Council upholds HPOZ condition requiring rear garages for Carthay Circle lot

The Los Angeles City Council on July 5 rejected an appeal by a project applicant and sustained a Planning Department decision requiring that a new single-family home in the Carthay Circle historic preservation overlay zone (HPOZ) place its garage at the rear of the lot.

Kai Chan, representing the applicant, argued the Planning Department—s condition that the garage be moved from the front to the rear was unjustified and rooted in neighborhood animosity stemming from an earlier unpermitted paving of the rear lot. "This past history should not be the reason why this case be placed with this condition," Chan said.

Louise Wexler, president of the Carthay Circle Homeowners Association and a member of the Carthay Circle HPOZ board, told the council the neighborhood supports putting garages in the rear as most homes on the street have rear garages and single-car driveways. "We are asking that the garages be put in the rear as they most of the homes on that street have them," Wexler said.

The Planning and Land Use Management Committee recommended rejecting the applicant—s appeal and sustaining the director—s determination, finding the proposed design would be consistent with the HPOZ if the garage were placed at the rear. Committee members noted the proposed two-story, approximately 3,000—3,300-square-foot house at 29 feet high could be made consistent with the district by moving the garage back.

The council opened public comment, heard the applicant and a neighborhood representative, then voted 12-0 to approve the Planning Committee recommendation and sustain the certificate of appropriateness with the rear-garage condition.