Culver City : Construction Limit Studied

The City Council, after approving a 10-unit condominium by a 3-2 vote, asked the city attorney to draw up an ordinance establishing a moratorium on construction of multifamily residential buildings until the Planning Commission finishes reviewing a list of density measures.

“If this is not done,” said Mayor Paul A. Jacobs, who asked for the moratorium, “there will be a substantial negative effect on our streets, parking, parks and infrastructure.”

But Jody Hall-Esser, community development director, said there may be legal problems in instituting such a moratorium. She said staff would prepare a report on housing and open space requirements that will have to be considered when the moratorium is discussed.

Jacobs and council members Jozelle Smith and Richard Alexander, who voted in favor of the condominium development, expressed concern that the neighborhood of single-family homes in the area would be adversely affected by the project. But they added that they could not deny the application because the owner had followed city regulations.

“I think it would be arbitrary and capricious of us at this time, after the applicant has followed all the rules, to say, ‘you can’t build that,’ ” Alexander said.

The council’s decision allows the owner of the property at 3933 and 3949 Bentley Ave. to divide the site into two lots. Without council approval, the owner could have built nine units.