Wide Beach Lots Are ‘Endangered’

I was very moved by the letter (Feb. 25) regarding “Housing Density and Beach Cities.” I used to live in Hermosa Beach and witnessed firsthand the paving over of the Hermosa hills with tall and skinny 19-foot-wide houses. I then moved to my favorite street in Hermosa, Harper Avenue, which I thought would be safe from destruction. Harper is a quiet, one-way hilltop street with some of the few remaining 50-foot-wide lots in the beach area.

Unfortunately, a couple of years ago, builders attacked the Harper Avenue homes on 50-foot-wide lots, tore them down and erected two gangly 19-foot-wide homes in their place. The price of homes on 50-foot-wide lots in the beach communities is now so high that it is cheaper to buy a home in Palos Verdes!

It is true that the 19-foot-wide houses increase density, traffic problems and pollution. However, have people noticed how they also eliminate on-street parking? These homes are crammed together so closely that there is no space between (driveways) for on-street parking spaces. There are some entire blocks that have almost no on-street parking due to the tall and skinnies.

I hope to see more coverage of this “endangered species,” the precious 50-foot-wide beach lot. And, I hope something can be done to protect the few remaining big lots in our beach towns.

--RON JOHNSON

Rolling Hills Estates