CITY PLANS TO REDUCE HOUSING DENSITY IN SINGLE-FAMILY AREAS.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

BURBANK - Striving to preserve the city's small-town feel, Burbank officials plan to reduce housing density in mostly residential neighborhoods and encourage downtown housing projects.

The proposed changes to city codes come as more multifamily housing is being built in neighborhoods of single-family homes and duplexes. And the state is pressing the city to develop more housing to accommodate future population growth.

City officials last week made several proposals to the City Council to limit housing density in much of Burbank. Those proposals included reducing the allowable number of units in areas zoned as medium density neighborhoods from 58 units per acre to 45 units per acre.

``This (plan) protects our residential neighborhoods and I think that's one of the deepest, core beliefs that not only this council has but also residents have in terms of preserving what we have, preserving this hometown feel,'' said City Councilman Todd Campbell.

City officials, however, are mindful that some Burbank property owners may object to new limits on their land, effectively reducing its value.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss the residential density downgrading again on Dec. 14. It could vote on the proposals in the spring.

Meanwhile, several residential projects are planned or under way in downtown, where officials hope to encourage developers to build close to public transportation. The Burbank Metrolink Station under the Olive Avenue overpass to the Golden State Freeway could serve those who work in Los Angeles and live in the new Burbank developments, officials said.

Concerns over air pollution have been raised about building housing too close to the freeway, but Ruth Davidson-Guerra, assistant community development director, said filtration systems and landscaping can mitigate the effects of air pollution in residential buildings.

``All you have to do is drive along a freeway and you're going to see tons of housing all over the place,'' Davidson-Guerra said.

One of the benefits city officials see in placing more housing downtown is that merchants will enjoy a larger customer base.

``That's where it makes more sense, to keep the housing more dense in the downtown area ... where we have a great transportation infrastructure and we've got the amenities to support the residential developments as well,'' Davidson-Guerra said.

A project called the Burbank Village Walk at San Fernando Boulevard and Olive Avenue is under construction and will have 140 condos. The project had a budget of $45 million when the City Council approved it.

Another 118 condominiums would be built across from the AMC Burbank 16 if the City Council approves a projected $45 million Champion Development Group project on Nov. 23. Both projects would have ground-floor restaurant and retail space. The Champion project would have 12.5 percent of its units as affordable housing, and 10 percent of the units in the Burbank Village Walk will be designated affordable housing.

City officials are also in preliminary talks with developers interested in building housing on two sites near the Metrolink Station. One site is a two-block area bounded by Magnolia Boulevard, First Street, Orange Grove Avenue and Bonnywood Place. The other site involves a single block across the street from the Holiday Inn at 150 E. Angeleno Ave.

City officials also plan to allow more dense housing in the Media District and along commercial corridors. But in primarily residential areas where multifamily housing is allowed, officials could downgrade to low-density half the land designated as medium-density.

``In some ways this is actually a very good step forward in terms of compensating for what is being somewhat forced upon us in Sacramento ... and may actually have contrary goals for our city'' from local leaders' goals, Campbell said.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Housing may be moving closer to the Burbank Metrolink station at Olive Avenue and the I-5 Freeway. Homes are now visible just below the ridge line.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer