Editorial favors the wrong homeowner
Olive M. Maxwell
I am a relative newcomer in our neighborhood, having only lived
here for 15 years, but I have to respond to a couple of items in your
Aug. 15 editorial in the Daily Pilot (“Home-addition options must be
kept open”).
If you had attended the several sessions of the Costa Mesa City
Council and Planning Council meetings, you would have heard the
various neighbors who have spoken out on this matter, and written
detailed letters of protest. The homes in this area are not
predominantly two-story on Aviemore Terrace. They are one-story
homes, with one exception on the south side of Gleneagles Terrace. On
the north side of Gleneagles, they are almost all two stories. Mine
is possibly the only exception. None of the homes are precluding the
views of the other homes in the vicinity., which is our basic
argument here.
The Clarks have been in residence (I believe) for less than one
year, so they are newcomers in the direct sense of the word. It is
further my understanding that they are newlyweds and have no
children. The addition they seek to build is primarily to enhance the
value of their own property at the expense of the longtime residents
who will, of course, have the values of their homes reduced with the
loss of their views.
The editorial indicates that “families grow and need space.” In
this case, this is not a factor. Inasmuch as the home is a recent
acquisition, surely the purchasers must have known that it might not
fit their growing family needs in the future. Remember, they have no
children. There is always the possibility that these newcomers could
add to their property by building the requested addition and could
turn around and sell the same for a substantial profit. Meanwhile,
those around them, having lived in this neighborhood for much of
their lives, will be stuck with properties lessened in value because
of their loss of views, etc.
Have you attended any of the above-mentioned meetings and listened
to any of the arguments? From your editorial, it would appear you
either have not or have misinterpreted what was being said.
In your editorial, you end up by stating the homeowner should be
granted the same rights enjoyed by other in this town? In this case,
it is the “other” who will be penalized, while your so-called
homeowner is enjoying his rights.
* OLIVE M. MAXWELL is a Costa Mesa resident.
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