Some of Kroh's would-be neighbors, for example, oppose his plans. They say they worry about landslides and the rumble of trucks up their hilly street during construction.
Kroh dismisses these concerns, saying his project, if he builds it, will make the area safer by giving it better fire truck access and better drainage.
But the locals also talk about a less tangible issue: the way that an influx of mega-mansions can change the character of a close-knit community.
Many of the original homes in the area, built after the 1961 Bel-Air fire, were modest ranch houses of three and four bedrooms.
As homes have sold and the area has grown in cachet, some people have torn down and replaced with what one resident calls "casino-style Tuscan villas."
This, in turn, has transformed the neighborhood, many long-time residents say.
"We used to know all our neighbors," said Robert Cremer, a retired engineer. "We'd socialize with them. If they had a project, moving furniture, we'd help them out. The sort of thing neighbors do. . . . That doesn't exist anymore."
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jessica.garrison@latimes.com
