HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT A controversial zoning amendment will...

HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT

A controversial zoning amendment will make its way to the City

Council after months of debate in the Planning Commission.

The ordinance deals with the expansion of hillsides in the rear of

Huntington Harbour properties. Several residents living below the

homes say the expansions harm the character of the neighborhood and

have asked the city officials to ban further development. Hillside

homeowners argue that regulation is a violation of their property

rights.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The ordinance before the council is a watered down version of the

original request and doesn’t do much to limit expansions.

The council must now decide if it wants to reinstate the

ordinance’s original ban, undoing months of public hearings at the

Planning Commission, or pass the law the way it is.

HOUCHEN REPLACEMENT

The council needs to determine how to replace former Councilwoman

Pam Julien Houchen, who resigned on Sept. 1. The city charter

requires that Houchen’s position be filled by appointment or special

election before the Nov. 2 election.

The council planned to take up the replacement at its Sept. 20

meeting, but Mayor Cathy Green pulled the item because Councilwoman

Debbie Cook was not in attendance.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council has two choices: appoint someone after a brief

application process or call a special election.

A special election seems highly unlikely given the cost and

timing. Still, finding a replacement the entire council can agree on

may be difficult.

MORATORIUM ON THREE-STORY HOMES

The council is looking to put a 45-day ban on building permits for

all three-story single-family homes until it determines a way to

better regulate their construction.

At the council’s Sept. 7 meeting, dozens of neighbors showed up to

protest the expansion of Alise Clevely’s home, saying her plans to

expand from a two-story to a three-story could encourage others to do

so and change the character of their neighborhood.

Councilman Dave Sullivan tried to block Clevely’s expansion, but

was unable to secure a majority of votes. Instead the council asked

planning staff members to return with an ordinance dealing with such

expansions.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Most of the council seemed interested in a regulating the

construction of three-story homes, but it remains unclear what will

happen after the moratorium expires.

And getting a favorable vote on a moratorium could also be

difficult. The law requires six affirmative votes for adoption and

just two detractors could stop the ordinance.