Los Angeles homeowners in Hancock Park, Windsor Square and dozens of other historic districts face new design rules for housing construction under a second draft released by City Planning.

The Office of Historic Resources published the revised Objective Design Standards (ODS) for housing in Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs) on Thursday, Oct. 15, first reported by Larchmont Buzz. The standards would set clear, measurable design rules for new housing across the city's 35 historic districts, along with proposed technical amendments to the HPOZ Ordinance.

Residents have until 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, to submit written comments to [email protected].

The release follows months of pushback. The city published a first draft in late June, and residents in many HPOZ neighborhoods objected, calling the proposal too generic for neighborhoods that are, by definition, architecturally unique, according to Larchmont Buzz. Critics said the draft failed to distinguish among single-family, multi-family and commercial areas.

City Planning said comments from the first comment period were reviewed and many were incorporated into the new draft, according to the city's planning website. The agency said the changes add clarity, address community concerns and strengthen the document.

Among the loudest critics was the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC). At its Aug. 12 board meeting, the GWNC voted 13-2, with three abstentions, to support a long list of proposed revisions to the first draft, according to Larchmont Buzz. Those recommendations called for the new standards to address specific design elements such as height, massing, windows, doors and garage placement.

GWNC committee member Jane Usher called the first draft's rules "one-size-fits-all" at a GWNC Land Use Committee meeting around Sept. 1, as reported by Larchmont Buzz. She said the draft failed to address "any of the specific elements that define the unique character of each HPOZ." Usher also pushed for the city to incorporate "prevailing" standards for height and other measurements, and to apply those standards before lots are split rather than after.

State laws in recent years have required cities to adopt more specific, objective design standards for new construction in historic zones, partly to streamline approvals and reduce the role of local HPOZ boards in the review process.

How to weigh in

City Planning will hold an informational webinar Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. Staff will give an overview of the second draft and explain how public feedback shaped the revisions.

A virtual public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10. An information session runs from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by public testimony from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Residents can join by Zoom or by phone at (213) 338-8477.

What happens next

The Cultural Heritage Commission will receive an informational presentation Thursday, Dec. 3. The City Planning Commission considers staff recommendations Thursday, Dec. 10.