Councilman Proposes Zones to Boost Green Industry

Los Angeles Councilman Richard Alarcón is proposing to have the city’s planning department consider green industry and environmental justice issues when community plans are being updated. This would be done through the establishment of “environmental justice zones.” With the zones, the city would utilize its planning and land use policy to encourage green business growth and proactively encourage the replacement of polluting land use activities with environmentally friendly business in highly impacted communities. The targeted communities would include areas in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, East Los Angeles and in areas around the Port of Los Angeles. “My motion aims to create ‘Environmental Justice Zones’ in our community plans, so we can leverage our land-use policies to ensure that all communities have access to cleaner ‘green jobs’ and a healthier environment,” Alarcón said. The motion would require the planning department to report back to the Planning, Land Use and Management Committee with a proposal to encourage green business growth, specifically in the updates of the community plans. Community plans serve as blueprints for guiding growth and development in the city. Jessica Vernabe