City board upholds zoning administrator's finding that apartment conversions in Hollywood Rose Hill intensify use

A city board on a zoning appeal unanimously upheld the zoning administrator's determination that renovations at a Hollywood Rose Hill apartment complex amount to an intensification of a nonconforming multifamily use, concluding the interior work altered how the buildings function and increased neighborhood impacts.

Residents from Hollywood Rose Hill and nearby blocks urged the board to deny the property owner's retroactive permit request, saying the conversion of common stairwells and hallways into additional bathrooms and the change from two- to three-bedroom units has already worsened parking congestion and raised safety concerns for pedestrians and children. The board moved into a closed session for legal advice and then voted to uphold the administrator's decision.

The contested work included installation of additional bathrooms in areas that formerly served as common circulation and the removal or blockage of a rear stairwell, elements neighbors said reduced the number of egress routes.…