May 22, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

LA City Council restricts ‘mansionization’ in 20 neighborhoods

(Thinkstock)
(Thinkstock)

The Los Angeles City Council adopted temporary restrictions today in 20 neighborhoods where residents complain about “mansionization,” a trend of building mansion-like homes that are unusually large for their lots.

The rules halt the issuance of demolition and building permits to property owners in those neighborhoods, five of which are being considered for historical status.

Ordinances restricting demolition and some exterior alterations in proposed historical zones will go into effect in 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 argue 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.

Councilman Paul Koretz, who proposed the control ordinances, told City News Service he is “very happy” the restrictions will go into effect soon, “so that we can avoid having hundreds more homes demolished” while city officials work on more permanent rules on mansionization.

“Hopefully this will slow down the occurrence of boxy, lot line-to-lot line McMansions,” he said.

It might be another year and half or more before city officials develop longer lasting ordinances, Koretz said.

“I’m just happy to get to this point, and relieved, and now I’m looking forward to the process of trying to make this work nationwide,” he said.

Many of the neighborhoods have restrictions tailored to the area. Bel Air’s control ordinance bars the hauling of more than 6,000 cubic yards of dirt, which residents say results in pollution and public safety problems from the multiple truck trips.

Dan Fisk, chairman of the Bel Air Homeowners Alliance, applauded the approval of the control ordinance for the Bel Air area, saying the the hauling of dirt “damages city roads, causes accidents and contributes to the increased air pollution as well as hillside erosion.”

Fisk urged the council to move quickly in adopting more permanent measures.

“This is a vast improvement from having no limit on the number of truck trips. Going forward, more comprehensive regulations are needed to protect the character of our neighborhoods, halt detrimental environmental impacts on our communities and keep our roads in good repair and our residents safe from runaway trucks,” he said.

The ordinance comes as several developers are planning to build big homes in Bel Air, according to the Alliance.

“Big developers seem only to have one interest at heart: themselves,” said Fred Rosen, president of the alliance. “The city of Los Angeles needs to step up to the plate to halt the out of control mega-development currently happening in our communities before irreparable damage is done to our hillsides and roads and before more people get hurt.”

Related Posts

Nikó Sando and Malou Coffee & Kitchen Are the Newest Additions to Brentwood’s Food Scene

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

The Duo of New Eateries Offers Refined Japanese Sandōs and Globally Influenced Coffee Brentwood has welcomed two exciting new additions...

Dawn Richard Testifies Diddy Assaulted Cassie Ventura at a WeHo Restaurant in 2010

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Combs Hit Cassie “Hard” in Front of Usher and Ne-Yo, Says Danity Kane Star Singer and former Danity Kane member...

Exclusive Interview with Cardinale du Vin’s New Chef-in-Residence Paul Chuanchaisit

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

The Westside Wine Bar Expands Its Culinary Horizons With a Bold New Menu By Dolores Quintana Cardinale du Vin is...

Memorial Day Weekend in L.A.: Rosé, Beach BBQs, and Brunches Ring in the Summer

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The Westside Is Packed With Culinary Events, Pop-Ups, and Parties This Weekend Angelenos looking to kick off the summer season...

(Video) Interview with Chef Roy Choi for his new book The Choi of Cooking

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

We speak with the world-famous Socal Chef in Manhattan Beach at the Los Angeles Public Library.

FDA Probes Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Recalled Cucumbers Distributed in California

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

At Least 26 People Sickened and 9 Hospitalized in Multiple States  Federal health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of...

State Farm Seeks New Insurance Rate Hikes for California Homeowners and Renters

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Insurer Aims to Raise Premiums by up to 52% for Some Policyholders by 2026 Just one week after receiving approval...

Mayor Bass Launches Major Initiative to Boost Film Production in Los Angeles After Years of Neglect

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Facing Industry Setbacks, L.A. Rolls Out Plan to Attract On-Location Shoots In a renewed effort to preserve Los Angeles’ status...

Lisa Vanderpump, Ken Todd Settle Labor Lawsuit with Former Pump Employees for $490K

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Judge Approves Final Class-Action Settlement in Long-Running Wage Dispute Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, have reached a final...

Michelin Three Star Institution Brings 20th Anniversary Culinary Experience to Beverly Hills

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Grant Achatz’s Alinea Heads to Beverly Hills for Summer Residency Renowned chef Grant Achatz and his team at Alinea, Chicago’s...

Thieves Use Cars to Smash Into Fairfax Stores in String of High-End Burglaries

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

LAPD Investigates String of Vehicle-Driven Break-Ins at Specialty Boutiques Storeowners in the Fairfax District are grappling with concerns about safety...

Stolen Truck Crashes in Culver City After High-Speed Pursuit in Early Morning Hours

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Driver Flees on Foot After Flipping Vehicle Near Green Valley Circle Early Tuesday morning, a police pursuit involving a stolen...

L.A. County DA Files Over 1,000 Felony Theft Charges Under Prop 36 in Retail Crime Crackdown

May 19, 2025

May 19, 2025

DA Nathan Hochman Unveils Major Enforcement Effort Targeting Organized Retail Theft Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced...

Bus-Mounted Camera Enforcement for Parking Violations in Culver City Begins on May 19

May 19, 2025

May 19, 2025

ABLE System Will Ticket Drivers Who Block Bus Stops or Shared Lanes, $293 Fine Enforcement of parking violations in shared...