The revised Preservation Plan for the Windsor Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) was approved by the Los Angeles City Planning Commission at their meeting on July 11, 2019.
The Preservation Plan serves as a handbook for every property owner, as well as the HPOZ Board and City staff, on what’s expected within that district. It spells out how different types of work gets reviewed, contains a “historic context statement” detailing the historic significance and evolution of the community, and summarizes each neighborhood’s distinctive architectural styles, according to the City’s Office of Historic Resources.
“I am very gratified that Windsor Square’s new HPOZ plan was unanimously approved by the CPC. It is the culmination of months of hard work by Planning staff and past and current HPOZ Board members,” Priscilla Wright, immediate past chair of the Windsor Square HPOZ Board who attended the Planning Commission meeting along with resident, Amy Forbes, told the Buzz.
“The plan is clear, consistent and addresses the issues raised by homeowners and the Board as we implemented the previous plan. In addition, the plan includes an amendment providing specific protection of our original concrete streets where they still exist in the neighborhood.”
Forbes asked the Planning Department to include protection for the neighborhood’s remaining concrete streets at the public hearing held several months ago.
With the approval of this plan, the remaining concrete streets in both Windsor Square and Hancock Park are now protected. Councilmember David Ryu has committed substantial time and resources to a model repair plan for Hancock Park’s concrete streets that can be used in other areas of the City. In addition to historical appropriateness, concrete streets are more sustainable over the long term and are more reflective, helping to reduce the “heat island” effect of streets.
