Los
Angeles
(May 6,
2008) --
The Los
Angeles
City
Council
unanimously
approved
an
ordinance
today
that
limits
the
building
of
over-sized
McMansions
on small
lots
throughout
the
city.
“This
ordinance
is about
preserving
neighborhood
character,”
LaBonge
said.
“We
wanted
to make
sure
that
neighborhoods
that we
know and
love are
protected
by the
proper
zoning
laws.”
 Changes
in land
value,
housing
preferences
and
housing
inventory
have
been
contributing
to a
trend
toward
larger
single
family
homes
being
constructed
throughout
Los
Angeles.
When
these
larger
homes
replace
larger
homes,
however,
are
often
incompatible
with the
established
scale
and
character
of
older,
existing
single-family
neighborhoods.
The
Baseline
Mansionization
Ordinance
grew out
of a
motion
introduced
by
Councilmember
LaBonge
in June,
2006 and
pertains
to homes
in
flatlands
only. A
separate
ordinance,
which is
now
under
consideration
by the
Los
Angeles
Planning
Department,
addresses
the
expansion
of homes
in
hillside
neighborhoods.
Under
the new
ordinance,
which
will be
effective
in 30
days, a
bungalow
on a
typical
5,000-square-foot
lot
could be
expanded
to 3,000
square
feet.
Current
zoning
code
allows
more
than
twice
that
mass on
those
lots,
with a
7,000-square-foot
limit.
The
ordinance
will
apply to
300,000
properties
in
single-family
residential
zones
throughout
Los
Angeles.
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