The Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council’s Land Use Committee voted unanimously to support a Small Lot Subdivision proposed at 4827 Oakwood Avenue (AA-2017-5342-PMLA-SL, ENV-2017-5343-CE). The project represented by owner and developer Kenneth Ree and land use attorney King Woods was seeking support for the Preliminary Parcel Map that would demolish a single family residence currently on the lot to construct a 4- Unit Small Lot Subdivision (SLS).
Though he was still making changes to the exterior of the project, the committee voted to recommend the GWNC board support the project at their March meeting with the condition that Mr. Ree continue the process of reaching out to the neighborhood to gain support for this project as he has promised to complete. Mr. Ree said he thought the community would be thrilled to see his project which is small and low compared to the larger more dense projects that are being proposed in the neighborhood. Ree also said he would continue to be in contact with Max Krikham, GWNC Board member who represents the area, regarding his outreach efforts to neighbors.
Patty Soon, owner of the Olympic Spa and applicant for a conditional use permit (CUP) for a public parking lot in the R1-1 zone to be used as parking for an adjacent commercial business at 947 and 946 S. Norton Ave, won the support of the committee after she met with local residents in Wilshire Park. Soon, a resident of Windsor Square, said the parking lots would only be used for the Olympic Spa, an all female spa that opened in the 1970s. Soon said she was trying to bring the parking lots into the compliance with city codes. Apparently the parking lot at 946 S. Norton had a CUP approved in 1999 that expired 2008. Soon learned of the expiration when she filed for the permit at 947 S. Norton.
Gary Ichihara, chair for the Wilshire Park Zoning and Land Use committee, said the spa has agreed to conditions requested by Wilshire Park outlined in a letter he submitted to the committee. The spa will maintain the parking lots for their exclusive use and no future development and they agreed to maintain landscaping that supports the residential integrity of the single family homes adjacent to the spa.
The committee also voted to recommend support for the CUP for Genwa Korean BBQ at 5115 W Wilshire Blvd to renew their beer and wine permit with the same conditions with the condition that the City planning department review the CUP if there is a change of ownership. Conditional Use Permit would allow the continued operation and maintenance of an existing 4485 sq. ft. restaurant with on-site sales and consumption of beer and wine. 114 indoor dining seats and 24 outdoor patio dining seats. CUB: Hours of operation and alcohol sales from 11 am to 11 pm daily. ZA-2018- 540-CUB, ENV-2018-541-CE.
There was also unanimous support for the application for historic monument status for Bungalow Court at 5212-5218 Melrose Avenue filed by Susan Hunter. The bungalows, also known as Rosemel Court, were built in 1921-22 and designed by A.E. Wright, are excellent intact example of courtyard bungalows, explained Hunter. She said all but one have the original bath tup and tiles, many have original hardware and built in mirrors, and all retain the original Murphy bed space though most have been turned into a closet.
The Bungalows are currently being considered for a hotel project that would repurpose the 6 existing historically-significant bungalow structures to allow construction of a hotel consisting of up to 18 guest rooms, with a small hotel lobby on 12,434 sq. ft. parcel. Requesting, conditional use permit to allow a hotel within 500 feet of any A or RE zone, zone variance to allow the maintenance of the existing driveway width of 8 9” feet to serve the hotel use in lieu of the required 10 feet in lieu of 12.21a5(e) and a zoning administrator adjustment to allow parking stackers within the required rear yard setback in lieu of 12.14.c.2. ZA-2017-3165-CU-ZV-ZAA, ENV2017-3166-EAF.
The historic monument designation would not prevent the proposed re-use of the bungalows but it would require architectural review and preservation of the site. Community members Elliott Rosenberg and Don Rhine spoke in support of the request noting it was a special place worth preserving and a great example of how Los Angelenos can live in a historic space.
Other agenda items included a request by several Wilshire Park residents to address the challenges of having a sober living facility in the neighborhood. These facilities are not regulated by the city and they can be a nuisance to neighbors if not run properly.
LA Unified School District officials Scott Singletary and Theresa Alvarez presented plans for the John Burroughs Middle School modernization. They also presented the project to the
Hancock Park HPOZ.
The next meeting of the Land Use committee is April 24, 2018 at 6:30 pm. All are welcome to attend. For more information on the meeting visit the GWNC website.
