalyst for positive transformation
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CRESTWOOD STREET ELEMENTARY SChOOL
SOUThERN SEGMENT
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT56
monumental public art, scaled to be visible to auto users, located on the
street edges (in partnership with the Cemetery and DFSP)
gateway element introduced at the north to announce one’s arrival into
the commercial heart of the corridor
street parking is rarely used, so sidewalks on both the east and west side
of the street can be widened to accommodate a bio-swale
east side of the street (primarily commercial) will receive similar
improvements as the southern segment
west street improvements will mainly be cosmetic treatments to cinder
block wall with landscaping and material changes
street parking on west is underutilized, so sidewalk can be widened, with
addition of bio-swale assist storm water infrastructure providing a soft,
vegetation buffer between vehicular traffic and sidewalk
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CITY OF LOMITA
hOUSING
DEFENSE FUEL SUPPORT
POINT (DFSP) SAN PEDRO
PONTE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT
MIDDLE SEGMENT NORThERN SEGMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS 57
Looking north on Western Ave at Summerland AveLooking south on Western Ave at Caddington Dr
3.1 Southern Segment
Existing characteristics of this segment include:
• It stretches 0.75 miles from Summerland Avenue on the south
to Caddington Drirve on the north.
• If a pedestrian were to walk this segment, it would take him/
her approximately 15 minutes.
• Active, visitor-serving edges (typically commercial) exist on
both the east and west sides of the segment.
In particular, the Southern Segment is well-positioned to compete
with other high-end retail and entertainment destinations in the
region. Rethinking existing architecture by updating buildings to meet
current standards, potentially rezoning parcels to optimize space and
add interest, and improving signage, lighting and landscaping would
all contribute to an improved appearance and function for Western
Avenue, especially along the southern segment.
Key recommendations for the Southern Segment include:
• This is the commercial heart of the study area and its
experience and image needs updating to sustain its success.
• Reverse the relationship that buildings and surface parking
have with the street. New developments should be built along
the property line creating a strong street wall. Parking should
be located at the rear of the parcel and/or consolidated in
strategically located parking garage structures.
• Active, visitor-serving uses (typically commercial) should be
located at the ground level with direct access to the sidewalk.
• Sidewalks widths should be 15-feet at a minimum with a
streetscape (landscape, furniture, lighting, and pedestrian
amenities) that promotes a vibrant street life.
• Opportunities to create outdoors spaces and special places
should be a priority on all new (re)developments.
• The Terraces parcel is a key redevelopment opportunity and,
if programmed and designed sensitively, can serve as the
catalyst for positive transformation up and down the corridor.
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The Southern Segment’s street edges are dominated by surface parking lots
(in gray) while buildings (in orange) are pushed to the backs of parcels.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT58
5’-0”8’-0”
80’-0” CURB TO CURB
4’-0”7’-0”5’-0”4’-0”7’-0”10’-6”
PP
8’-0”10’-6”10’-6”10’-6”12’-0”
Wider sidewalks allow for
outdoor restaurants and cafes
Landscapping adjacent to pedestrian trafficis durable, distinct, and colorfulContinuously landscaped medians and streettrees make for a cohesive street character
COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL
Section cut of Western Ave along the southern segment showing streetscape opportunities.
Streetscape improvements could include the addition of dedicated bike lanes, continuously
landscaped sidewalks and medians, addition of street trees, improved bus stops, new street
furniture (benches, lights, signage), and wider sidewalks at the east and west.
Suggested plant palette for sidewalk and median landscaping:
From left to right: Phormium tenax (New Zealand Flax), Dianella revoluta (Flax Lily), Aloe striata (Coral Aloe), Lantana montividensis (Trailing Lantana), Senecio mandraliscae (Blue Chalk Sticks, Bougainvillea ‘La Jolla’ (La Jolla Bougainvillea), Dietes vegeta (African Iris), Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Ranger)
RECOMMENDATIONS 59
Identity
and lighting
Added
street trees
Planted
medians
Specialty paving
on crosswalks
Specialty paving
on sidewalks
Strip mall
redeveloped
Retail brought
to sidewalk edge
Class II
Bike lane
Bus shelterShading
Branding!Greening
Expanding options
to get around!
