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Council Approves Rules Limiting Home Size |
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By Barney McManigal
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Wednesday, May 02 2007 |
After years of haggling, the Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday passed a sweeping proposal limiting the size of most single-family homes in order to curb the “mansionization” of areas like the Mesa and San Roque.
Unanimously approving revisions to the city’s neighborhood preservation ordinance, the council adopted strict rules for how large homes can grow -- at least on parcels less than 15,000 square feet. The council also created a separate design review panel to enforce the changes.
Since the city passed the original law in the early 1990s, ambitious remodels and new homes that dwarfed the houses next door fueled a push for restrictions.
For three years, neighborhood activists tussled with realtors over how to craft a formula limiting a home’s floor area based on its lot size. The plan that emerged Tuesday signaled compromise on several key fronts.
 Helene Schneider
Even as some described the ratios as still too high, most seemed resolved to accept them.
But fissures emerged over potential loopholes that critics said would allow homeowners to bypass the rules. For example, people who aim to build larger than the law allows could take their proposal to the city’s Planning Commission for approval.
Several speakers also noted that the rules only applied to homeowners building a second story. Residents building or expanding on to a single story house can go as large as they want until they hit a 4,000 square foot threshold for review.
“By putting restrictions on the size of only second-floor additions, this will encourage development on the ground floor,” said League of Women’s Voters spokeswoman Connie Hannah.
Citizens Planning Executive Director Naomi Kovacs expressed concern that floor-area restriction do not include so-called granny flats or residential 2nd units. But critics also blasted the revisions for being too restrictive.
Michelle Giddens, a spokeswoman for Citywide Homeowners, accused the council of “going too far” by failing to give homeowners enough room for their families.
“We’re not talking about mansions here,” Giddens said.
Timothy Harding asserted that many expansions on the mesa have helped transform a area dotted with small World War II-era homes.
“They have improved the neighborhood,” Harding said.
 Das Williams
Das Williams said he endorsed an idea mentioned by one speaker, Riviera resident Diane Channing, to include guidelines for resolving disputes over homeowners’ views. Williams said the move would save the city money because it could reduce the number of appeals.
“If we can get neighbors to talk to neighbors and reduce appeals, I think there is a public interest in that,” Williams said.
As part of the revisions, officials agreed to split the existing Architectural Board of Review into two separate panels that review building designs. The ARB will tackle commercial buildings, while the “Single Family Design Board” will review single residences for compliance.
The new panel will have seven members who will meet twice each month and receive a $50 stipend per meeting. The total cost to the city each year is $35,000.
 Brian Barnwell
All seven panelists thanked staff and community members for their help over the years. At times, the speedy passage of the measure belied the grueling hours clocked by all parties.
“This thing has been chewed to death,” Councilmember Iya Falcone said in closing. |
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