City Council Rejects Luxury Development
Despite warnings that it is inviting a lawsuit, the Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to reject a proposal that would allow the construction of six luxury homes at the northern end of Hazelbrook Road.
Buttressed by opposition from the Studio City Residents’ Assn., Councilman Joel Wachs argued that the hilly property is too steep to accommodate more than two or three houses.
However, other council members cited a city attorney’s opinion that the Board of Zoning Appeals’ action approving the six parcels as legal building sites could not be properly reversed because the applicant met the legal standards required.
“If you listen to the city attorney’s opinion, you basically have an outrage without a remedy,” Wachs said before the 9-4 vote to uphold the residents’ appeal.
Ben Reznik, an attorney for applicant Howard Stone, said his client has authorized him to file a lawsuit to challenge the council action.
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