Imagine a 34-story tower piercing West Hollywood’s eclectic skyline, adorned with up to seven glowing billboards—some flashing full-motion video—casting light across the city. This is the ambitious vision for 1000 North La Brea Avenue, a proposed mixed-use development that has already ignited controversy among residents and city officials alike. At the March 6, 2025, Planning Commission meeting, the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this project faced intense scrutiny, particularly regarding its billboard plan, environmental impacts, and traffic concerns. With the public comment period closing on March 10, 2025, and no residents speaking up at the meeting, the stakes are high for the community to shape the future of this development.
The proposed development is set to rise on the northeast corner of North La Brea Avenue and Romaine Street, replacing a defunct concrete batch plant and a vacant warehouse with a towering 352-foot structure. The project promises to deliver 514 residential units, including 128 affordable units, alongside 30,000 square feet of commercial space. Amenities such as a rooftop garden and an emergency helipad are also part of the plan. However, the most contentious aspect of the proposal centers on the seven billboards, which would collectively provide 29,465 square feet of advertising space—an unprecedented feature for this corridor.
The EIR, prepared by Rincon Consultants for the City of West Hollywood under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), aims to assess the project’s environmental effects. This report is a crucial step before the Planning Commission can recommend approval or denial to the City Council, alongside certifying a Final EIR. During the meeting, commissioners raised numerous questions and concerns about the project, particularly regarding the billboards.
The billboards quickly became the focal point of the discussion, highlighting a significant issue: West Hollywood’s general plan prohibits new off-site signage outside of Sunset Boulevard. The EIR attempts to navigate this restriction by referencing a prospective zoning amendment that the City Council discussed in October 2024—a policy that remains unwritten and unapproved. Commissioner Hoopingarner criticized this approach, labeling it a “circular argument.” He pointed out that the project does not comply with the existing zoning ordinance or map, yet it could comply if the zoning map were changed. This reasoning left many commissioners skeptical about the adequacy of the EIR.
Commission Chair Lombardi also expressed concerns regarding the proposed luminance of the billboards, which is set at 600 candelas per square meter—double the vetted threshold of 300 candelas per square meter established for the Sunset Strip. He remarked, “The number in there right now is double what the Sunset policy is,” further questioning the EIR’s assumption of compliance with a yet-to-be-adopted rule.
The site’s industrial history raises additional red flags. Confirmed soil contamination from petroleum hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds necessitates the removal of 49,000 cubic yards of dirt. Commissioner Solomon humorously probed, “How dirty is your dirt?” as he questioned the logistics of remediation and its potential environmental fallout. While the EIR outlines mitigation measures, such as regulatory oversight, the details provided remain sparse.
Traffic concerns were another significant issue raised during the meeting. Commissioner Hoopingarner highlighted the EIR’s lack of information regarding the trips required to haul away contaminated soil or pour concrete for the 34-story tower. She also criticized the absence of designated delivery zones for the 514 residential units, predicting chaos from moving vans, ride-shares, and delivery trucks. “The only way for southbound vehicles to arrive at that large grocery store as proposed is to make a U-turn at the corner of La Brea and Romaine,” she noted, emphasizing the potential for significant traffic impacts, especially given the project’s proximity to the already congested intersection of Santa Monica and La Brea.
The sheer scale of the tower—standing at 352 feet amidst neighboring buildings that range from two to seven stories—also clashes with the general plan’s directive to “avoid abrupt changes in scale and massing.” Hoopingarner challenged the EIR’s assertion that the design “considers” its context, questioning how a 34-story building could be seen as anything but an abrupt change compared to the surrounding two-story structures.
Despite the critiques, the project does present some upsides. The inclusion of 128 affordable units addresses West Hollywood’s ongoing housing crisis, and the commercial space could provide a boost to the local economy. However, these potential benefits were overshadowed by the multitude of unresolved questions that dominated the discussion.
In a surprising turn, no public comments were made during the March 6 meeting—a rarity for a city known for its vibrant community engagement. With the EIR comment period ending on March 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., this is a critical moment for residents to voice their opinions. Whether you support the idea of new housing or oppose the prospect of billboard blight, your input is essential. Residents are encouraged to reach out to Senior Planner Antonio Castillo to share their thoughts on this pivotal development.
Contact Information:
Antonio Castillo, Senior Planner
8300 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Email: [email protected]
