West Hollywood residents may soon be allowed to add roof decks to their accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in certain residential zones, pending a decision by City Council.
The City Council is considering directing staff to amend the Zoning Code to allow ADU roof decks in residential zones R3 and R4. This recommendation follows an Urgency Ordinance and first reading of an Ordinance passed in January 2023 to amend the City’s local regulations governing ADUs and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs).
While State law does not regulate roof decks on ADUs, the newly adopted ordinance in West Hollywood prohibited roof decks on new or existing ADUs. The proposed amendment would establish regulations to allow ADU roof decks in certain residential zones and necessitate an amendment to the Zoning Code. The City Council has recommended that the proposed amendment be presented at a future public hearing of the Planning Commission for review prior to returning to the City Council for final consideration.
If approved, the proposed amendment would have a high impact on staff time and current departmental work plans. Staff from Long Range Planning, Current and Historic Preservation Planning, and the Urban Design and Architecture Studio would be involved in assisting with this ordinance change, and the City Attorney’s Office would review and comment on the item.
Staff activities would include research on allowable specifications and other considerations such as noise and privacy for roof decks on new and existing ADUs. Once draft proposals have been prepared, they would be presented to the Planning Commission and the City Council for review.
This potential change in the Zoning Code would align with West Hollywood’s Vision 2020, which aims to ensure that the city has “an adequate supply of affordable housing for residents of all income levels.” By allowing roof decks on ADUs in certain residential zones, West Hollywood would provide residents with more opportunities to utilize their properties and potentially create additional income through rental opportunities.
Zoning Map
https://www.weho.org/home/showpublisheddocument/36958/636692560718630000
R3 (Residential, Multi-Family Medium-Density) District.
The R3 zoning district provides for the development of a wide range of multi-family dwelling units, including apartments and condominiums. The standards of the R3 zoning district are intended to ensure that new residential projects are compatible with the scale and character of existing medium-density multi-family residential neighborhoods (see Table 2-3). The R3 zoning district is consistent with the R3A, R3B, R3C and R3C-C residential land use designations of the General Plan. The application of the R3 zoning district to property on the Zoning Map (Section 19.04.030) will include establishing separate R3 zoning districts with specific density requirements and development standards, based on the General Plan designation of the area. These requirements shall be indicated on the Zoning Map by a suffix to the R3 Zoning Map symbol (for example, R3-A, R3-B, R3-C, and R3C-C) which identifies the different areas and corresponding requirements of this chapter that apply.
R4 (Residential, Multi-Family High-Density) District.
The R4 zoning district provides for the development of a wide range of high-density multi-family housing, including apartments and condominiums. The standards of the R4 zoning district are intended to ensure that new high-density residential projects are compatible with the scale and character of existing high-density residential neighborhoods (see Table 2-3). The R4 zoning district is consistent with the R4A, R4B, and R4B-C residential land use designations of the General Plan. The application of the R4 zoning district to property on the Zoning Map (Section 19.04.030) will include establishing separate R4 zoning districts with specific density requirements and development standards, based on the General Plan designation of the area. These requirements shall be indicated on the Zoning Map by a suffix to the R4 Zoning Map symbol (for example, R4A, R4B, and R4B-C) which identifies the different areas and corresponding requirements of this chapter that apply.
Definitely will affect privacy and all nude sun bathing (or maybe encourage it?).
Just another bad idea.
With the Neighborhood Compatibility ordinance ultimately crushed by HHA, there is barely a prayer of obtaining meaningful architecture values. Next the city will diminish the Historic Preservation Ordinance to enable a virtual clear cutting of the neighborhoods meaning structures, vegetation and wildlife. While the city extols its virtues of promoting green values and tree canopy, essentially conflicting messages. This is already scheduled to occur on the Holloway Drive piece of land south of Sunset Plaza. Whatever charm once existed in 1.9 sq miles will be erased for an environment of digital billboards, rooftop decks and hotel visitors coming to make… Read more »
As we continue to feel like sardines in a can with all of these 3-4 story buildings being implemented in the majority of our residential areas, I see that this “complaint oriented city of WeHo” is now allowing decks on rooftops to allow human drones to micro-manage their surrounding neighbors so that there will be absolutely no privacy left for ANY homeowner that just wants to have some quiet, private, green yard without the neighbors lurking. Quiet, privacy yards in WeHo will just be a memory of the past as this ADU rooftops moves forward.
This should never have been prohibited.
Will not add anything if value.
Completely unnecessary.