SAN CLEMENTE : City Studies Issue of Home Height Limits

Responding to concerns of neighbors that they are losing their views, the City Council voted this week to spend $8,800 on a study of whether legal restrictions on home heights are needed in some areas.

The complaints stemmed mostly from older neighborhoods, where homeowners are adding second and third stories to small, single-level houses.

“There are three big, ugly, humongous homes on our street that will take away our views and our privacy,” said Irv Paul, who lives in one of the older neighborhoods.

Other homeowners said it would not be fair for the city to limit views that cannot be owned through a property deed.

Frederick Jenner, executive vice president of the South Orange County Board of Realtors, said home expansion regulations would be unfair because they could take away the potential for a homeowner to increase his property value.

In a related item, the council voted to require that proposals for home additions must be accompanied by proof that the plans have been approved by their respective homeowners’ associations.

Using a checklist provided by the city, applicants for home additions will be on an honor system to produce evidence that their proposed plans meet homeowners’ association standards.