Laguna council stiffens rules on home renovations
Laguna Beach homeowners who want to make changes to their houses could face a more complicated approval process after a decision by the City Council on Tuesday.
A divided council voted 3 to 2 to require that homeowners go through a hearing for certain types of work that in the past would have required only an over-the-counter permit from City Hall.
Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Boyd and Councilman Steve Dicterow dissented.
Besides the time involved, a hearing could cost hundreds of dollars, though the council said Tuesday that it is open to waiving certain fees for at least the first six months as the city tests the new rules.
The work referred to includes “a significant — 50%-or-more change” in exterior materials of a street-facing facade; changes in roof materials; and new or relocated windows, according to a staff report.
The changes arose after Design Review Board members noticed some houses had been “redesigned significantly” without going through city vetting, the staff report said.
For example, according to the report, one applicant received an over-the-counter permit to remodel a home inside and outside, but when Design Review Board members visited the site to check on the installation of a swimming pool and an air conditioning unit, they found the home completely stripped of exterior finishes.
The board assesses proposed projects — new development and renovations for homes and businesses — to ensure they conform to, among other things, the city’s general plan.
These kinds of exterior changes to a house could make it incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood, which would violate a goal of an oversight subcommittee — which was made up of councilmen Bob Whalen and Robert Zur Schmiede, Design Review Board members Caren Liuzzi and Monica Simpson, and city staff and architects.
The subcommittee held three public meetings in the last 10 months as it worked to develop the policy.
The new rules struck a nerve with some residents.
“At the end of the day, asking homeowners to go for design review for, in essence, maintenance projects, is burdensome,” Laguna Beach Republicans’ President Emil Monda said. “It’s an infringement on property rights.”
Resident Matt Lawson had a different take.
“To maintain public confidence in our design review process, it’s important that all residents see everyone playing by the same set of rules,” Lawson said.
Under the new policy, a homeowner wanting to make certain changes to a dwelling would have the choice of facing an administrative hearing with city staff or presenting plans to the Design Review Board.
Examples of projects fit for an administrative hearing, which staff considers “minor” or “incidental,” include adding elevated decks of more than 3 feet above existing grade, portable spas and water features, skylights, and mechanical equipment like air conditioners, according to city code.
Larger projects would go before the Design Review Board. These include plans to expand the original gross floor area by 50% or more, create a new upper story and exceed a height of 15 feet above the ground, the code says.
“We tried to focus on things that were not minor and not maintenance-related,” Whalen said. “You can do a lot of things on the side and rear. Roof material change can be very impactful if you’re looking down on a roof.”
Dicterow said he appreciates that the design review process has helped make Laguna “unique” with its own “charm and character” but added that the changes seem like overreach.
“The exterior materials and roof materials and style change. What does that mean?” Dicterow asked rhetorically. “It’s far too subjective.”
It was not immediately clear when the new rules would go into effect, but Community Development Director Greg Pfost told the council it could be as soon as 30 days. The council directed city staff to return with a report in six months.
Twitter: @AldertonBryce
