Views differ on possible view law

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- A pleasant view enhances not only the property value but

overall enjoyment of some homes and should be protected, the Planning

Commission said last week when it asked city planners to research a

possible view ordinance.

The possibility of an ordinance stemmed from a second-story proposal

from Westside resident John Clark, the owner of a home in the 1100 block

of Aviemore Terrace.

In February, the city zoning administrator approved the addition of a

second story to a home on Aviemore Terrace, as well as the expansion of

the ground floor, but Councilman Chris Steel appealed the decision and

brought it to the City Council. Council members then sent the issue to

the commission.

Residents of Aviemore and Glen Eagle terraces flooded City Hall last

week when commissioners reviewed the request and pleaded with the

Planning Commission to protect their views. Commissioners approved the

second story addition by a 4 to 1 vote, with Planning Commission

Chairwoman Katrina Foley dissenting.

Foley said she believed the residents’ views should be protected and

sensed serious reluctance from her commission colleagues to endorse the

second-story addition. She made a motion to have planning staff consider

a possible view ordinance and come back to the commission at study

session. Commissioners unanimously supported the motion.

Councilman Gary Monahan said he will appeal the motion because he

doesn’t believe the city needs a view ordinance and he thinks the

Planning Commission overstepped its bounds.

“What authority does the Planning Commission have to direct staff?”

Monahan asked. “Their function is to make recommendations to the City

Council. City Council sets the policy and I do not want to spend valuable

and expensive staff time on projects that are not blessed by the

council.”

Foley defended the action of her commission.

“I think somebody would have told us if we did not have the right to

do it,” Foley said about the motion. “Just because Planning Commissions

haven’t been proactive in the past doesn’t mean they weren’t allowed to

be.”

The council holds the final decision and if it decides there is no

need for a view ordinance, then there won’t be one, Foley said.

Mayor Linda Dixon, a former Planning Commissioner, applauded the work

of the Planning Commission, calling it “a smart move.” Had the commission

not initiated the view ordinance, she would have put the issue on the

council’s agenda.

“It think [the action] was an example of a good, strong Planning

Commission that is looking out for the best interests of the community,”

Dixon said. “I think that is their privy to do this and that is what a

Planning Commission should do.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .