ELEVATED ENTITLEMENTS
280 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd Suite H
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-232-4383
USC Price Master of Planning, Urban Design Studio - Spring 2012
"Corbett Village" is a design vision for a ten-acre site located southwest of the corner of La Cienega at Jefferson. The site is currently occupied by the See's Candy complex of buildings, and a self-storage facility. The site is advantageously located adjacent to the entrance and exit of the new Expo line stop, which is located above grade at the intersection of La Cienega and Jefferson Boulevards.
What Kevin has envisioned for the site is a development that engages the community, provides an attractive frontage along La Cienega, increases open space, and provides a mixture of uses which will spur future development in the vicinity.
USC Price Master of Planning, Urban Design Studio - Spring 2012
Figueroa can become an iconic street for Los Angeles in the coming generation. To fulfill this promise the street will have to create a unique global identity that provides the physical framework fit to stimulate multiple, healthy, local communities congregating and exchanging on Figueroa.
Significant improvement to the quality of buildings and open spaces in the Figueroa Corridor will lead to new public life in the future. Kevin's design vision proposes to link Downtown Los Angeles with the University of Southern California by creating a unique environment on the Figueroa Corridor that encourages pedestrian movement, neighborhood cohesion, enhanced public transportation, and economic development.
USC Price Master of Planning, Urban Design Studio - Fall 2011
"Walk on Wall" is a CRA proposed park site located between Slauson Avenue in the north, Los Angeles Street to the south, 59th Street to the east and Wall Street to the west. The site is located in South Los Angeles and is a predominately underserved community with little public open space. Similar to many parts of South Los Angeles the site is comprised of dense single family homes, has a heavy industrial legacy, and is lacking in quality park space.
The "Walk on Wall" vision is a park and streetscape that allows visitors and residents to create their own adventure through their imagination, using the amenities and play areas developed on the site.
USC Price Master of Planning, Urban Design Studio - Fall 2012
"La Brea Village" is a design vision for downtown Inglewood. Downtown Inglewood suffers from a substantial number of commercial vacancies along Market Street and the area overall is perceived as unsafe. The City has not been able to rebrand the community as a desirable place to live, work, and play.
What Kevin has envisioned for the site is a development that activates pedestrian linkages with the Market Street Commercial Corridor and Inglewood Civic Center by creating interconnected walkways, alley ways, and plazas throughout the downtown area. By reclaiming the alleys, La Brea Village will provide a safe and environmentally friendly pedestrian thoroughfare throughout the downtown area. Unique signage and lighting will also allow pedestrians to enjoy outdoor dining and patio space.
Cal Poly Pomona Bachelors of Urban and Regional Planning, Urban Design Studio - Spring 2011
"Sigler Village" is a design vision that provides the city of Westminster with a gathering space that is both unique and stands apart from Little Saigon and the Civic Center. Sigler Village is the perfect blend of commercial and recreational activities for everyone in the community.
Sigler Village brings out the natural beauty of Sigler Park into the commercial and residential area to create a welcoming and relaxing ambiance for residents and visitors alike.
USC Price Master of Planning, Environmental Design Studio - Fall 2012
The Council for Watershed Health (CWH) is a growing non-profit looking to find a new space that can accommodate scientific testing and office space, as well as new mandates to provide education and community space. The Cornfield Arroyo Seco Plan (CASP) is an up-and coming area just north of downtown Los Angeles that is in the process of growth and revitalization. The CWH has an exciting opportunity to be a part of this growth by forming partnerships and working with the community to bring sustainable design.
This report attempts to bring the Council for Watershed Health's vision to life through site plans and visioning exercises. Our team has presented the Council with two site selections and determined a mutually beneficial relationship with the CASP and the L.A River.
Elevated Entitlements is a professional urban planning firm with significant experience in city planning, zoning, and land use entitlements areas. Elevated Entitlements has focused its activities in the California marketplace and employs various technical expert consultants in order to avoid inefficient corporate hierarchy, and provide maximum value to its clients.