AppealingEngagingInviting
Beautifying
Softening
Conceptual sketch idea of Western Avenue at Caddington Dr, looking south. With these
improvements, can Western Avenue become a high-end destination for the region?
Existing:
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT60
Anchor Retail
Western Avenue
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Boutique
hotel
Parking
Structure
“TERRACES”476,982 SF “ThE GROVE”396,076 SF
“AMERICANA”554,404 SF
Conceptual redevelopment approachplan for “Terraces”:
The “T E RRACES” parcel at Caddington Drive and Western Avenue is a key
redevelopment opportunity and, if programmed and designed sensitively, can serve
as the catalyst for positive transformation up and down the corridor. The parcel it
occupies is the largest along the corridor and compares in size to the Grove in West
Los Angeles and the Americana at Brand in Glendale (compares them only for area
in footprint, not in program).
Ground floor retail with multi-family
residential above.
Because of the slope of the natural landscape,
homes along Gunter Road maintain their
views out east despite the addition of a multi-
story building on Western Avenue.
Ground floor retail with boutique hotel
at corner location serves as the visually
iconic structure one sees when traversing
south into the heart of Western Avenue.
Internal shopping street is flanked by
retail on both sides with angled parking
to calm traffic, and plenty of sidewalk
and plaza space for pedestrian activity.
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Aerial view of conceptual redevelopment to “Terraces”:
RECOMMENDATIONS 61
Conceptual sketch idea of Southern Segment, looking north on Western Ave at Capitol Dr
Existing:
Wider sidewalks allow for more pedestrian
activity, like outdoor restaurants and cafes.
Landscaping adjacent to pedestrian traffic is
durable, distinct, and colorful.
Readily accessible bicycle parking infrastructure
encourages visitors to travel by modes other
than automobile.
Commercial development is brought to the street
front, with opportunities for signage, canopies,
and other visual elements to enliven street life.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT62
Conceptual sketch idea of Southern Segment, looking north on Western Ave at Capitol Dr Conceptual sketch idea of interior shopping street at “Terraces,” looking north
Angled parking calms traffic and protects
pedestrians on sidewalks.
Ground floor retail is flanked on both
sides of the interior shopping street, with
opportunities for second floor retail (for
anchor stores) and/or office.
Open green space in the midst of retail is
activated by outdoor performances, farmer’s
markets, and other events.
Existing:
RECOMMENDATIONS 63
3.2 Middle Segment
Existing characteristics of this segment include:
• It stretches 0.9 miles from Caddington Drive on the south to
John Montgomery Drive on the north.
• If a pedestrian were to walk this segment, it would take him/her
approximately 20 minutes.
• The west is characterized by an inactive edge, while the east is
characterized by an active, visitor-serving edge.
Bounded by high cinder-block walls on the west and active businesses
on the east, the middle segment of Western Avenue is a “one-sided”
street. Only one side of the street (the active businesses on the east) is
contributing to pedestrian activity.
Key recommendations for the Middle Segment include:
• The east side of the street (primarily commercial) should receive
similar streetscape improvements as the southern segment.
• The west side of the street (primarily residential) presents a
challenge with regards to activation. The backyards of homes
(and their cinder block walls) are not going away and residents,
by and large, do not support re-configuring backyards to allow
secondary pedestrian access from the street.
• As a result, improvements will mainly be cosmetic to soften
the continuous cinder block wall. Several options have been
considered with a variety of treatment options.
• Due to the lack of active uses and access to homes, parking
along the street is under-utilized on the west side. In this case,
the sidewalk can be widened by reclaiming the asphalt once
occupied by parking. This expansion can serve as bio-swale
to assist storm water infrastructure and also provide a soft
landscaped buffer between vehicular traffic on the street and
pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk.
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Smart & Final
The Middle Segment is a “one-sided” street, with inactive edges on the west
(in red) and some active businesses (in orange) on the east.
