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West Hollywood commission pauses plan to shift many housing approvals to staff after public outcry
Summary
The Planning Commission opened a public hearing on a proposed zone text amendment to streamline qualifying housing projects and voted 5–2 to continue the item, asking staff to return with legally vetted language to expand director-level approvals for code‑compliant projects while folding design review into neighborhood meetings.
The West Hollywood Planning Commission on Jan. 15 opened a public hearing on a city-sponsored zone text amendment designed to speed housing approvals and then voted to continue the proposal after hours of public comment and commissioner questioning.
Staff presented a package that would increase the threshold for Planning Commission review, shift many smaller residential and qualifying projects to director-level review, and preserve neighborhood meetings and a mail-notice radius of 500 feet. Planner Michelle Montenegro told the commission that "the amendments before you today would further both of these programs" drawn from a May 5, 2025 City Council directive to streamline housing approvals and encourage affordable production. The staff package also recommended a 30 dwelling‑units‑per‑acre minimum for qualifying projects on commercially zoned sites and an exemption for hotels.
Residents who spoke at the hearing urged the commission to protect public oversight and local conditions. "SB79 would allow…
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