L. A. Backs Extension of Hillside House Limits

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously endorsed a proposal by Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky on Tuesday to extend existing limits on house sizes into more hillside areas of Sherman Oaks.

The council directed the city Planning Department to draft an ordinance calling for a yearlong ban on houses that cover more than half of their lots or exceed 30 feet in height. During that ban, the Planning Department would study the problem of large houses and propose a permanent solution.

Once drafted, the ordinance must be approved by the council.

Yaroslavsky said his action was prompted by the parking and traffic problems that occur when houses fill their lots on narrow hillside streets. He and community activists have also expressed concerns about a developer’s plans to build up to 20 houses along Hopevale Drive.

In his motion, Yaroslavsky said he wanted to “avoid the irreparable damage that may occur in this area without some restrictions.”

A spokesman for developer CTC Management said the firm has not finished its plans for the land but does not intend to build houses that are disproportionate with lot sizes.

The ordinance is to include properties bordered by Mulholland Drive, the San Diego Freeway, Valley Vista Boulevard and Dixie Canyon Avenue. The council had approved the same limits in May for a strip of land in the middle of that area.