Looking north on Western Ave at Caddington DrLooking south on Western Ave at John Montgomery Dr
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT64
6’-0”11’-0”
78’-0” CURB TO CURB
4’-0”4’-0”7’-0”5’-0”6’-0”10’-0”
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8’-0”11’-0”11’-0”11’-0”11’-0”
Along east (more pedestrian activity),
landscape is formal, colorful, and durableAlong west (less pedestrian traffic), landscape ismore organic and native in character.
Continuously landscaped medians and streettrees make for a cohesive street character
SLOPE UP TO
RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL
Section cut of Western Ave along the middle segment showing streetscape opportunities.
Streetscape improvements could include the addition of dedicated bike lanes, continuously
landscaped sidewalks and medians, addition of street trees, improved bus stops, new street
furniture (benches, lights, signage), bioswales, and wider sidewalks at the east and west.
Suggested plant palette for sidewalk and median landscaping:
From left to right: Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer Grass), Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass), Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Ranger), Juncus patens (Common Rush), Senecio mandraliscae (Blue Chalk Sticks), Bougainvillea ‘La Jolla’ (La Jolla Bougainvillea), Dietes vegeta
(African Iris), Dianella revoluta (Flax Lily), and Aloe striata (Coral Aloe).
RECOMMENDATIONS 65
The cinder block walls that line Western Avenue along the west create a harsh, unattractive,
and uninviting edge to passersbys. Because the wall must remain for soil grading purposes,
any improvements to this edge would be mainly cosmetic, including landscape buffering
and/or material changes.
Could homeowners build backyard decks with have direct stair access onto Western Avenue?
Option A: Split-rail fence, painted wall, narrow planting buffer,
enhanced slope planting.
Existing cinder block wall along residential backyards.Option B: Faux wood-grain panels attached to existing wall,
enhanced slope planting.
Option C: Painted wall, vine pockets along sidewalk, enhanced
slope planting
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT66
Commercial development is brought to the
street front, with opportunities for signage,
canopies, and other visual elements to
enliven street life.
Continuously landscaped medians and street
trees made beautify the street, make for a
cohesive street character, and aid in storm-
water management.
Addition of dedicated bike lanes makes it
safer for cyclists to traverse the corridor.
Existing:
Conceptual sketch idea of Middle Segment, looking north on Western Ave at Westmont Dr
RECOMMENDATIONS 67
3.4 Northern Segment
Existing characteristics of this segment include:
• It stretches 0.6 miles from John Montgomery Drive on the south
and Palos Verdes Drive North on the north.
• If a pedestrian were to walk this segment, it would take him/her
approximately 10 minutes.
• Inactive edges exist on both the east and west sides of the
segment.
Because of its adjacencies (Green Hills Memorial Park and the Defense
Fuel Support Point), the northern segment of Western Avenue is primarily
a fast-moving auto-oriented experience with inactive street edges on
both the west and east sides.
Key recommendations for the Southern Segment include:
• The east side of the street is entirely occupied by the fuel
storage infrastructure of the Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP)
San Pedro. This facility, for all practical purposes, is here for
perpetuity.
• The west side of the street is entirely occupied by Green Hills
Memorial Park. This facility too is here for perpetuity.
• Given that the east and west side of the streets will never house
active, visitor-serving uses, the experience of this segment of
the study area is decidedly auto-oriented.
• Monumental public art, scaled to be visible to vehicular users,
can be located on the street edges (in partnership with the
Cemetery and DFSP).
• This segment is also an ideal location for a gateway element
announcing the arrival southward into the commercial heart of
the study corridor.
• Surface parking in the northern segment rarely sees any use.
Like on the west side of the middle segment, here too, the
sidewalks on both the east and west side of the street can be
widened to accommodate a bio-swale.
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Green hills
Memorial Park
City of Lomita housing
Defense Fuel Support
Point (DFSP) San Pedro
Ponte Vista Redevelopment
The Northern Segment is primarily a fast-moving auto-oriented experience
with inactive street edges (in red) on both the west and east sides.
