Palos Verdes Estates Panel Deadlocked Over Mansion

Unable to break a 2-2 deadlock over whether to allow construction of the largest house in Palos Verdes Estates, the Planning Commission has asked the city attorney to prepare a resolution for the City Council that will outline each commissioner’s sentiments on the project.

After hearing a proposal to scale back the house to 27,928 square feet, a reduction of about 2,500 square feet, the commission Tuesday decided to seek an end to debate on the project.

If the resolution is approved by the commission Jan. 16, the project will probably go before the council Feb. 13.

Businessman and city resident Tei-Fu Chen originally sought a permit in May to build a 30,445-square-foot mansion on 2.5 acres overlooking the ocean on Via Visalia.

Architect George Shaw told commissioners Tuesday that the scaled-down version would make better use of space, but the new proposal failed to win over Commissioners Dorothy Flood and David Hitchcock. They said the house--including a garage, a pool house, maid’s quarters and a basement--would still be too large to comply with the city’s neighborhood compatibility ordinance.

That law requires new or remodeled homes to blend in with the size and design of neighboring homes. The Chen residence would be about twice as large as any other house in Palos Verdes Estates.

In Tuesday’s vote, Commissioner Jan Napolitan abstained, as she had previously, without a public explanation. Commissioners Don Pedersen and Joe Barnett voted in favor of the project, saying the lot would be large enough for a residence of that size.

Commissioner William Claire III was absent Tuesday. He had voted for the project in the past, but it is unlikely that his attendance Jan. 16 would break the deadlock because Pedersen has said he will be out of town that day.

Because of members’ travel schedules, a full commission cannot meet until February. Delaying the vote until then would whittle away at the time the City Council has to decide on the project. By law, the city has one year to approve or reject a project.