Couple to appeal denial of remodel

Deirdre Newman

Victor Schubert and his wife want to expand their house to

accommodate their young family, but the attempt has thus far been

thwarted.

After tweaking their plans based on the advice of planning staff

members, they put money down on an apartment, confident that it would

be approved.

Their application was rejected because it didn’t meet the specific

criteria or the intent of the residential design guidelines. The

project exceeded the 80% ratio of the second story to the first

story, and it didn’t fit in with the existing character of the mostly

single-story neighborhood, Zoning Administrator Perry Valantine said.

On Monday, the Schuberts will appeal that rejection to the

Planning Commission.

“Having 80% of the structure on top, maybe there’s some

architectural elements that are better -- but I’m not sure what that

is,” Schubert said. “The palace at Versailles, the White House --

they don’t meet the 80% rule, and frankly, any Craftsman-style house

doesn’t meet the 80% rule.”

Planning Commissioner Katrina Foley said the commission will try

to work with the Schuberts to refine their plans.

“What we will likely be looking at on Monday night is trying to

work with them to find a way to revise their plan so it doesn’t have

such a massive feeling on the street,” Foley said. “And there was

also a question of placement of windows because the windows will be

... looking right into neighbors’ yards. It’s more than just the

strict application of the 80% [guideline].”

The Schuberts had their first child about a year ago, which made

them expedite their plans to expand their house.

They drove out to Corona and took pictures of homes that had

styles they liked. One of their favorites was a Craftsman-style home

with “strong features -- not a Brady Bunch house.”

When the Schuberts submitted their plans to tear down their

one-story house and build a two-story home, planning staff members

suggested some changes, which the Schuberts complied with.

“We lobbed off a couple of square feet and squished it in to get

rid of the setback problem and added some features like shutters and

some sort of extension of the roofline across,” Schubert said. “So

once we did that, we figured we were over that hurdle and they would

now approve it.”

But on Feb. 5, Valantine denied the project.

Schubert said he doesn’t believe his 3,100-square-foot structure

is too big.

“I did some calculations and think with setbacks and open space

that we would actually be able to build a house that’s twice the

square footage,” Schubert said.

The Schuberts have already spent $3,000 on the plans and will

probably have to shell out another $3,000 to meet the 80% guideline,

he said.

If the project is not approved, Schubert said, his family is

considering renting their house out and buying a larger home in

Huntington Beach.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.