Zoning Change Approved

The Torrance City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to rezone a two-block neighborhood in southeast Torrance from multifamily to single-family zoning.

In a petition to the Planning Department, 21 residents near Border Avenue and San Ardo Street asked for the zone change to preserve the neighborhood’s character by banning apartment buildings and condominiums. There are 26 single-family houses on the two blocks.

The zone change will take effect June 29. There was no opposition to Tuesday’s council action. Residents have told city officials that they oppose the density that apartment buildings have brought to surrounding neighborhoods.

In a similar situation last month, 16 residents of the 1000 block of Amapola Avenue asked the city to declare the block a historic overlay district. Residents said they feared that without the historic zoning, developers would replace older homes with condominiums and apartments. The council instead approved a zone change that requires a public hearing before any construction takes place on that block.

Planning Director David Ferren said in an interview this week that there is a danger that such piecemeal rezoning could set a precedent for residents in other neighborhoods who want a zone change and could lead to irregularities in the city’s residential zoning.

After Tuesday’s decision, Mayor Katy Geissert said she is not worried about such a problem because it so unusual to find a neighborhood in agreement about a zone change.