One Ford Road homes violate code, officials say

June Casagrande

ONE FORD ROAD -- About 100 homeowners in this upscale development in

Newport Beach are getting letters from the city saying their homes may

violate building codes.

Newport Beach officials are also modifying those codes to prohibit the

use of poplar wood on exteriors -- an indirect result of one homeowner’s

complaints to the city.

Cordell Fisher, owner of one of the Balboa-model homes in the

development, launched a fight against developer Pacific Bay Homes earlier

this year after he noticed rotting poplar wood on the railing of his

house.

After examining city building codes and rallying neighbors, he

delivered about 100 signatures to the City Council in August, arguing

that the homes did not comply with codes. The poplar wood posts, he

argued, should have been sheathed in metal before they were mounted in

concrete.

Councilman Steve Bromberg toured the development. He said that, of the

more than 30 homes finished and those still under construction that he

saw, virtually all had rot on the posts where they were attached to the

concrete.

“The developer’s position had been that the homes were constructed

according to code, but apparently they were not,” Bromberg said.

As a result, the city has determined that all 100 Balboa models in the

development are in violation of city building codes.

“I’m disappointed that some person at Pacific Bay Homes would go

against the city and not follow codes,” said Fisher, who has paid about

$10,000 to have the railing on his house replaced.

A Pacific Bay Homes representative said the company deviated from

original building plans in order to replace the metal sheaths with a more

expensive, more attractive substance called Pourstone.

“Pacific Bay believes that the product that they supplied was actually

of a higher standard than what was called for in the original plans,”

spokeswoman Julia Bergstrom said. “Any change from the plans was

something that benefited the homeowners.”

Though the rails on about 100 homes were built without the metal

straps, only six are considered a safety hazard, Bergstrom said. Those

enclosing a porch 30 or more inches off the ground are considered guard

rails, which are safety devices. The developer plans to fix the rails on

these six homes. All others are considered decorative and are not subject

to the safety codes, Bergstrom said.

But the One Ford Road legacy will extend beyond the repairs: Last

week, officials decided that the otherwise high-quality wood wasn’t

well-suited to outdoor uses in a marine environment such as Newport

Beach.

“We feel at this point in time that the use of poplar wood is not

appropriate for exterior applications,” said Jay Elbettar, director of

the city’s building department.Construction on the nearly 370-unit

development began in 1997 and was completed this year.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .