Letters to the Editor: Is duplex backlash in Pacific Palisades fire prevention or NIMBYism?

To the editor: I am dismayed that the Pacific Palisades and areas of Altadena and Malibu are being allowed exemptions from Senate Bill 9 (“After outcry, L.A. restricts duplexes in Pacific Palisades,” July 30). I have lived in the Palisades and I understand the residents wanting to retain the exclusivity of the area, but Los Angeles is bigger than the Palisades.

Right now, I live in an area of Westwood in which some streets (mine included) are single-family zoned and some, including half a block north of me, are zoned for multiple units (up to 14, I believe). Other than there being an occasional parking shortage that largely affects me only when I put out the trash cans, the extra neighbors are not a problem.

The rationale that extra living spaces will make evacuation more difficult seems like a justification for NIMBYism. Los Angeles needs more housing; why not in the Palisades?

Andrew E. Rubin, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The pause to consider building rules in the Pacific Palisades is sensible. This is an entire community that is being rebuilt under regulations designed to manage incremental changes in mature suburban neighborhoods. People are under pressure to rebuild their lives with strained resources and punishing time constraints. Already, a tendency toward flat-roofed boxes seems to be replacing the wonderfully eclectic architecture that developed over the last 75 years.

The physical nature of the community will, of course, be changed by this tragedy, but I hope it won’t be too diminished.

John Sherwood, Topanga

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To the editor: We need to restrict density in all of our very high fire-risk zones.

Numerous esteemed and credentialed fire ecologists, some of whom presented to the California Board of Forestry in July, agree that density is one of the greatest risks and predictors of structure loss during an extreme fire. Trying to force density into these high fire zones is dangerous, irresponsible and furthermore unnecessary. Los Angeles developed, as required by the state, a Housing Element that identifies areas to add plentiful affordable housing that are not in high fire-risk, single-family neighborhoods.

Putting more housing and people in the path of future fires is insane and should be stopped, not just in the Palisades, but in every very high fire-risk zone across our city and state.

Emily Loughran, Los Angeles