In some areas, existing planned major projects can meet needs, but in other areas gaps exist and new sites need to be identified. The sites of the Master Plan identify opportunity areas to create multi-benefit projects at an equitable cadence along all 51 miles of the river.

The LA River right-of-way includes the entirety of the river channel as well as landside areas immediately adjacent to the channel banks that facilitate continuous operations and maintenance access by the LA County Flood Control District (LACFCD).

Other publicly owned parcels include land owned by public entities that are not LA County. Examples of such entities are municipalities, state agencies, and the federal government. Parks, though often publicly owned, were excluded from this land opportunity study in order to shift emphasis toward the creation of additional parks and open space. Schools were also excluded.

Underutilized private parcels have higher land values than improvement values, as determined by data available through the LA County Assessor. Properties where land is more valuable than its improvements (such as built structures) are generally more likely to be redeveloped. Underutilized private parcels were only considered as opportunities for future housing.

Underutilized rights-of-way include parcels owned by private entities that have a “miscellaneous” land use according to the LA County Assessor. An aerial analysis and a comparison to rail lines and transmission lines datasets was used to confirm that most parcels categorized as “miscellaneous” were, in fact, single-use rights-of-way.

LA County owned parcels include those owned by any department or agency of LA County, or by the independent Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Though certain existing parks are built upon county-owned parcels, parks were excluded from this land opportunity study in order to shift emphasis toward the creation of additional parks and open space. Schools were also excluded.

These parcels are owned by private entities but are currently identified as vacant by the LA County Assessor. Vacant parcels are not currently used and have no structures.

While not identified in the parcel system, the publicly owned street network provides opportunities for improving pedestrian infrastructure that connects other opportunity areas to each other and to the LA River.