Existing: Looking north on Western Ave at John Montgomery DrExisting: Looking south on Western Ave at Palos Verdes Drive N
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT68
6’-0”2’
Bioretention swales (alternating with
trees and utilities)
Buffer planting is used to soften
high cinder-block wall of cemetery Bioretention swales (alternating withtrees and utilities) of organic planting,
with a heavy reliance on tall grasses
6’-0”
71’-0” CURB TO CURB
5’-0”6’-0”5’-0”6’-0”11’-0”11’-0”11’-0”11’-0”15’-0”
Colorful trees, flowers, and palms createsa distinc entry sequence for vehicles travellingsouth into the heart of Western Avenue.
SLOPE UP TO
RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL
Section cut of Western Ave along the northern segment showing streetscape opportunities.
Streetscape improvements could include the addition of dedicated bike lanes, continuously
landscaped sidewalks and medians, addition of street trees, improved bus stops, new street
furniture (benches, lights, signage), bioswales, wider sidewalks at the east and west, as well as
opportunities for roadside art along DSFP or Green Hils and iconic entry signage or monuments.
Suggested plant palette for sidewalk and median landscaping:
From left to right: Muhlenbergia rigens (Deer Grass), Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass), Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Ranger), Juncus patens (Common Rush), Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree), Senecio mandraliscae (Blue Chalk Sticks), Ceanothus ‘Joyce Coulter’
(Creeping Mountain Lilac), Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass), Agave americana ‘Variegata’ (Century Plant)
RECOMMENDATIONS 69
P E PPERDINE U N IVERSITY, M A LIBU, CA
Pepperdine University’s campus makes full use of its “front yard” setting
on the Pacific Coast Highway and allows its rolling green hills to gently
engage the street. This model could also be employed at the Green Hills
Cemetery and the DFSP along the northern segment of Western Avenue.
LAX G ATEWAY M O NUMENTS, LO S A N GELES, CA
The LAX Gateway Monuments, as an art piece, signifies one’s entry or
exit from the City of Los Angeles. While a gateway monument of this size
many not be appropriate for Western Avenue, the idea of having some
sort of gateway or entry signage is appropriate. The northern segment is
an ideal location to announce one’s arrival into the commercial heart of
the study corridor, particularly by car.
CO 2 LED P U BLIC A R T I N STALLATION, V I RGINIA
The northern segment can benefit from public art, whether monumental
and permanent, or ephemeral and temporary. In this case, a group
of artists created this temporary public art project aimed at raising
awareness of global warming. The project, called CO2LED, is made up
of more than 500 plastic water bottles attached to white plastic poles
ranging from 5 to 13 feet high. Inside each inverted water bottle is a
bright white LED light. At a distance, the stems look like gently bobbing
cattails in the median of a busy intersection. The high-efficiency LED lights
are lit by solar power.
E N C h A NTED h IG h WAY, N O RT h DA KOTA
The Enchanted Highway, a 32 mile stretch of highway through open
country land in North Dakota, features some of the world’s largest scrap
metal art sculptures. Monumental public art can be similarly displayed
along the northern segment of Western Avenue. This segment is also an
ideal location for a gateway element announcing one’s arrival into the
commercial heart of the study corridor.
Learning from others on street-engaging landscape, roadside art,
entry signage and monuments.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT70
Buffer planting is used to soften the high
cinder-block wall of the Green Hills Cemetery,
making for a more pleasant pedestrian
experience. Landscape doubles as bio-
retention swales to manage stormwater.
Addition of dedicated bike lanes makes it safer
for cyclists to traverse the corridor. Can be an
extension of the recreational bike path that
loops the Peninsula.
Colorful trees, flowers, and palms create a
distinct entry sequence for vehicles travelling
south into the heart of Western Avenue
Conceptual sketch idea of Northern Segment, looking south on Western Ave at Green Hills Cemetery.
