Council stops demo ban in its tracks and ponders vacancy left by Spence
An urgency ordinance that would have prohibited the city from issuing demolition permits for structures 50 years or older died in the water Tuesday, after La Cañada residents and council members roundly decried the proposal as arbitrary and unnecessary.
The matter was presented in special meeting of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, where Planning Department staff recommended its passage to “ensure that structures be reviewed for historical significance before those structures are demolished,” according to a report.
City Atty. Mark Steres explained the proposed 45-day prohibition was a stop-gap measure, requiring four yes votes, that would give the city time to establish a permanent procedure for identifying and preserving historic structures. But, under city law, the ban could be extended by up to 22 months with the council’s approval.
Several area Realtors, builders and residents expressed anger at an ordinance that would not only halt building projects and major renovations, but could also negatively impact the purchase and sale of La Cañada properties. They also complained about being required by the Planning Department to produce historic reports for properties that are old but not historically significant.
Mayor Mike Davitt said he would definitely not support the ban and suggested staff forgo its report.
“Know that this will not move forward tonight, based on at least my individual feelings,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anyone actually here who is in support of this.”
The mayor invited public commenters to share their thoughts for the record. Local Realtor Janine Morovati said a project of hers was in the plan check process last week when she was denied a demolition permit by the Planning Department “on grounds that there was an ordinance in place.”
Sid Karsh, a Realtor and member of the city’s historic preservation ordinance subcommittee, said the group was surprised by the ordinance’s appearance before council Tuesday.
“We never submitted a recommendation to the city, and the next thing I heard there was a draft ordinance submitted to the Planning Commission,” Karsh said. “The purpose (of forming the committee) was to make a recommendation — let us do it.”
Councilman Jon Curtis spoke against the ordinance, and chided the Planning Department for complicating the plan check process with unnecessary red tape when the city has yet to finalize any standards or regulation.
“This is not something that is a little stop gap that lasts 45 days — it’s something that’s shutting down the city, putting up another barrier,” he said of the moratorium.
Vacancies on Youth, City councils addressed
Also Tuesday, council members discussed how best to fill three open seats on the Youth Council, including two unscheduled vacancies left by graduating seniors. Having received applications from an exceptional number of qualified candidates, they opted to expand the Youth Council from nine to 11 members.
After a ballot process, Megan Andrews, Gabriel Drill and Jessica Jewell were appointed to serve two-year terms. Students Bryan Guan and incumbent Kelly Steele, who will be seniors next year, were selected to finish out the one year vacancies left by this year’s departing seniors.
“Thank you for everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to serve,” Davitt said. “It was a nice thing we had so many wonderful candidates.”
Council members also addressed how to fill a vacancy on their own panel, left open by the May 16 passing of Councilman Dave Spence. City Manager Mark Alexander explained they had 60 days under state law to determine how they would fill the open seat, either by appointment or special election.
After some discussion, the council agreed they would accept applications from residents for an appointment to the council. Alexander said he would return at the next June 6 regular meeting with a timeline for the process moving forward.
La Cañada resident Rody Stephenson recommended the council consider Keith Eich, who ran against Spence and Curtis in March and earned 1,775 votes.
“He is the only candidate who had the initiative and the drive to run in the election, and he had a respectable number of votes,” Stephenson told the council.
Eich said after the meeting he was prepared to run if a special election were called, and definitely planned to apply for appointment.
“I have the signs,” he quipped.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
