An effort more than 18-months in the making to convert a portion of York Boulevard into a street porch complete with public seating and mosaic tile art will attempt to clear what supporters call its final hurdle on Friday, as the Los Angeles City Council will consider a motion by Councilmembers Jan Perry and José Huizar requesting support for the first-of-its kind project.
The motion calls for the Los Angeles City Council to instruct "the Planning Department, in coordination with Department of Transportation, and the Department of Public Works" to assist in the implementation of two street porch demonstration projects, which would be located on York Boulevard in Highland Park and Huntington Drive in El Sereno.
"One key point in the deliberations will be confirming that there is broad community support for the project," Huizar wrote in his weekly newsletter on Friday, August 17.
The during one of the first new York Vision Plan forums held by Huizar in January of 2011.
The York Boulevard street porch's design was , a design firm contracted by Huizar to facilitate the "new York" planning efforts, and was refined along the way through input provided by community members.
According to L.A. Streets Blog, the street porch would feature "inset tile mosaic and river rocks." Further, "the design alludes to the history and natural environment of Highland Park and honors and engages the area’s emerging creative community."
Supporters of the street porch plan think of it as investment in innovative infrastructure that will spur further development on York Boulevard.
The plan has been met by some opposition, though. John Carlucci, owner of Manic Panic hair salon at 5035 York Boulevard expressed concerns that the porch would reduce parking and hurt business. Carlucci's business is located directly across the street from Do It Best Hardware, where the street porch would be installed.
"I think this is a really bad idea. I own a business on York Boulevard and parking already is a problem," Carlucci said in September. "We recently lost parking spaces as a bike [corral] was installed and now we are slotted to lose more for parklets?"
Cathi Milligan, owner of the on York Boulevard, said that the street porch wouldn't actually take up any public parking spaces, as it would be located in area currently designated as a no parking zone. Patch previously reported that the street porch would occupy two parking spaces. We regret the error.
Community members will have three opportunities to weigh in on the street porch issue this week
Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee
Location: City Hall Room 1060
Date: Tuesday, August 21
Time: 8:30 am-10:30 am
Transportation Committee
Location: City Hall Room 1010
Date: Wednesday, August 22
Time: 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Full City Council Meeting
Location: City Council Chambers, Room 340, City Hall
Date: Friday, August 24
Time: 10am-12 noon
