Chris Parker / April 11, 2018
The City Council is expected to approve today (April 11) an ordinance that would reduce the allowable floor area and grading quantities for single-family homes in the “Bird Streets” and Laurel Canyon areas of the Hollywood Hills.
The Hillside Construction Regulations (HCR) being considered today are similar to the limitations that were approved by the City Council for the Bel-Air area last year. If approved, this Special Use District (SUD) would limit by-right grading to 6,000 cubic yards on standard Hillside streets (4,500 CY for substandard Hillside streets) and 17,500 square feet of Residential Floor Area (RFA). Any project proposing more grading and/or more floor area would require a discretionary approval from City Planning, which would entail a case filing and at least one public hearing.
The ordinance also imposes several conditions to all hauling projects (regardless of size) that are usually required only for projects that request more than 1,000 cubic yards of hauling.
The area covered by this ordinance is north of Sunset Boulevard, east of the City of Beverly Hills, west of Nichols Canyon, and south of Mulholland Drive/Woodrow Wilson Drive.
The City Planning Commission unanimously approved the draft ordinance on Jan. 25. The Bel Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council also voted unanimously to recommend support of the ordinance.
If the City Council approves the ordinance today with 9 or more “ayes,” as expected, it will go to the Mayor’s office for his signature (which is also expected).
Typically, it takes 6 or more weeks from City Council approval to effective date of an ordinance, which would mean these rules would take effect in late May/early June. However, if the City Council adds an Urgency Clause to the ordinance at today’s vote, it could be the law of the land in a week.