The firm has experience with both government and private development companies in California relating to land planning, environmental studies, public hearings, zoning and entitlement matters on hundreds of successful residential, commercial and industrial projects, including major entitlements with the Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, State Department of Fish and Game and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Elevated Entitlements is involved in professional endeavors that place the team in the forefront of major professional planning associations, such as the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. These activities have provided Elevated Entitlements with the knowledge of and professional relationships to planning and governmental professionals throughout the state. Our professional activities also give our public and private clients formal and informal professional access to key personnel, both administrative and elected, at all levels of local, state and federal government. The firm has worked under contract to a number of public agencies in California, providing a variety of planning, environmental and administrative services direct to the agency.
Community Relations
The rapid expansion of California's population, and development projects often times clashes with community and neighborhood perceptions of City or private sector programs. Our firm has qualified staff to evaluate these issues and recommend a community relations strategy to present the project in the most logical and understandable light. We have the expertise in creating project websites, public noticing, leading community workshops, and charrettes.
Redevelopment State Law
Our staff is involved with the interpretation and use of the California Redevelopment Law. The use and application of the various legal requirements of the law have been used in the development of new project areas, amending old project areas, required reporting for land use, housing, and other issues. Elevated Entitlements has also been involved in the development of many development agreements.
Demographics
An important aspect of market studies for new business and business expansion is the provision of accurate demographic studies. Our firm has provided data for numerous feasibility reports dealing with population growth, residential growth, industrial/commercial growth and transportation corridor planning. Elevated Entitlements has a keen knowledge of federal, state, regional and local governmental source documents and personnel who can accurately project the direction and the rate of California growth.
What is a Notary Public? A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by the State to act as an impartial witness in taking acknowledgments, administering oaths and affirmations, and performing other acts authorized by state law. Notaries lend credibility to the authenticity of certain sensitive signed documents. A notarized document lends assurance to the public that its signer is the person who signed the document – and to the signer that the document they have signed will have full force and effect.
What Identification is required for notarization? Each signer must present at least one of the forms of ID listed below. The ID must be current or, if expired, have been issued within the last 5 years; contain the signer’s photograph, personal description, and signature; and bear a serial or other identifying number (Civil Code, Section 1185).
Unacceptable forms of Identification include:
What is a “Mobile” notary public? The “mobile” designation means the notary does the traveling. We come to your home, office, or other location at your convenience, giving you the advantage of flexible scheduling – evenings and weekends as well as regular business hours.
Can a document be notarized when the signer does not have proper identification? A notary may rely on the oath of two credible identifying witnesses that are unknown to the notary.
Why do documents require notarization? Most importantly to deter fraud. To help protect the legal rights of the persons whose signatures are being notarized. It is the legal responsibility of the notary, serving as an impartial witness and public official, to ensure that the signers of notarized documents are indeed who they claim to be.
Can a document with blank lines be notarized? No, a notary public may not notarize a document that is incomplete (Government Section 8205). This if for the public’s protection from the widespread occurrence of fraud.
Is notarization required by law? For certain documents, yes. Many affidavits, real estate deeds, loan papers, powers of attorney, and other types of documents must be properly notarized to become legally binding. Oftentimes one of the simplest ways to determine whether a document requires notarization is to examine it- specifically, in the vicinity of the signature area- for notarial wording, such as “…subscribed and sworn to before me…”or”…acknowledged to…” Such wording varies from state to state (and from country to country), so use these examples only as a general guide. Also be aware that not all documents requiring notarizing contain the mandatory notarial wording; in such cases, the notary must add the necessary wording to the documents.
Lake Elsinore, CA
The award winning Alberhill Villages Specific Plan includes 1,400 acres located in northwest Lake Elsinore, just south of Interstate 15, in the vicinity of Lake Street and Temescal Canyon Road. The Project embraces the site of the historic community of Alberhill, and resides on the current Pacific Clay mining operations. The goal of Alberhill Villages is to build on the history of the area, phase out mining, and reclaim the land over a 20-30 year time frame for a dynamic and vibrant mixed land use community. Alberhill Villages will serve as one of the major gateways and future communities in the City of Lake Elsinore.
