Twelve-story office towers casting shadows over nearby single-family homes. Big-box retailers with jam-packed parking lots. More than 4.5 million square feet of new construction crowding out any possibility for open space.

This was the plan for the 340 acres of undeveloped land along Westchester Parkway that separates existing homes south of Manchester Avenue from the north side of Los Angeles International Airport — until Tuesday.

A collaborative effort by airport officials and Westchester community leaders under the direction of L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin, the newly approved LAX Northside Plan Update cuts the density of new construction nearly in half — with 2.3 million square feet of development leaving room for plenty of green space, including a recreational walking path that connects to the beach, new youth sports fields and even a dog park

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