Playa del Rey : Council Extends Building Ban

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to extend for six months a building moratorium in the Westchester Bluffs area of Playa del Rey.

The moratorium, intended to preserve the largely undeveloped bluffs while the city drafts a development plan for the area, affects properties bounded by the southern edge of the proposed Playa Vista complex, Billowvista Drive, 83rd and 80th streets, Lincoln Boulevard and Pershing Drive.

The moratorium prohibits issuing building permits in most of the bluffs, while placing stringent controls on development in other parts. City officials said the bluffs are considered a scenic resource because they are visible from Culver Boulevard, a designated scenic highway.

“Without immediate additional planning, zoning and building regulations, there would be an irreplaceable loss of scenic resources, natural topographic features and qualities unique to the bluffs that enhance the character of the area,” the council said in the moratorium ordinance.

The council approved a six-month building moratorium in June, but city officials said they need another six months to come up with the development plan.