The Los Angeles City Council adopted temporary restrictions last week in 20 neighborhoods where residents complain about “mansionization,” a trend of building mansion-like homes that are unusually large for their lots.
The temporary rules halt the issuance of demolition and building permits to property owners in those neighborhoods, five of which are being considered for historical status.
Pacific Palisades was not one of the 20 neighborhoods, but the community could be affected if more permanent citywide restrictions are adopted.
Ordinances restricting demolition and some exterior alterations in proposed historical zones will go into effect in the Sunset Square, Carthay Square, Holmby, Oxford Square and the Berkshire Craftsman district of El Sereno. Another 15 neighborhoods are in areas where anti-mansionization rules are being developed.
Those areas include Valley Village in the San Fernando Valley, South Hollywood, La Brea Hancock, The Oaks in Los Feliz, Miracle Mile, Larchmont Heights, the Fairfax area and Bel Air.
Some residents in those areas complain that their neighbors are building homes that tower over adjacent residences or take up large portions of their lots.
They argued that the home building trend often derided as “mansionization” detracts from the existing character of a neighborhood and impinges on privacy as homes are sometimes built uncomfortably close to an adjacent property.
The ordinances will be in place a maximum of two years as the city considers the proposed historical zone applications or develops permanent ordinances to curb mansionization.
Even though the Palisades is not subject to the temporary restrictions, local homeowners and some homeowners groups are taking action in anticipation of more permanent restrictions, which could affect parts of the Palisades.
The possible permanent changes would have the greatest impact on smaller lots of 5,000-6,000 square feet, which is the typical size of many of the original lots in the Palisades, according to Richard Blumenberg, president of the Pacific Palisades Civic League (PPCL).
After their March 23 meeting, the PPCL drafted a letter to Councilmember Mike Bonin detailing specific elements of the recently passed Interim Control Ordinance (ICO) that the organization supports or opposes.
(The specifics of this letter will be included in an upcoming issue of the Post.)
The Huntington Palisades Property Owners Corporation, Ltd., has also drafted a letter to Bonin opposing the implementation of the ordinance for the Huntington and is asking residents who are similarly opposed to sign it.
Some Palisadians, however, are in favor of greater restrictions. One resident wrote to the Post, lamenting offensive “giant structures cheek by jowl.”
Bonin is seeking input on the issue. You can take his survey at http://goo.gl/forms/RLMb0DEkPa.
—POST Staff and City News Service
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
