Why Glendale and San Monica Make a Good Case Study for City Planning

Glendale and Santa Monica may seem like an unlikely pair, but the two cities on opposite sides of Los Angeles actually make a strong case study for urban growth and city planning. The two cities are similar in size and policy, but they also benefit differently from proximity to Los Angeles.

“The two cities have somewhat similar-sized downtowns, both with a pro-housing zoning policy for the downtown area,” Alan Loomis, principal of urban design at PlaceWorks, tells GlobeSt.com about the similarities between the two cities. “So residential development within the two downtowns is reasonably similar in scale and density. Both cities are experiencing significant housing demand and struggling to meet production expectations—although both cities maintain a good track record of sponsoring affordable housing developments. The commercial corridors that radiate from the respective downtowns are likewise relatively similar in scale, function and development patterns. So the basic urban pattern and overall development strategy between the two cities is actually quite comparable.”

On the other hand, there are major differences between the two cities as well, including politics and operations. “The two cities have a very different body politic and municipal operation,” says Loomis, who has worked with both cities. “Owing to its beachside location, Santa Monica has a far more robust tourism industry and has relied upon this almost never-ending revenue stream to sponsor a wide range of pioneering projects and policies. Santa Monica prides itself on being an innovative leader on topics ranging from bike lanes, sustainability initiatives, AirBnB regulations, minimum wage, and a commitment to first-class urban design.”

Glendale is certainly the lesser known and more affordable of the two cities, largely due to the differences outlined above. “Glendale has been content to follow, if not a step behind Santa Monica, then often at least two steps behind,” says Loomis. “Glendale has historically had fewer financial resources but also a more diverse and conservative body politic than Santa Monica. That said, Glendale has often been willing to pursue highly innovative policies, but sometimes only if the innovative is not trumpeted too loudly.”

However, this could make Glendale a better representation of a growing American city. “In contrast to the solidly left-leaning and progressive “People’s Republic of Santa Monica,” Glendale would in many respects be an everyday American city if it was not surrounded by greater Los Angeles,” says Loomis. “So Glendale, although it receives far less attention than Santa Monica, is actually a better barometer of what is possible in American cities.”