by William W. Abbott and Robert T. Yamachika

Stolman v. City of Los Angeles (2003) 114 Cal.App.4th 916, reaffirms the California rule that the granting of a variance, even in a charter city, is the exception rather than the rule. The case involves a longstanding non-conforming use; a gas station located in a residential neighborhood. The station had been at the location in question since 1922. It became non-conforming in 1925 when the area was zoned and annexed to the City of Los Angeles.
Continue Reading The Court of Appeal Affirms Once Again High Legal Standard Required for Variances