A multi-family residential building project in Encino, which triggered debate for months, is moving forward.
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted in support of the development of a 114-unit complex at 16161 West Ventura Boulevard.
The project has drawn the ire of the residents and property owners who expressed concerns about the scale of the proposed development.
Last year, the Encino Neighborhood Council voted against the project, stating specific concerns about the proposed building’s height, traffic, privacy and parking.
But proponents of the project said the development will help address a shortage of housing and will build much-needed units in walking proximity to public transportation.
“Several people were concerned with the height of the building and the shadow it will cast on the homes behind it,” Alex Garay, the president of the Encino Neighborhood Council, wrote in an email.
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Under the proposal, Encino-based developer Encino Investors, LLC, will replace two commercial-office buildings and a surface parking lot with a six-story complex.
Daniel Gryczman, a representative of Encino Investors, said the company planned to build market-rate apartments along with 11 units for very low-income families.
The complex will offer 32 studios, 65 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom apartments and two live-work units.
The projects will include 114 auto and 126 bicycle parking spaces, the ground floor and two levels of subterranean parking.
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Garay added that although the developer expanded the number of parking spaces, “it does not warrant the amount of cars that may need to park onsite. There is no offsite parking other than Ventura Boulevard and the residential streets behind it,” he wrote.
City planners said the project is “in substantial conformance with the purposes, intent and provisions of the General Plan” and “does not conflict with any applicable regulations or standards,” according to the report submitted to the planning department.
Developers submitted a revised plan that included the removal of all balconies along the northern side of the project “to address the privacy concerns of adjoining neighbors,” the report said.
Under the proposal, the project will feature about a fitness room, rooftop lounge, outdoor deck and 12,000 square feet of open space, including a plaza area along Ventura Boulevard.
The common open space areas will be landscaped with a mix of trees, shrubs and groundcover.
The project, which calls for demolition of two commercial-office buildings on Ventura Boulevard, will keep 49-foot billboard sign, according to the city planning website.
