Homeowners Lose Appeal Over Parking for Temple

A Los Angeles city zoning board has ruled against an Encino homeowner group’s appeal of a plan to replace nine houses one block north of Ventura Boulevard with a 288-space parking lot for a synagogue.

The Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday upheld the decision of a zoning administrator in February allowing Valley Beth Shalom to buy and demolish the nine homes on Moorpark Street.

The board also eased restrictions on the synagogue’s operation of the lot, allowing it to be open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The owners of the homes decided to sell them to Valley Beth Shalom after a massive commercial building was constructed across the street from them.

Homeowners of Encino, a property owners association, protested the synagogue’s plan on the grounds that the loss of homes would encourage further encroachment of commercial activities in the residential neighborhood.

However, Cindy Miscikowski, chief deputy for Councilman Marvin Braude, told the board that the synagogue needs the extra parking if it is to stay in the neighborhood and that the homeowners need a solution to their predicament.

Miscikowski showed the board pictures in which the nine houses appeared to be dwarfed by the massive new building.

Miscikowski said the synagogue once applied for a zoning change, hoping to sell its property to a developer for a commercial building and move, but agreed to stay when neighbors objected to that plan.

The homeowners group can appeal the board’s decision to the City Council. Homeowner representatives could not be reached Wednesday for comment.