SPECIAL FILMING CONDITIONS
ECHO PARK & ELYSIAN PARK
The Special Filming Conditions described below will be included in the terms and conditions of permits issued for filming in this area and are in addition to the standard terms and conditions applicable to filming permits generally. The decision whether or not a particular permit will be issued is vested in the discretion of the appropriate City or County department or their designees (including FilmL.A.), to be exercised consistent with public health, safety and general welfare, and applicable land-use ordinances.
Echo Park is a community that includes historic Echo Park Lake and the Recreation Center, a vibrant retail commercial district, and historic Elysian Park, the oldest regional park in the city. These Special Conditions apply to the area between Echo Park Avenue, the Hollywood (101) freeway, Alvarado Boulevard North to Glendale Boulevard, Glendale Boulevard, Allesandro Street, Riverside Drive, the Recreation and Parks (RAP) boundary west of Stadium Way, Elysian Park Avenue, and Sunset Boulevard back to Echo Park Avenue. The district includes Boylston Street but excludes Elysian Park and Echo Park Lake recreation facilities and park land. Over the past several years, location filming in Echo Park has increased significantly without a system for adequately addressing the impacts this brings to the community.
The motion picture industry has amicably co-existed with the businesses and residents of this area since the silent film era and desires to continue to do so. These conditions are designed to promote cooperation between film companies, local businesses and residents so that each group can effectively utilize this diverse area. Violation of any of the conditions outlined below may result in permit revocation or other administrative action.
The community of Echo Park is home to many regularly scheduled local events: Farmers Market every Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Lotus Festival the second weekend in July, the Cuban Festival, the Echo Park Music Festival, the December Community Parade, the El Centro del Pueblo Street Festival, and the Los Angeles, ½ Marathon. A community event’s calendar shall be established. Approving permits that conflict with any of these events is strongly discouraged.
- FilmL.A. shall consult the City Council Office when an applicant requests a permit with less than three (3) days notice.
- Affected residents/merchants/businesses must be notified in English and Spanish at least two (2) days in advance of the first day of filming or in advance of any substantial preparation for all productions.
- The following activities require extended notification to the affected community at least three (3) days prior to the work:
- Use of a helicopter
- Use of pyrotechnics
- Gunfire (except for the use of Non-guns, which is highly encouraged).
- The production company must notify the local LAPD division on the day of filming prior to the use of any of the above
- A community survey is required for Exceptional Filming Activities, which include:
- Full Street closures
- Any filming prior to 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m.
- Filming for more than three (3) consecutive days at any single location or multiple locations where there is an overlap of the affected residents and merchants.
- FilmL.A. will consult with the City Council Office, the LAFD, and the LAPD on a case by case basis to determine the noise levels, safety requirements, and appropriate personnel assignments. A FilmL.A. monitor will be assigned to permits with Exceptional Filming Activities.
- The downtown Echo Park area is home to many institutions and businesses that have contributed greatly to the improvement of the neighborhood. When requesting partial or full street closures, or posted no parking, production companies must conduct a community survey of affected properties on the following blocks: 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900 blocks of Sunset Boulevard, 1100 block of Glendale Boulevard, 1100 block of Lemoyne Street, 1100 block of Logan Street, 1100 block of Echo Park Avenue. The following public streets have also been heavily impacted by filming over the years: Park Drive, Bellevue Avenue, Stadium Way, Academy Road, Morton Avenue, and Alvarado Street. FilmL.A. and the appropriate city council office will monitor frequency of filming on these streets and all others, within the Echo Park Film District. FilmL.A. will look for ways to mitigate the impacts of filming prior to issuing a permit and utilize the community calendar as a reference.
- Requests for the posting of “No Parking” for production equipment and/or filming will be reviewed by FilmL.A. with the intention of mitigating parking concerns for residents, merchants, and patrons in the area, with special attention given to the frequently filmed streets. The parking of production vehicles on public streets may not exceed 500 linear feet combined, but can be dedicated to one side of the street or, where appropriate street width allows, split between both sides of a street. Requests for more than 500 linear feet of parking shall require a signature survey of those affected by the proposed additional parking. Upon completion of filming, companies are requested, as a courtesy, to turn all “No Parking” signs around so that they face in the opposite direction. Only the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT) is to post and remove the signs.
- Generators are to be placed in an acceptable location within all affected residential and commercial areas. Support by all addresses within 50 linear feet of the generator is required. Alternative fuels (such as bio-diesel) and low emission generators are strongly encouraged.
- Parking of production vehicles shall not impede, block from view, nor interfere in any way with public transit stops throughout the Echo & Elysian Park areas. Should any transit stop or schedule be altered for a film shoot, only the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) or DOT is authorized to make that determination.
- The following areas are prohibited from use: City Parking lots 662, 663, and 646, and either side of Academy Road between Morton Avenue and Elysian Park Drive.
- All productions must coordinate with FilmL.A. to secure relaxed enforcement of parking from DOT, either side of any street that has posted street cleaning or any production shoot that takes place in a permitted overnight parking district (OPD). They must also be mindful of other existing parking restrictions including Preferential Parking Districts and Parking Meter Districts while planning their location shoot. They must then notify all residents in English and Spanish, that there will be relaxed enforcement by the Department of Transportation.
- Cast/Crew is not permitted to park on area streets. Off street parking must be provided for personal vehicles.
- Only Honey Wagon type portable restrooms or executive portable rest rooms are allowed in the District, and must be at least 100 feet away from any food establishments, in a mutually acceptable location of all other commercial and residential buildings.
- Companies must provide adequate detour and directional signage when street closures are in place, and conform to all current DOT standards and practices. Changeable Message Signs (CMS) will be required on the day(s) of filming activity that requires a full closure on any major thoroughfare, as defined by DOT. Sufficient, approved notification signs are sufficient and must be in place in advance of filming activity and must include the dates and times of closures. Street closures are considered an Exceptional Filming Activity and require a FilmL.A. monitor.
- FilmL.A. will coordinate with Public Works to ensure that no regularly scheduled service will be interrupted including, trash pick up, tree trimming, street repair, street cleaning, etc.
- FilmL.A. shall work closely with the Dodgers regarding all filming in and around the Echo Park, Elysian Valley, or Chinatown communities during the period of March 25 through November 5 (Dodger season).
- Crews with walkie-talkies must wear headsets when filming within the District between 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
- Outdoor food preparation using charcoal or gas grills must be utilized out of public view to all adjacent residential buildings or homes and commercial properties.
- Production companies are required to remove all self generated trash, food, and cardboard boxes, from the general vicinity at the end of each filming day. This includes any debris generated by catering companies employed to provide food for the cast and crew. Any surplus food can only be given to off-site charitable organizations.