Fairfax : Permits Being Issued Again

The Los Angeles City Commission on Building and Safety said Tuesday the department erred in refusing to issue demolition and building permits for two Mid-City neighborhoods that will be subject to a moratorium early next month, officials said.

The 5-0 vote opens the door to the razing of single-family homes to make way for apartments, despite the City Council’s vote to override Mayor Tom Bradley’s veto of the building ban in two pockets of the 10th District. The measure was sought by City Councilman Nate Holden on behalf of homeowner groups seeking to preserve their middle class, integrated neighborhoods of single family homes from apartment development.

Because 12 council votes were not obtained, the City Council measure cannot take effect for about 30 days.

Immediately after the council vote, developers who had earlier obtained permits rushed in with bulldozers to level homes. To continue building after the ban goes into effect, foundations must be poured.

Other developers applied for permits, which were denied them. The city attorney’s office had advised Department of Building and Safety chief Warren O’Brien that it was within his purview to deny the permits to protect the character of the two integrated areas of homes. After being overruled by the commission, O’Brien said he would resume issuing permits for the Pico-Fairfax and Crenshaw-Wilshire areas.

Holden, who ramrodded the ban through City Hall’s legislative labyrinth, accused the commission of a pro-development bias. “I think it’s wrong. It’s really not representative of the people of this city. I think they were voting for development like the mayor was voting for development when he vetoed the moratorium.”

Bradley said that the moratorium was bad planning practice and that its hasty approval denied due process to those who opposed it.