In July, the Los Angeles Department of City Planning will host public meetings for the Hollywood Community Plan Update. It’s essential that residents attend, take part in the decision-making process and hold City Hall leaders accountable.

As the city notes, the Hollywood Community Plan Update “sets the stage for the future of Hollywood.” It’s a key planning and land-use tool, creating the ground rules for residents, developers and City Hall officials. Developers and L.A. politicians, unfortunately, have been known to bend the rules — Coalition to Preserve L.A. and its allies are aiming to change that.

It’s crucial that residents attend the meetings armed with good information and provide testimony — and that city officials incorporate the public’s suggestions into the community plan. It’s not enough for City Hall leaders to say they got neighborhood feedback and then do nothing with it.

According to the planning department, the Hollywood Community Plan Update “directs anticipated development to already urbanized areas of the Community Plan Area, identifying suitable areas for new development while preserving existing low-scale neighborhoods. The proposed changes largely follow the current pattern of land use development reflecting city of Los Angeles policies to direct development where it can be supported by existing transportation infrastructure.”

Sounds reasonable. But if you don’t agree, or want something else, tell the planning department at the upcoming meetings. City officials serve us, the residents — and people-oriented, bottom-up planning will create a more livable and equitable Los Angeles.

Hollywood Community Plan Update meeting schedule:

Saturday, July 8 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.), Los Feliz Branch Library
Wednesday, July 12 (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.), Lemon Grove Recreation Center
Saturday, July 15 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.), Durant Branch Library
Wednesday, July 19 (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.), Cahuenga Branch Library