Lake Elsinore, CA
Alberhill Ranch is a 2,300-acre multi-phased master-plan community comprised of over 10,000 units, parks, lakes, schools, lift stations and water reservoir sites. Work includes the design, analysis, and coordination and submittal of grading, drainage systems, and roadway and infrastructure improvements. Special studies include the preparaiton of the following: Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Specific Plan, Transportaiton Uniform Mitigation Fee (TMF) Analysis, Water Quality Managemetn Plan (WQMP), and Water and Sewer Master Plans.
Chuze Fitness is a High‐Value-Low‐Price fitness club operator with locations across Arizona, Colorado, and California. Chuze Fitness facilities have a large selection of cardio and fitness equipment along with a number of premium amenities, including: team training, group fitness, pools, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, saunas, hydromassages, cycling rooms, turf areas, Chuze cinemas, smoothie bars and childcare. Their basic memberships start at $9.99 with no annual commitment. Along with its premium amenities, Chuze is known for an exceptional service culture and a commitment to industry leading cleanliness.
Our services include the preparation and processing of ministerial and discretionary permits for Chuze Fitness. We serve as their liaison between the City and the Chuze Fitness team by providing site due diligence, CUP processing, community outreach, and parking analysis for projects throughout California, Arizona, and Colorado. As professional certified planners, we often serve as an extension of City staff and help write staff reports, conditions of approval, and resolutions in order to help expedite the entitlement process.
We also provide estimated project budgets and scheduling for Chuze Fitness projects and determine the estimated developer impact fees and permit fees for the Constructions Management team. We lead Community Outreach Meetings with local stakeholders to get their comments and concerns addressed early in the entitlement process. We represent the Client in public hearings at Planning Commission and City Council by addressing comments and presenting the proposed project to City staff.
California land use regulations require the examination of development projects and regulatory programs, albeit private or public, as to the relative impact on the natural environment. Elevated Entitlements provides a full range of environmental studies for land use (zoning) entitlement that may be required in most land development and entitlement programs. Environmental studies ranging from full Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), Initial Studies, Mitigated Negative Declarations, or addendums are entirely produced in-house for critical quality control. Federal and State Environmental Regulatory Permit preparation such as Army Corps 404 permitting and processing is also a key component of our firm’s expertise.
A major component of the planning process is providing important biological information to local agencies and private companies in the initial planning process and post project approvals for state and federal permits. Many regulations require biological surveys and federal permits that relate to endangered species and riparian grading permits. Elevated Entitlements has a broad knowledge of the issues, process and procedures to assist local agencies and private companies to navigate this complicated environmental process of multiple species plans and state and federal streambed alteration agreements.
State and Federal Resource agencies mandate that, with a few exceptions, local agencies are to require survey and analysis of the potential biological impacts that a project may have on the natural environment. Elevated Entitlemetns is a full service environmental consulting agency inclusive of biological, archeological, geological, and cultural services. Our biological surveys comply with state and federal guidelines, licensing, and reporting requirements. Biological studies are implemented with rigorous university multidisciplinary scientific review and overseen by credentialed terminal degree biologists. Below is a list of a number of studies we prepare in-house:
We have successfully completed master plans for communities across Southern California that have turned into places where communities can grow to become livable neighborhoods. Master Planning is an essential part of projects that are dealing with undisturbed land that requires many components, including open space, parks and recreation, residential, commercial, and sometimes even industrial spaces. The art of Master Planning must take elements of urban design and create a mold for each specific project. Elevated Entitlements can create master plans for clients who have an interest in developing their land into successful projects that will create great communities and desirable places to live.
Some projects require the use of Specific Plans and Specific Plan Amendments to create clients' various goals. Some project are larger than normal, but not quite large enough to create a master plan, and this is when specific plans are required. Through specific plans, the client can demonstrate to the corresponding government agencies what their goals are for the project and present these goals in a concise and well thought out method. Specific Plan Amendments are needed sometimes in order to change an existing specific plan, but not have to recreate it. These amendments require extensive research and editing, in order to mold the existing specific plan to be molded into the client's goals.
