A controversial home remodel has generated a difficult situation for Andrew Adelman, general manager of the L.A. Department of Building and Safety, who approved a project later found by a judge to violate the city's own zoning laws.
"Los Angeles' top building official has been ordered to appear for a contempt of court trial after a judge found that the city ignored its own zoning rules in approving a controversial home remodel in Pacific Palisades.
The extreme decision caught city leaders off guard and prompted the Building and Safety Department immediately to revoke the permit for the already completed $1-million addition. Officials also ordered that work be halted on a separate project the homeowner is constructing to replace a nearby house that he recently tore down."
"Critics say permits are awarded too quickly in many cases, before the possible consequences of the building can be fully understood. They also contend that building officials sometimes ignore code restrictions or take advantage of loopholes, in their zeal to make it easier for developers to get projects through the approval process.
A longtime target of such complaints is Andrew A. Adelman, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety since 1997, who has won praise from many developers, architects and engineers for streamlining the city's permitting process."
FULL STORY: Zoning Issue Puts L.A. in O.C. Court

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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