Proposed Zoning Change Decreasing Property Values in our Neighborhood Could be Effective Mid-March

[Diane Gross]

On February 12, 2015, the City of Los Angeles for the first time publicly issued a proposed interim control ordinance, prohibiting the issuance of building permits for home construction in our area for up to two years if certain restrictions are not followed.  These restrictions include removing the 20% bonus density so that homeowners will only be able to build up to 50% of their lot size, as well as counting mandatory covered parking, detached accessory buildings, porches, patios, and breezeways as livable residential floor area.  By way of example, construction of a house on a typical lot size of 6,250 square feet in our neighborhood would be limited to a maximum of 2,475 square feet of livable interior floor space given that garages and porches will count as habitable living space.  What's equally disturbing is that there is no explanation as to why our neighborhood has tighter building restrictions than neighboring communities. While the buildable area in our neighborhood may be limited to 30% of the lot size, other neighborhoods can build up to 58% of their lot size.  This differential treatment appears quite unfair and discriminatory.  Moreover, this ordinance does not necessarily protect the aesthetics in our neighborhood.  On the contrary, this proposed ordinance may encourage building box-like homes in order to maximize habitable square footage.  There is no provision in the proposed ordinance which would limit the building of ultra-modern or other styles which some would find out of character for this neighborhood. In short, this ordinance will deflate our property values compared to our neighboring communities and lower property values mean less financial resources for our public schools and for other City services.  Our community has not had a chance to vet, outreach, and consider reasonable alternatives to this ordinance and until such a dialogue occurs, this ordinance should not be passed.  Accordingly, I strongly urge you to click on the link (or cut and paste the link into your browser) and sign this petition to voice your opposition to including our neighborhood in this proposed ordinance until we have had a chance to thoroughly digest its impact.  Time is of the essence as the City plans to pass this ordinance as soon as possible to be effective in mid-March.

Please sign the petition against unfair and overly restrictive limits to residential building:tinyurl.com/NoICOWestLA