Blog: Dodgers Can't Develop Stadium Land Without City Review

Zimas shows the stadium land as Open Space.  Its zoning is A1-1XL. (Agricultural)  The City allowed a previous owner Walter O'Malley to build the stadium with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). 

In 2008, a Frank McCourt entity -- L.A. Real Estate, LLC -- petitioned the city to expand the uses allowed it under the CUP.   McCourt asked to sell off a portion of the stadium and to double the number of conession stands, new clubs for Baseline Box seat holders, expanded walkways, and to add new signage.  

The proposal fell under the California Environmental Quality Act as a project with potentially significant environmental impact.   There is to date no draft Environmental Impact Report.  

An LA Times article recently quoted USC assistant professor of clinical finance and business economics Robert Bridges as stating the Dodgers could relatively easily develop the property. 

Sports writer Sam Farmer discusses the possibility of an NFL Stadium at the location as well. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week: "We've often said that that's an extraordinary (football) stadium site up at Dodger Stadium."   Some people, according to the Farmer article, have suggested constructing the football stadium where the ballpark now sits, and putting the ballpark downtown, across from L.A. Live. 

City Planner Henry Chu writes that the change in ownership means the new owners would have to re-submit the Master Land Use Change.  "A lot of things have changed, so they'd have to switch out plans, application materials, update labels, as well as address standards that have changed."  (March 29, 2012 email message from Henry Chu) 

If the new owners want to change the zoning from agricultural in order to develop something other than a stadium, that will mean the City will have to amend its general plan.   If this is what the new owners want to do, they would probably have to start all over in the CEQA process, because this would be a new project description.