Panel Amends, OKs 1-Year Ban on Some San Pedro Projects

An ordinance that would curb construction of apartments and condominiums in San Pedro for one year is now on its way to the City Council for passage, having been approved--with two significant changes--this week by a council committee.

The San Pedro interim control ordinance is intended to prevent the razing of single-family homes, while a citizens advisory committee drafts permanent zoning changes. Residents of this harbor town have been complaining for months that such “tear downs” are destroying the single-family character of their community.

In its 2-0 vote, the Los Angeles council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee retained the majority of the ordinance--which had been approved by the city Planning Commission in August. Among the requirements, the temporary law includes a ban on new apartment construction on blocks that are zoned for apartments but where more than 50% of the homes are either single-family or duplexes.

The committee also moved to increase the number of parking spaces at new apartment developments and deleted a requirement that builders, who want to maintain the right to build under current zoning, must obtain foundation permits from the city by Jan. 1.

In addition, the committee corrected an oversight in the ordinance by formally giving the City Council final authority over appeals.

The temporary ordinance is aimed at developers who string together lots to build big apartment complexes, and the tearing down of houses for apartment construction in the RD1.5 zone, where one apartment may be built for every 1,500 square feet of lot space.

The so-called 50/50 ban on new apartments in predominantly single-family neighborhoods applies to lots smaller than 6,000 square feet in the RD1.5 zone. On lots 6,000 square feet or larger, apartment developers may build only one unit for every 2,000 square feet under the new ordinance.

In addition, the ordinance requires that no single apartment building contain more than four units, although more than one building may be permitted on a lot, if the lot is large enough.

The removal of the Jan. 1 deadline was suggested by Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores’ staff. Before the proposed ordinance was changed by the committee, builders who had filed plans by Aug. 31 and who had obtained a permit to construct a foundation permit by Jan. 1 would not fall under the more restrictive rules of the new law.

But Mario Juravich, an aide to the councilwoman, said the city’s Building and Safety Department is so backlogged with applications that it cannot process all foundation permit requests by Jan. 1.

The removal of the deadline will allow developers who met the Aug. 31 cutoff to build under the old rules for up to 18 months from the filing date of their plans.

But, he added, it will also have the positive effect of staggering development in the community.

The new parking provision, meanwhile, means developers must provide as much parking for apartment complexes as condominiums--a requirement that Juravich said will benefit San Pedro by promoting the building of owner-occupied condominiums.

In its initial form, the ordinance called for apartment developers to provide one guest parking space for every four apartment units, and for condominium developers to provide an additional parking space for every two units. The condominium requirement is now the standard.

Members of a citizens advisory committee that helped draft the ordinance said they were generally pleased with the Planning and Land Use Management Committee’s changes.

“I think those are fine,” said Noah Modisett, who chairs the citizens committee. “I particularly think that the parking change was a sound one to make.”