Site Planning
In the urban design context, site planning is an essential part of every project. Site planning is what dictates and begins the conversation of a specific space's character and personality. The site planning part of each project happens at the beginning of the project because this is what dictates the entitlements needed and what other regulatory permits might be necessary. Site planning also requires the planning team to study their surroundings and make sure the project blends in with the surrounding community. This includes sidewalk interaction, fencing, street trees, and even signage. All these elements affect the street scape around the project.
Street scape design allows Elevated Entitlements to research the context of the project within its surrounding community. This allows for the project to become fluid and interactive with the street surrounding it. We can create street scape plans, not just for the project itself, but for streets in their singularity. Street scape plans are part of the urban design and context of the city, and give neighborhood their character and diversity. We can help elevate that diversity and push it into the spotlight so that visitors and residents of various communities understand communities in a greater way.
Elevated Entitlements has the capability to produce preliminary architecture in-house and save on architecture costs for clients. Preliminary architecture requires important detailed design that can be done quickly in house by our skilled draftsmen. Our capabilities include drafting, site design, building placement, street design, 3D visualization, and rendering
Many years of experience in California has allowed Elevated Entitlements to process hundreds of land use projects in over 90 political jurisdictions in California. The firm has a complete understanding of General Plans, Zoning, Conditional Use Permits, Variances and other local entitlement procedures. The Elevated Entitlements team is trained in the public sector and has adapted professional skills to both public and private land use needs.
Elevated Entitlements provides a broad variety of land use studies for private and public sector clients. The firm provides an evaluation of potential use locations with a critical analysis of opportunities and constraints including economic development, redevelopment, biological, endangered species, and hazardous materials evaluations.
Elevated Entitlements has extensive experience managing development projects throughout the entitlement, preconstruction, and construction stages of a project. From idea creation to ribbon cutting, Elevated Entitlements staff has helped hundreds of projects obtain their entitlement approval. Our team manages and leads all project team consultants involved in the development. We arrange for their work to be ready for entitlement submittals, technical reports, and push through environmental regulations, political processes, and regulatory permits.
Feasibility Studies
Many clients have great ideas about what they want to create on their particular sites. These ideas translate to concepts on paper, and then become permits needed for construction. However, cost studies are necessary and very important for projects to become realistic. Many additional details and materials are added by other consultants and raise the possible costs of projects. Some of those details are not necessary until later stages of the project, or not needed at all. Feasibility studies and pro-formas, completed in house, will help clients review all their options in regards to costs and quality, and make informed decisions about costs.
We prepares Site Investigation Report that detail and describe current conditions of a site, current zoning and general plan information, possible fees needed for entitlement processing, and contacts needed at various agencies that will be useful for project development.
Request for Proposals Preparation
Elevated Entitlements has experience preparing clients' applications for municipal and agency approvals. We understand the Requests for Proposals process and can assist developers with public presentations, proposal brochures, and coordinate with other project team consultants to make the proposal process go smoothly and successful. Once the proposal has been won, Elevated Entitlements can continue to provide support to make sure the client is the selected developer for that particular project and steer clients into the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement stage.
Land entitlement is the legal process of obtaining approvals for your development plans. This process can be lengthy and complicated, but it is a vital part of the development phase because it helps determine what can and cannot be done with a property. Entitlements are a legal agreement between you and the governing municipality to allow for the development of a certain building type. Entitlements will detail the function, density and the setback requirements for your property.
Why is Entitlement Important?
Before a project can commence, you must be granted permission from local regulatory agencies and the community. It is crucial to be prepared for this stage of the development process, as you may be asked many questions from city planners, local residents and government leaders. If you are not prepared to answer these questions, you may have issues obtaining the permission you need to move your project forward.
Why Do I Need a Planning Team?
A professional planning team will have the experience and the network to help you get your project moving along quickly and within budget. The right planning team will have good working relationships with planners on the state, county, city, and local levels, which will help you get the approval you need more quickly. They will also be able to negotiate issues on your behalf, eliminating the need to submit additional requests to the local jurisdiction.
280 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd Suite H
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-232-4383