WHAT: The latest on alleviating mansionization....

WHAT:

The latest on alleviating mansionization.

WHAT’S BEHIND IT:

City officials and residents became increasingly concerned about

the cumulative effect of larger homes that are out of character with

the neighborhoods where they are being built and at the expense of

some of Laguna’s charm and character. The high cost of real estate

has been blamed by some for the phenomenon, which has come to be

called mansionization. While creeping mansionization has been

underway for years, it became more visible in Laguna Beach after the

1993 fire, when so many homes were being built at the same time.

Mansionization was a hot topic during the Vision Laguna process. The

City Council directed the Planning Commission to review the process

by which these homes are approved and try to control their

proliferation.

WHAT NOW:

The City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday most of the

short-term amendments to the zoning code recommended by staff and the

Planning Commission to control the proliferation of inappropriate

homes in Laguna.

This was the second reading of proposed amendments and included

changes requested by the council at the Sept. 24 hearing. The changes

were reviewed by the Planning Commission and unanimously recommended.

Most of the changes were for clarification. Changes were also made to

questions 7, 9 and 13 of the Design Review Questionnaire that

applicants will be required to complete.

However, on Tuesday, the council deleted the use of mechanical

lifts as an alternative method of complying with parking requirements

for residences, although lifts are included in the city code.

Lifts were recommended by the commission as a means of reducing

the apparent mass of a building, which is bulked up by the

previously-required three covered parking spaces for homes of 3,600

square feet or more.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman held out for the lifts, but was outvoted.

WHAT’S SAID:

“I hate mechanical parking spaces,” said Councilwoman Cheryl

Kinsman. “I think they are false spaces. People don’t use them and

they park on the street. I am opposed to parking on the street.

WHAT’S NEXT:

The amendments go into effect 30 days from approval. The Planning

Commission will now turn its attention to refining mid- and long-term

recommendations for reducing the effects of mansionization.

Recommendations to be considered include televising Design Review

Board meetings to help familiarize people with the process;

increasing the sideyard setbacks for upper stories; limiting access

to one point on through lots in some neighborhoods; hiring

professional firms to create an illustrated design review training

manual for use by board members, applicants and designers and to

prepare an illustrated design review guidelines brochure; requiring

staff reports for design review applications and applications for

variances from the normal standards.

-- By Barbara Diamond