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.