What is the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood?
The Burbank Rancho Neighborhood (the Rancho) is a unique neighborhood within the City of Burbank, California. It takes its name from two “ranchos” - San Rafael and Providencia. Ranchos were large tracts of land meant to encourage settlement in California that were granted by the Spanish and, subsequently, Mexican governments. In 1867, Dr. David Burbank purchased the two ranchos, portions of which would eventually comprise the City of Burbank.
Located along the southern edge of Burbank, the Rancho encompasses approximately 315 acres. It is comprised of two non-contiguous areas – East and West Rancho. East Rancho is bounded generally by Alameda Avenue and Oak Street to the north, Victory Boulevard to the east, Los Angeles River to the south, and Keystone Street to the west. West Rancho occupies a smaller geography bounded by Reval Court to the north, Bob Hope Drive to the east, the Los Angeles River to the south, and California Street to the west.
Map of the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan Area
Today, the Rancho is primarily a residential neighborhood comprising single- and multi-family homes. It has historically allowed the unique activity of urban horse keeping, a practice and identity that persists to this day. The Rancho is also home to a variety of non-residential uses, like retail, office, recreation, open space, churches, and schools. Notably, it benefits from direct access to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center and Griffith Park across the Los Angeles River (the latter via the historic Mariposa Street Bridge). In addition, the Rancho sits adjacent to the Burbank Media District on the west, a nationally significant cluster of entertainment, media, and studio uses like the Walt Disney Company, ABC Television, Warner Bros. Studios, and more.
What is the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan?
The City of Burbank is currently preparing the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan (RNSP). On March 28, 2023, Burbank City Council directed staff to proceed with the preparation of the RNSP and indicated that it address, at a minimum, the following:
Establishment of objective standards that are aligned with the community’s vision, including balancing demands for responsible development, retaining local control, and preservation of the equestrian lifestyle
Incorporation of the City’s Complete Our Streets Plan Equestrian Design Guidelines
Possible rezoning of land to comply with applicable state and local housing and land use laws, including an assessment of existing M-1 (industrial) zoned property
Evaluation of a potential historic district and/or equestrian overlay
Assessment of potential impacts to City services and infrastructure from proposed development and implementation of the Plan
What is a Specific Plan and why does the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood need one?
A Specific Plan is a regulatory document that establishes the long-term vision and development framework for a specific area of a city. While required to maintain consistency with a city’s General Plan, a Specific Plan provides a more detailed and customized approach. Informed by community input, a Specific Plan provides goals, policies, regulations, and implementation measures to implement the community’s vision, including design and development standards for private property, public realm improvements, and funding and financing strategies.
The Rancho is currently regulated by the Burbank 2035 General Plan and the Burbank Zoning Code (specifically, Article 24, Rancho Master Plan Zones). The RNSP aims to build on this framework and update existing policies and regulations to align with both community input and City Council direction (noted above). The planning process to prepare the RNSP will be transparent and inclusive. Community engagement efforts will strive to solicit input from and address needs of the diverse Rancho community, while at the same time complying with applicable local and state laws. To learn more about how you can get involved, click HERE.
What is the proposed outcome of this effort?
The City is embarking on a 4-phase process that will result in the formal adoption of the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan (RNSP).
Phase 1 – Analysis and Visioning (Spring/Summer 2025)
The first phase will consist of analysis to understand existing conditions, within the Rancho across the topics of land use, mobility, environmental, open space, demographics, history, culture, economics, and more. Starting with this phase, the project team will listen and learn from the community across a series of community activities to better understand their concerns, ideas, and aspirations for the future.
Phase 2 – Community Design Options (Fall/Winter 2025)
The second phase will consist of developing and testing future planning alternatives for the Rancho. They will be evaluated in partnership with the community on how they address and perform against the goals established in the first phase.
Phase 3 – Preferred Plan (Spring/Summer 2026)
In the third phase, the project team will refine a preferred alternative that will form the basis of the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan (RNSP).
Phase 4 – Adoption and Implementation (Winter 2026)
The final phase includes the development of the necessary environmental review subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as well as the public hearing process for the adoption of the final deliverable – the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan.
