RE: 400 feet limit?
Not my place to ask. Perhaps SoCal should. However I can read and AC and it clearly states that it is only and advisory (thats why its called and Advisory Circular), not a regulation, and clearly states the 400 feet limit is recommended when withen 3 miles of an airport. However, the attitude of the landowners is another matter, and probably where the FAA gets its power from.
BTW, why so angry?