Local News in Brief : Building Ban Extended in Valley Village Area

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday extended for six months a 1 1/2-year-old ordinance restricting the building of large apartment and condominium complexes in Valley Village, an area of predominantly single-family homes in North Hollywood.

The extension, passed 12 to 0, was sent to Mayor Tom Bradley for his expected approval.

It is designed to give a citizens’ advisory panel time to make recommendations to the council on permanent development restrictions for the three-square-mile area. The area is south of Burbank Boulevard, west of the Hollywood Freeway, east of the Tujunga Wash and north of the Ventura Freeway.

The ordinance restricts development to the lowest density allowed by zoning. It also limits all new buildings to two stories and the square footage of commercial development to 1 1/2 times the size of the lot. Building apartments and condominiums on property zoned for commercial is prohibited.

The council approved the measure in November, 1986, at the request of Councilman Joel Wachs. Wachs said he was inundated with complaints from Valley Village residents about blocked views, parking problems, traffic congestion and loss of privacy and sunlight because of the construction of apartment and condominium complexes up to five stories high next to their single-family homes.