Beverly Hills : Mansion Law to Be Revised

Acknowledging that construction of monolithic mansions has continued unabated in certain parts of the city, the City Council has told the Planning Commission to revise the 1989 ordinance that was passed to control their proliferation.

In a joint meeting with the commission Tuesday, the council pored over pictures of homes built before and after passage of the ordinance and agreed that in many instances, the results were the same: large homes built on small lots that overpowered neighboring residences.

The ordinance has not met its goals in the southeast, and to some extent the southwest area of the city south of Santa Monica Boulevard, Councilman Thomas S. Levyn said. Homes are being built that intrude on the property rights of surrounding property owners, he said.

The 4-year-old law sets standards for single-family residential development in all areas of the city except Trousdale and the Hillside area, which have separate standards. The law regulates the ratio of floor space to land area, provides rules governing the distance of a home from the side and rear property lines, and requires the front facade of the house to be modulated rather than being a solid flat surface.

The problem with the ordinance is not so much the square footage of the homes, several council members said, but a combination of the height of homes on smaller 50- to 60-foot-wide lots, the lack of mature trees to soften the appearance of large homes, too much paving for vehicles in front of the house and the limited setback of homes from the side property lines.

“We don’t need to revisit the square-footage issue, Councilman Allan L. Alexander said. The commission should instead focus on height, mature landscaping and other issues.

Designing an ordinance to control bulk is a trial-and-error process, he said. “It is appropriate to go back and look at it.”