A push for greater community input in West Hollywood’s development process scored a partial victory on May 19, 2025, as the City Council unanimously approved mandatory neighborhood meetings for new projects seeking development agreements (DAs), including standalone billboards. However, a proposed expansion of public noticing from 500 to 750 feet was tabled, leaving residents and developers awaiting further clarity.
The decision, part of agenda item C.1, addressed a “loophole” in the city’s billboard policy, which previously exempted standalone billboards from neighborhood meetings required for most DA projects—large-scale developments or signage requesting zoning changes. Councilmember Lauren Meister, who spearheaded the initiative, argued that such projects, like the proposed Viper Room redevelopment, impact far beyond the current 500-foot noticing radius. “The impacts are much greater than on a by-right project,” she said, advocating for a 1,000-foot radius to match the council’s original May 2024 directive.
Residents echoed Meister’s call, with many urging broader outreach. “When neighbors show up and speak and they’re voted down, you start to lose interest because it’s frustrating,” said Stephanie Harker, a Human Services Commission member, suggesting door-to-door notices like those used for film productions. Cathy Blaivas emphasized early engagement: “We need things like this before projects are realized.” Michael Cautillo’s written comment supported the 750-foot compromise, noting, “Transparency, accountability, and community input are not optional; they’re foundational to how we do things in West Hollywood.”
Yet, not all agreed. Remy Karns opposed the amendment, citing California’s housing shortage and West Hollywood’s 4,000-unit goal by 2029. “This amendment will introduce unnecessary obstacles to development,” he wrote, urging streamlined processes.
The council’s debate revealed splits. Vice Mayor John Heilman backed the 750-foot compromise, calling it fair and noting DAs’ rarity outside billboards. Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers proposed redirecting notices to existing Planning Commission processes, like design review meetings, to boost engagement without new meetings. “We have city meetings that are already part of a process that we don’t have people showing up at,” she said. Councilmembers John M. Erickson and Danny Hang questioned the 750-foot radius as arbitrary, with Erickson favoring the status quo and Hang seeking radius maps for clarity.
The Planning Commission’s 4–3 denial of the original 1,000-foot proposal in April 2025, citing its breadth for a 1.9-square-mile city, loomed large. Staff estimated 750 feet would cost $3,750 per project, versus $5,500 for 1,000 feet. Ultimately, the council approved neighborhood meetings for new DA projects, effective immediately, but deferred noticing changes, requesting maps showing 500-, 750-, and 1,000-foot radii for approved billboards within a month.
The vote ensures residents will have a voice early in major project discussions, aligning with West Hollywood’s transparency goals. Yet, with noticing unresolved, the council’s next steps will shape how far that voice carries.
