Back in 2008, LA passed a citywide Baseline Mansionization Ordinance, which restricts floor areas and more or less prevents big ugly mansions from being built right out to property lines. It applies to 300,000 properties in single family residential zones throughout Los Angeles and it allows communities to write their own ordinances to further limit mansionization (the city also passed a Hillside Mansionization Ordinance earlier this year). Studio City is taking up the offer and will create additional limitations on mansionization--the ordinance (which creates what's called a Residential Floor Area District) is making it's way through the approval process at City Hall now. It will further limit the amount of space a house can occupy on a residential lot.
Studio City's RFA will apply to nearly 4,000 houses. According to the CD2 Policy Blog for Councilmember Krekorian's Office, the ordinance will "[limit] lots of 6,750 square feet (the typical lot size in Studio City) to 3,578 square feet" of house (rather than 4,050 square feet allowed under the city's ordinance). Quoted in the post, Councilmember Krekorian calls it "the widest ranging set of guidelines a community has ever enacted to maintain the integrity of their neighborhood."
Former CD2 Councilmember Wendy Greuel wrote the original RFA motion, which would have limited house sizes to 40 percent of the existing lot, or 2,700 square feet on a 6,750 square foot lot. Councilmember Krekorian worked a compromise between conflicting neighborhood groups, establishing a maximum residential floor area of 53 percent of the lot area on the majority of Studio City lots.
The City Council's Planning and Land Use Management committee gave a tentative approval to Studio City's RFA on September 13. On October 1, the City Council instructed the Planning Department and City Attorney to draft the final ordinance. Final Council approval and the mayor's signature are expected by the end of the year.
· Accord Struck to Limit Mansionization in Studio City [CD2 Policy Blog]
· Bye, Bye McMansions [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...