Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Creating the Echo Park Film District

Today I introduced a motion that would create an Echo Park Film District. The purpose of the new district is to help ensure that filming is a positive experience for both the neighborhood and the productions. We want to keep filming in Los Angeles and we want to make sure that filming doesn’t interfere with everyday life in our community.


The creation of the Echo Park Film District would set special conditions and guidelines to give the surrounding community more information and notice about productions in Echo Park neighborhood. Examples of these conditions include notifying affected residents/merchants/businesses in English and Spanish at least two days in advance of the first day of filming or in advance of any substantial preparation for all productions, restrictions on parking of production vehicles and generators, and restrictions on the type and location of portable restrooms. The district would also require community surveys for exceptional filming activities, including full street closures, any filming prior to 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m., or filming for more than three consecutive days at any single location or multiple locations that affect residents and merchants.

When it is approved, the film district will be the city's second; the first film district is in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles.

As a resident of Echo Park, I am personally looking forward to the implementation of this collaborative effort between production companies, local business owners, community residents, and FilmLA.