Burbank Delays Vote on Limiting Residences

Burbank City Council on Tuesday put off a vote on a resolution authorizing the city staff to study the advisability of curtailing residential development near the city’s Media District.

The council delayed for 90 days consideration of the resolution, which would be an amendment to the draft of a master land use plan being developed by the city’s Community Development and Planning departments. At issue is development along an eight-block stretch of Alameda Avenue, between Lamer Street and Shelton Street.

The area is now zoned R-4, allowing eight dwelling units on a 6,000-square-foot lot. The resolution calls for considering a change to R-3, allowing only four units per 6,000-square-foot lot.

The resolution, proposed by Councilman Michael Hastings, said a change in the zoning “may protect the adjacent, existing and attractive single-family residential neighborhood from the intrusion of intense multifamily development and may help preserve the existing single-family residential character of the surrounding neighborhood.”

“It would be great for the neighborhood surrounding that area, but the property owners would be limited in what they would be able to do,” Planning Director Gary Yamada said. “It would not let them realize the potential of their property.”

Community Development Director Larry Kosmont has recommended that the resolution be rejected.