After years of meetings, hours of at-times contentious debate, and countless public comments, Beverly Hills pushed its Mixed-Use Ordinance past the finish line on Nov. 10. The enactment created a new overlay zone within certain commercial areas that allows for both residential and commercial uses–a change some worried would, at its worst, lead to large-scale redevelopment and the loss of Beverly Hills’ low-density charm. Proponents, meanwhile, praised the measure for bringing the city into the future and for creating new housing opportunities at a time of heavy pressure from the state.
But six months after its passage, the City Council heard the first progress report on the ordinance at its May 13 Special Meeting. The overwhelming takeaway from the first periodic review: nothing to report.
