Los Angeles City Council Approves Harbor LA Community Plan Update for Wilmington and Harbor Gateway

The Los Angeles City Council voted earlier this month to adopt the Harbor LA Community Plan update, which will bring new zoning rules to the Wilmington and Harbor Gateway neighborhoods. These areas include approximately 8,300 acres of land situated between the Wilmington neighborhood and the Port of Los Angeles, extending northward to South Los Angeles. The surrounding areas also encompass unincorporated communities under Los Angeles County's land use authority, as well as the cities of Carson, Torrance, Gardena, Long Beach, and Lomita. The adopted plan will have a significant impact on the area, as it is expected to accommodate up to 38,000 new residents, provide almost 11,000 new homes, and create nearly 38,000 new jobs by 2040. These numbers far exceed the projected growth for the region, with the Southern California Association of Governments estimating only 1,600 new residents and 10,000 new jobs by 2040. The majority of the plan area will see minimal changes, with approximately 75% of land use regulations remaining intact. The focus instead will be on the transition areas between the existing industrial zones surrounding the port and the adjacent residential neighborhoods. One of the key strategies of the community plan is to concentrate new development along commercial corridors, such as Carson Boulevard, Gardena Boulevard, 190th Street, Pacific Coast Highway, and Avalon Boulevard. These areas will see relaxed restrictions on building height, floor area, and density. Additionally, mixed-use buildings up to three stories in height will be permitted on narrower corridors, while taller developments up to seven stories will be allowed near transportation hubs like the Harbor Gateway Transit Center and the upcoming Vermont Avenue bus rapid transit line. Similar to the recent DTLA