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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260618T110000
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UID:127997-1781780400-1781784000@www.aialosangeles.org
SUMMARY:AIA|LA & LADWP Development Services:  2026 Quarterly Meetings - 06.18.26
DESCRIPTION:AIA|LA & LADWP Development Services: 2025 Quarterly Meetings\n\nThis is a virtual meeting hosted on LADPW’s WebEx platform. Please register in advance to receive the link to access the meeting. \nThese quarterly meetings serve as a forum for AIA members to connect directly with LADWP leadership and discuss opportunities and strategies to improve development services. \nThe schedule for 2026: \nThursday\, March 5 (11:30 am – 12:30 pm) – RSVP HERE\n*Thursday\, June 18 (11:00 am – 12:00 pm) – RSVP HERE \nThursday\, August 13  (11:30 am – 12:30 pm) –  RSVP HERE\nThursday\,  November 5 (11:30 am – 12:30 pm) – RSVP HERE \n*Please note:  The May 7th meeting has now been rescheduled for June 18th! \nPlease share your specific issues\, recommendations\, challenges\, and/or questions in advance\, and we’ll add them to the agenda for each meeting.  Email us here = Will@aialosangeles.org. \n\nFor more information about AIA LA GO!\, the AIA LA Government Outreach Committee\, please CLICK HERE. \n  \nPRIME 2026 AIA|LA ADVOCACY PRIORITY w/ LADWP: \nAIA|LA is requesting LADWP leadership to institute the following protocol\, which we believe will substantially improve development services: \nTo require review/approval of the Service Planner (Office Team) and ESR (Field Team) should occur during the normal Plan Check Period – Avoids delays that happen when approval occurs during construction and when the ESR first sees a project late in the construction process. \n\n\nMEETING AGENDA \nAIA|LA & LADWP Quarterly Leadership Meeting \nDate: June 18\, 2026 (11:00am – 12:00pm) \nObjective: Modernizing development services and utility standards to align with Los Angeles’s housing production and public realm goals. \n1. Introductions & Strategic Alignment (10 mins) \n\n\nAligning LADWP’s infrastructure requirements with the City’s push for denser\, transit-oriented development and “missing middle” housing. \n\n\nBalancing grid reliability with the urgent need to reduce project delays and minimize the utility footprint on the public right-of-way. \n\n\n2. Spatial Optimization: Right-Sizing the Utility Footprint (15 mins) \n\n\nStaging Area Expansion: Discussing the recent increases in required staging area sizes. Exploring whether equipment scaling (e.g.\, using smaller maintenance vehicles like BOS hillside trucks) can reduce spatial demands in dense urban infill sites. \n\n\nSidewalk Clearance Consolidation: Addressing the current standard of 12’ clear width per piece of equipment (Switch\, TX\, Pullbox = 36’ of dead sidewalk space). Exploring consolidated spacing (e.g.\, 24’ for three pieces) to preserve street trees and pedestrian flow. \n\n\n3. Engineering Flexibility: Adapting to Urban Site Constraints (15 mins) \n\n\nFloor Loading & Material Alternatives: Evaluating alternatives to the increasing thickness and extent of permanent concrete required for staging areas. \n\n\nBelow-Grade Transformers: Discussing current limitations on below-grade vaults (specifically the 2\,000-amp cap) and pathways to increase below-grade capacity to free up surface area. \n\n\nAlley Deployments: Standardizing and incentivizing the placement of transformers in alleys rather than primary street frontages. \n\n\n4. Public Realm & Climate Resilience: Heat Island Mitigation (10 mins) \n\n\nReplacing Concrete with Permeable Alternatives: Proposing the formal allowance of Decomposed Granite (DG) and utility-friendly\, low-growth ground cover around equipment pads to mitigate the urban heat island effect. \n\n\nEstablishing a “Green Pad” Standard: Reviewing safe planting guidelines (e.g.