Existing:
RECOMMENDATIONS 71
3.5 Corridor-wide Mobility
While there are many ideas to improve transit and bicycle access along
the entire stretch of Western Avenue, the key recommendations for
corridor-wide mobility include:
• The corridor generally has the curb-to-curb width to accommodate
bike lanes in both north and south directions without impacting
existing traffic lanes. If bike lanes are introduced then the existing
median may require spot reconfigurations.
• A secondary option to introduce/encourage bicycle mobility is to
consider bicycle-friendly signage on the existing Wider Curb Lane
(WCL). While a WCL is not a dedicated bike lane, it represents a
proactive means of accommodating bicycles (via sharrows and other
bicycle signage) in constrained right-of-ways. In this scenario the
median will not be affected.
• While bus service is available on Western Ave (via Metro and PV
Transit), the frequency has much to be desired. Metro’s 205 service
has over 30-minute interval and PV Transit shuttles only operate
during school drop-off/pickup times. Serving Peck Park on the south,
the San Pedro DASh could be extended to provide frequent, regular
service as far north as Ponte Vista.
• Metro’s Bus Rapid 757 provides north-south service on Western
Avenue from Hollywood to the 105 Freeway. Extending Metro Bus
Rapid 757 south to 25th Street on the Peninsula will provide bus
rapid access to the study area and adjoining communities.
• Metro is currently studying an extension of the Green Line light
rail system south of El Segundo along the Harbor Sub-division. The
terminus of this study brings the light rail to within a mile of the rail
corridor’s intersection with Western Avenue. A long term transit
improvement project could see the Green Line light rail turn south
on Western Avenue and connect the corridor to the region wide
rail network. Admittedly, this is an ambitious idea and will require
extensive analysis and a strong coalition of local champions to
lobby Metro and agencies. If implemented, this big-ticket transit
intervention will do the most to change the patterns of development
and image of the corridor.
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2.3 miles/45-min walk
What ties it all together?
Median Bike Lane Transit Signage Public Realm
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT72
3.5a Bicycle
The Palos Verdes Peninsula and San Pedro communities have a long
established tradition of recreational biking. However, most of this activity
takes place along the oceanfront and the hilly peninsula terrain away
from Western Avenue, arguably the corridor with the best regional access
and amenities for bicyclists. Both the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and
the City of Los Angeles recommend introducing north and south bike
lanes along Western Avenue in the long-range bicycle plans. Our analysis
shows that these bike lanes can be accommodated for the entire stretch
of the study corridor.
Build on what we have. Make the corridor a key
element of existing recreational biking, to support the strong, existing
precedent of cycling in RPV.
Provide incentives. Provide more bicycling
commuting options for students and employees of San Pedro and the
Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Make it easier to get around. Provide a
safe and accessible connection to existing and proposed transit hubs.
Share the road. Use bike infrastructure dollars to improve
the public realm and to elevate the bicyclist and pedestrian experience.
RECOMMENDATIONS 73
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PACIFIC OCEAN
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Regional Big Idea: “Link the Mountains to the Ocean.” Western Avenue – the most direct
north to south route in Los Angeles – does not currently provide bike access anywhere
along it’s entire stretch.
LOCAL BIG IDEA
Existing bikways around the Peninsula
Proposed linkages to “close the loop”
Extent of the Western Ave corridor study
“Close the loop” and provide another option fo recreational biking in Rancho Palos Verdes.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT74
Narrow medians and re-stripe lanes. [Opportunity to rethink median planting to create a more unified streetscape.]
Idea “A”
Idea “B”
Idea “C”
Remove street parking. [Option to provide parking only during off-peak hours and biking during peak hours.]
Remove medians altogether.
RECOMMENDATIONS 75
Put us on the map. Position the corridor as a regional
retail destination for locals and visitors alike.
Jobs. Provide commuting options for local residents along the
corridor to employment centers.
Access. Provide multiple options for the local communities of San
Pedro, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the South Bay to access Western
Avenue.
Value. Add value to adjacent parcels to provide an impetus to
locate transit-accessible homes and jobs.
Improve. Make use of transit improvement dollars to improve
the public realm and elevate the bicyclist and pedestrian experience.
