MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - In an effort to halt the wave of so-called mansionization, the City Council here tentatively imposed a moratorium on merging properties to make way for giant homes.

Four-fifths of the council still must approve the 45-day ban at its next meeting in two weeks, but the moratorium applies to lot merger applications filed after midnight Wednesday, City Attorney Robert Wadden said.

The moratorium is designed to give the city time to examine building standards for large lots. It can be extended.

"We want to come up with a lot merger ordinance that also addresses building size, not only with respect to lot mergers but building in general," Mayor Nick Tell said. "Instead of taking it one at a time, we're going to do it all at once."

The city has long battled mansionization, the practice of replacing smaller homes with larger ones that change the scale and appearance of a neighborhood.

The city's mansionization committee will take up lot mergers at its next meeting, and report back to the council, said the mayor, who has a pending lot merger application.