West Hollywood : Ordinance Tentatively OKd

The City Council tentatively approved a sweeping interim zoning ordinance last week and added moratoriums on demolition that will protect single-family housing and control the construction of new parking structures.

With last Thursday’s unanimous approval, the council also approved a negative declaration--an assertion that the law will cause no environmental harm to the city.

Mark Winogrond, director of community development, said the council passed one of the moratoriums “in order to protect the single-family homes we now have.”

The council also passed a moratorium freezing demolition in “parking overlay zones”--areas where the council is trying to create additional parking facilities. Winogrond said the intention was to forbid any demolition in those areas “until the council has decided what kind of parking structures it would like to see.”

In both cases, Winogrond said, the council plans to study the issues and come up with new guidelines. The council is expected to cast a final vote on the ordinance tonight.