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Shaping Mid-20th Century Los Angeles County: The Regional Planning Commission, Lakewood, and Local Area Formation Commission
October 26, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Virtual
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors established the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) in late 1922 in response to tremendous land development activity, typically uncoordinated between cities and unincorporated areas. In 1927 the RPC established the County of Los Angeles Zoning Code, the first in the nation for a county’s unincorporated areas. Following World War II, guided by master plans of land use, highways, and airports, the RPC embarked upon an extensive effort to create precise zoning plans for rapidly developing unincorporated areas. Mostly in the far-reaching flatlands of the Los Angeles basin, these precisely zoned areas were known as Zoned Districts. These Zoned Districts served as the foundation for 29 city incorporations from 1954 to 1962.
Objectives for this Speaker Panel
- Illuminate how planning and placemaking has been done through intentional processes of zoning, municipal services contracting, and incorporation/annexation, which over time have been reconsidered for inequitable outcomes.
- Lakewood was incorporated in 1954 as the first “contract city” in California and what implications did this have for County operations, particularly planning services?
- LAFCO was established by state legislation in 1963 in direct response to the high volume of incorporations during the explosive mid-century suburban expansion. What role has LAFCO played in the incorporation of cities and shaping of the Los Angeles megalopolis?
Speakers:
- J. Waldie, author of Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir and Deputy City Manager (ret.) of Lakewood
Paul A. Novak, AICP, Executive Officer, Local Agency Formation Commission for the County of Los Angeles
Mark S. Herwick, AICP, Supervising Planner, LA County Planning
Date:
Thursday, October 26, 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Registration is free.
AICP credit: 1 CM
Register here: bit.ly/PlanningMonthLA2023