3.5b Transit
The study corridor, like most of the South Bay and Palos Verdes Peninsula,
has relatively light transit connectivity when compared to the areas north
of the 105 Freeway. There is no light transit within easy access. Bus
transit is typically of rush-hour commuter type and provides access to El
Segundo jobs center as well as downtown Los Angeles. Western Avenue
has clear (long-term) opportunities to connect to regional transit – both
Bus Rapid Transit and light rail. Some of these ideas (especially extending
light rail transit down Western Avenue) are more ambitious and will
require extensive analysis and a strong coalition of local champions
to lobby Metro and agencies. If implemented, these big-ticket transit
interventions will do the most to change the patterns of development and
image of the corridor.
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT76
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Local Idea #1
Local Idea #2
Expand service area of the DASH system:
1. Extend existing route to provide
access to the northern half of the
corridor.2. Create a new “North San Pedro”
DASH route to supplement existing
route.3. Extend Wilmington DASH to
connect to the north.
While PVPTA provides multiples lines of service to the corridor, their
hours of operation can do with expansion along with increased frequency of service.
Study Corridor
San Pedro DASh
Study Corridor
Local Idea #3
Maximize east-west linkages to the
corridor to ensure that all potential
local visitors have at least one transit stop within a 5-minute walk.
Wilmington DASh
RECOMMENDATIONS 77
Regional Big Idea: Evisioning light rail along the Western Avenue corridor?
WESTERN AVENUE VISION PLAN - DRAFT78
Regional Idea #1
Extend the Green Line light-rail down the Harbor Subdivision and
Western Avenue.
Regional Idea #3
Extend the Silver Line BRT along the 110 Freeway south of the Artesia
Transit Hub to a new South Bay/Palos Verdes Peninsula//San Pedro transit hub at the southern termi-
nus of the 110 Freeway.
EXISTING RAIL NETWORK
Showing Metro heavy and light rail and future extensions.
Regional Idea #2
Extend the 757 Metro Rapid Bus to provide service to the Penin-sula and corridor (currently, this
connects Hollywood to the 105 Freeway along Western Avenue).
RECOMMENDATIONS 79
View of parking lot on Western Ave at W Park Western Dr
4
4.1 Next Steps
Stakeholders have coalesced around a vision. What remains is to set
in place policies and standards that will allow the vision to materialize.
While stakeholders have a vision in place that in and of itself will not
transform the corridor. The cities of Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Angeles
need to put in place a system of incentives to attract private investments
that will fund new development of the desired kind. Cities must invest
public infrastructure dollars in vicinity of strategic opportunity areas (like
Terraces) to attract private dollars. Moving forward, the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes must partner with the City of Los Angeles to craft design
guidelines that will shape new developments that come online. In doing
so, it must formalize the existing vision committee as a task force to lead
all future improvements along the corridor. 4Implementation
NEXT STEPSWESTERN AVE
CORRIDOR
May 201
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Looking south on Western Avenue at W Park Western Drive
5
Acknowledgments
5.1 Acknowledgments
A special thank you to the following organizations, agencies, and
individuals for their expertise, support, and general involvement
throughout this 12-month process:
Southern California Association of Governments
Compass Blueprint Program
Peter Brandenburg, Project Manager
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Joel Rojas, Director of Planning
Eduardo Schonborn, Senior Planner
City of Los Angeles
Joe Buscaino, Council District 15
AECOM Technology Corporation
Gaurav Srivastava, Senior Planner
Ana Nolan, Public Outreach Specialist
Josh Segal, Landscape Architect
Catherine Tang, Urban Designer
The Fransen Company
John A. Fransen, Real Estate Consulting
5 Western Avenue Vision Committee
Alison Becker
Allen Bond
Sandy Bradley
Betsy Cheek
Eileen Hupp
Jacob Haik
Crystal Killian
Jeanne Lacombe
John Larson
Debbie Lawrence
John Mavar
Jim McCowan
Anthony Misetich
Tony Moreno
Diana Nave
John Papadakis
Joe Rich
Gordon Teuber
Erika Velazquez
Yunus Ghausi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 83