The city Planning Commission seems to have taken a stand against massive mixed-use buildings on Motor Avenue.
On March 8 it turned down a request by James Frost for permission to construct an 85-unit apartment building at 3417-3447 Motor Ave. (between Palms Blvd. and Woodbine Street). The structure was also planned to include 8,564 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.
The Planning Commissioners adopted a staff report that said the project was just "not compatible with the surrounding commercial area along Motor Avenue that is mostly comprised of low rise one- and two-story structures."
The Palms Representative Assembly approved the Frost proposal on Sept. 6, 2006, by a vote of 6-2.
Another commercial proposal in the area — on the northeast corner of Palms and Motor — has been withdrawn by Claire Heron, the developer, in the face of community opposition — most of it from Cheviot Hills homeowners.
He took his case to the West Los Angeles Area Planning Commission on June 20. The three commissioners present turned him down unanimously.
This small house at 3662 Empire Drive would be torn down and replaced with five residential condominiums under a proposal submitted to the city Planning Department.