Settlement in Balcony Dispute

The Lawndale City Council has struck an agreement with developer Keveh Lahijani that will permit him to keep the second-floor balconies built in his office building in violation of the zoning code.

Under the agreement, Lahijani will pay the city a fee of $10,470 and assume liability for the two balconies, which extend over a public way. The council voted 4 to 1 Wednesday to approve the agreement for the four-story building at Hawthorne Boulevard and 147th Street.

Lahijani built the balconies according to plans approved by the Planning Department. City officials said that both the Planning Department and Lahijani share responsibility for not catching the error. From 1985-87, the department erroneously issued numerous building permits for structures that did not meet city codes.

Two of the balconies at Lahijani’s building at 14623 Hawthorne Blvd. extend beyond the property line: one by 5 feet over the sidewalk on 147th Street, and the other by a few inches over an alley.

At the council meeting Wednesday, Lahijani said the dispute has delayed completion of the building by six weeks and forced the project $100,000 over budget.

The violation was discovered by City Councilman Harold Hofmann in December. Hofmann voted against the agreement, saying Lahijani should have done an accurate survey before beginning construction.