The Ordinance Passed A City Planning and Land Use Management Committee Vote
The Los Angeles City Council is to vote on a somewhat controversial ordinance that would require developers and homeowners to follow zoning regulations meant to preserve the habitat of wilderness areas and the wildlife that lives within them. While there are many homeowners who seem to be concerned about keeping the untouched beauty of their neighborhoods intact, some may not be happy with some of these restrictions and regulations. However, this ordinance would regulate all future development and construction and would not affect already-built homes and other structures. You can view the latest draft of the ordinance here.
The pilot program area would stretch over the Santa Monica Mountains from the Cahuenga Pass to the 405/ Sepulveda Pass, which you can see on this interactive map. Eventually, the plan is to expand the wildlife district area to other parts of the city. According to the ordinance, the provisions would “apply to all properties identified within the Wildlife Ordinance District. The Wildlife Ordinance District shall apply to all zones, including publicly and privately zoned land. A Wildlife Ordinance District may encompass an area that is designated, in whole or in part, as a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ), Specific Plan, Supplemental Use District, and/or other overlay or zoned district.”
The ordinance would regulate lot coverage and residential floor areas, vegetation and landscaping, fencing and walls, lighting, windows and trash enclosures, slope, and grading, resource buffers, and the height of structures within the protected areas.
As stated on the ordinance’s website, “The overall goal of the proposed regulations is to balance wildlife habitat and connectivity with private property development, thereby achieving more sustainable outcomes in the hillsides and habitats of Los Angeles.
By ensuring that such development takes place in a more sustainable manner, the City can help to address and support other essential goals such as biodiversity, climate resilience, fire safety, and watershed health.”
A major part of this plan is to prevent the deaths of wildlife and preserve the corridors and paths that animals use. According to the ordinance, “The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) has studied wildlife habitats and corridors within its territories with the goal of preventing further injuries and deaths to wildlife and protecting the remaining open spaces and wildlife linkages that exist.” If these protections are put in place, perhaps tragedies like the death of P-22, the mountain lion who was euthanized after being hit by a car. Big cats and other animals need space to roam that is safe to stay healthy and continue to live in the wilderness areas.
