It seems the wave of anti-McMansionization (perhaps the most convoluted neologism we know) has hit LA in a big way. First, LaBonge takes a stand, now the LA City Planning Commission makes it just a little bit harder to build one in Northeast LA. Says one correspondent:
I just wanted to give you a heads up on something that happened [yesterday] at the LA City Planning Commission. The commission finally passed the Interim Control Ordinance for Northeast LA. This ICO is something that's been bouncing around since August 2004. The ICO will temporarily prohibit the issuance of building permits in excess of certain floor area thresholds for the hillside subareas of Montecito Heights, Paradise Hill, Rose Hills, El Sereno, and Monterey Hills. The ICO was modeled after the Mt. Washington Specific Plan. In essence, Northeast LA will now be protected by land use regulations and FARs currently covering the more affluent hillsides in the western half of the city. Because this is only an interim measure, a NELA specific plan must now be created. However, the passing of the ICO represents a huge step forward in protecting open space and fighting McMansions in hillside communities. [Yesterday] is most definitely a good day for Northeast LA.
One small step for the anti-McMansionization folk in their ongoing battle, one giant loss for faux-Tuscan home builders, we suppose.