\, the 10-3-3-3 rule) that protect utility access while softening the streetscape. \n\n\n5. Next Steps & Action Items (10 mins) \n\n\nIdentify pilot opportunities for these recommendations. \n\n\nEstablish a working group for specific code updates. \n\n\n\nSpecific Recommendations for LADWP Implementation\nRecommendation 1: Create a “Dense Urban Infill” Staging Standard \n\n\nThe Fix: LADWP should establish an alternative staging standard for high-density and transit-oriented areas. Instead of mandating staging areas sized for maximum-capacity cranes\, LADWP should allow developers to specify that maintenance will be performed by smaller\, more agile equipment (similar to BOS hillside trash trucks). \n\n\nThe Fix: To address floor loading requirements\, LADWP should pilot the use of certified temporary metal plates (similar to heavy-duty roadwork plates) deployed only during emergency TX replacement. This eliminates the need for developers to pour massive\, permanent\, thick concrete staging pads that ruin site landscaping and drive up costs. \n\n\nRecommendation 2: Consolidate Sidewalk Equipment Clearances \n\n\nThe Fix: Revise the clearance rule that demands 12 linear feet of clear sidewalk per individual piece of equipment. LADWP should adopt a consolidated working space model allowing overlapping access zones. For example\, a switch\, TX\, and pullbox grouped together should require a maximum of 24 linear feet (instead of 36). This will save vital space for mandatory street tree planting and pedestrian mobility. \n\n\nRecommendation 3: Expand Below-Grade and Alley Options \n\n\nThe Fix: LADWP should formally review and lift the 2000-amp limit for below-grade transformers. By adopting newer active-cooling vault technologies or modular vault configurations\, larger buildings can place their utilities underground\, preserving the ground-floor pedestrian experience. \n\n\nThe Fix: Issue a departmental directive that officially prioritizes alleyway placements for transformers\, complete with pre-approved design templates\, to divert these massive boxes away from primary pedestrian boulevards. \n\n\nRecommendation 4: Formally Adopt a “Green Pad” Landscaping Standard \n\n\nThe Fix: LADWP should revise its design manuals to explicitly ban the unnecessary paving of concrete aprons around equipment pads. Instead\, mandate or allow the use of Decomposed Granite (DG) or river rock within the immediate 3-foot clearance radius to dissipate heat and provide a stable footing for workers. \n\n\nThe Fix: Outside the 3-foot immediate access zone\, LADWP should publish an “Approved Plant List” of drought-tolerant\, shallow-root ground covers that naturally stay under 4 inches tall (e.g.\, Creeping Thyme\, Dwarf Mondo Grass\, Sedum). This officially aligns LADWP with the Mayor’s sustainability and heat-island reduction goals\, ensuring crews have safe access without turning sidewalks into concrete dead zones. \n\n\n\n\n\nMORE CONTEXT: \nPowering Progress: How AIA|LA and LADWP Are Redesigning Collaboration \nSince 2021\, AIA Los Angeles and LADWP have been breaking down silos through a pioneering series of quarterly roundtables. What began as a conversation has evolved into a powerful engine for problem-solving\, connecting the architects who envision our city with the utility experts who power it. \nThe Mission: From Transaction to Trust – \nThese forums are about more than just permits; they are about building a shared culture of trust and empathy. By aligning the priorities of LADWP personnel with private sector designers\, we are testing new methods to tackle Los Angeles’ biggest challenges—from the housing crisis to the urban heat island effect. We recognize that environmental justice\, electrification\, and urban design are deeply interconnected\, requiring a unified approach to infrastructure. \nTurning Talk into Action – These quarterly deep-dives allow us to: \n\nModernize Standards: We are analyzing how equipment size and “cultural habits” regarding utility placement impact the beauty and safety of our streets.\nInnovate: From exploring self-certification to piloting new technologies\, we are identifying the obstacles that slow down progress.\nBenchmark: We are looking at regional best practices to integrate trees and landscaping with utility infrastructure\, ensuring a greener public realm.\n\nReal Results: The impact of this partnership is already visible on the ground. Together\, we have achieved: \n\nFaster processing for utility permits.\nCritical streamlining for Executive Directive 1 (100% Affordable Housing) projects.\nSmarter financial solutions\, including the amortization of line extensions.\nGreater flexibility for construction staging and transformer placement.\n\nA Model for the Future: \nWe believe this partnership sets the standard for how City departments should engage with the private sector. By celebrating these wins\, we hope to show the public that when architects and utilities collaborate\, the entire city benefits. \n 
URL:https://www.aialosangeles.org/event/aiala-ladwp-development-services-2026-quarterly-meetings-may-7/
LOCATION:Virtual on Zoom
CATEGORIES:Advocacy,Committees,Networking,Presentation,Roundtable
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