Restrictions on demolition considered by Planning

| December 4, 2014 | 0 Comments
MANSIONIZATION in Miracle Mile. Photo courtesy of Miraclemilela.com.

MANSIONIZATION in Miracle Mile.  Photo courtesy of Miraclemilela.com.

Single-family homes in Larchmont Village, Miracle Mile and La Brea Hancock stand to be protected from demolition while city officials spend up to two years to tweak an anti-mansionization law.

If approved, the interim control ordinance would temporarily halt demolitions in 15 neighborhoods feeling squeezed by new mcmansions towering over older, smaller homes, altering the historical character of the neighborhood.

“We anticipate that the ICO will be deliberated by City Council in January. Once the ICO goes into effect we will be looking at permanent zoning regulations for the individual neighborhoods,” said Tom Rothmann, senior city planner, city Planning Dept.

Lawmakers will review the six-year old Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, which had considered foot ratio to the size of the lot.

But developers have found ways to add square footage, critics say, such as with “bonuses” for energy efficiency credits. These enable developers to build an additional 20 to 30 percent, according to Councilmember Paul Koretz, who is calling for limits or elimination of the bonuses altogether.

Restrictions are expected to be different for each neighborhood, which is why the process of fine tuning the ordinance could take up to two years, lawmakers say.

The City Council unanimously agreed Nov. 4 to create rules that temporarily protect some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods from the flurry of demolition. The Interim Control Ordinance can take up to 60 days to take effect.
Besides Larchmont Village, Miracle Mile and La Brea Hancock, areas that would be protected by the ICO include Carthay Square, Oxford Square in West Adams and North Beverly Grove.

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