Council Overrides Bradley Veto of Scaled-Down Housing Project : Van Nuys: Councilman Ernani Bernardi, who lives near the site, backs an earlier vote to permit 12 units.

Urged on by an influential resident of the neighborhood--Councilman Ernani Bernardi--the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday overrode one of Mayor Tom Bradley’s rare vetoes to sustain an order that limits the size of a housing project in Van Nuys.

By a 12-0 vote, the council upheld its Sept. 8 action to permit only 11 townhomes and one house to be built on the parcel at 14235 Sherman Way, two blocks from Bernardi’s residence.

Land-use attorney Benjamin Reznik objected that the council action violated the city’s own Community Plan and predicted it will trigger a lawsuit. “The central issue is whether the city’s Community Plan means anything or not,” said Reznik, who represents developer Fred Bibayan.

Bibayan initially sought to build 21 units. The city Planning Commission cut that to 16 and the council reduced the number to 12.

Bradley vetoed the council’s action, saying he could find “no logical reason” for it because the city has a shortage of moderately priced housing and the Community Plan allows a minimum of 15 units on the site.

But the council disagreed.

During Tuesday’s debate, Bernardi asked his colleagues to limit the project to 12 units so it would be consistent with the densities of the neighborhood, a mixed area of single-family houses and multifamily properties.

Bernardi denied that the proximity of his residence to the proposed Bibayan project played a role in his vehement opposition.

“It’s not getting any more special treatment than any other zoning case in my district,” Bernardi said in an interview after Tuesday’s vote.

Bernardi lives on Katherine Avenue. The Bibayan property is situated at Katherine Avenue and Sherman Way.

Also speaking against the project was Councilman Joel Wachs, who rejected the developer’s argument that three more units would have a negligible effect on the neighborhood.

The issue is neighborhood empowerment, said Wachs, who is planning to run for mayor.

“If we’re talking about people having a say in their neighborhoods and city, then we must listen to them,” he said, adding that local homeowners opposed the Bibayan project.

“Or do we say: ‘Nice try, folks, but we know what’s better for you.’ ”

The Bibayan property is now in Wachs’ district, although it had been in Bernardi’s until the council changed district boundaries recently.