Panel OKs Senior Housing and Urges Denial of Appeal

Upholding a July decision by the City Planning Commission, a City Council committee approved a proposed 85-unit housing complex for low-income seniors Tuesday, recommending that the full council deny an appeal from residents who oppose the plan.

Councilman Mike Feuer, who negotiated with the developer to scale back the size of the facility planned for a now-vacant lot at 15126 Moorpark St., told the Planning and Land Use Management Committee that the site was an ideal location for the project proposed by the nonsectarian Menorah Housing Foundation.

“Our parents and our grandparents need a decent place to live, and if they’re on fixed incomes, this is all they’ve got,” Feuer said. He said residents’ concerns about building size, parking spaces and increased traffic had all been adequately addressed.

The Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. and Evan Levy of Sherman Oaks filed separate appeals of the Planning Commission’s decision.

Speaking for the homeowner group, Marcy Shaffer argued that the facility was too big for “our very small neighborhood.” Levy said the project would generate much more traffic than the city estimated.

The appeals will be considered by the full council Oct. 21.