Patch Blog: Dodger Stadium Land Use Changes, Part One

Dodger Stadium looks like a spermatozoon a green field on LA City's future land use map.
The stadium is zoned A1_1XL -- agricultural – and that means the ag land owners may build one family dwellings, parks, golf courses, farms, apiaries, and places for horses and goats but may not have more than five swine.   The Dodgers have a Conditional Use Permit to operate the stadium in agricultural land. 

Frank McCourt split ownership of the stadium land and the ball club into two separate companies. Dodgers vice chairman Steve Soboroff, who shepherded a major retail and residential development at Playa Vista, said the Dodger Stadium property might best be used for residences around the perimeter. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0508-dodgers-mccourt-sale-20110508,0,6837676,full.story

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig appointed former Texas Rangers president Tom Schieffer as a monitor whose powers include having approval over any Dodgers expense above $5,000. McCourt, for his part, insists the Dodgers' financial problems would go away if MLB would approve a proposed $3 billion television deal with Fox. The Houston Chronicle (May 23, 2011).

The McCourt life style may have contributed to the Dodger's problems.  In one court filing, Jamie McCourt reports she and her husband jointly pocketed $108 million from 2004 through 2009 and paid no federal or state income tax.

Mrs. McCourt listed $988,845 in monthly expenses including $538,029 for 10 different residences, $33,756 for support of their adult sons, and $55,782 for personal expenses that included a hair stylist, hair coloring, facials, appointments with a skin doctor, manicures, pedicures, a make-up artist and designer clothing.

In 2008, the stadium owner applied to the Planning Department  to expand its Conditional Use Permit (“Dodger Stadium: The Next 50 Years” project, case no. ENV-2008-1659-EIR) and  asked to sell off the parking lots and to build double the number of concession stands, new clubs for Baseline Box seat holders, expanded walkways,  new signage, a "Dodgers Museum Experience," retail businesses, offices, player and employee facilities, a second baseball-themed museum, a "Dodger Plaza and Promenade," "Top of the Park," "ticketing enhancements," and the "Emerald Necklace." 

The City  held a public hearing and asked for “scoping” letters.   The next step was for the Dodgers to complete a Draft Environmental Impact Report.   There is still no DEIR according to City planner Henry Chu.   (Email messages 7/2/10 and 5/4/11).   The Dodgers need City approval and financing to proceed with the two to three years of work McCourt intends to do.  

According to the Dodger website, however, this year in the off-season at least part of the project went ahead.  There is now a full service bar -- which conjures images of intoxicated drivers lost in Elysian Park and maybe even down in Frogtown.     Little Mom and Pop restaurants that want to get a beer and wine license go through neighborhood council meetings to get their neighbors' approval. 

There is no action on the City Council website list of actions that authorized the Dodgers to embark on these expansions. Ryan Caprio, Eric Garcetti’s aide, did not respond to a message asking if Councilman Garcetti knew about the Dodgers’ off-season expansion.  (Message to Ryan Caprio 5/5/11)

New concession stands on the renovated concourse are: Cantor's Deli, Mrs. Beasley's, Ruby's Diner, the Dodger Blue Bar, and Camacho's Cantina, Panda Express, Gordon Biersch and California Pizza Kitchen. http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/information/index.jsp?content=history

 The off-season restorations should make more money for Frank McCourt, although the new businesses may disadvantage local Echo Park eateries and bars and may make it more uncomfortable for Echo Park residents.   The proposed office space, museums and restaurants may also make money at the expense of local businesses and residents.   If the McCourts build housing developments around Dodger Stadium – that should require a general plan amendment and re-zoning and should not just slip by the Zoning Administrator.

Look for Part Two of this post coming soon.