Pasadena : 3-Story House Plan OKd

Arnold Williams, stymied for more than two years by neighborhood opposition to his proposed three-story home in the Linda Vista-Annandale area, secured approval Tuesday from the Pasadena Board of Directors.

However, the board attached a list of conditions to the approval, including limiting the house to three stories and 2,800 square feet and requiring Williams to pay $15,000 for a device that would divert water in city pipes to provide adequate pressure for firefighting.

Williams, who built one house on Glen Oaks Boulevard, applied in 1987 for city permits to build a second home on an adjacent empty lot. But members of the Linda Vista-Annandale Assn. objected to the proposed 3,614-square-foot second structure. They claimed the new house would be too large for the lot, would violate hillside ordinances that limit buildings to two stories and would not harmonize with smaller surrounding homes.

Williams, who is black, insisted racism was the motive for continued opposition by the association, whose members are primarily white. He noted that he had obtained previous approvals for his building plans from city staff members and the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The board’s final decision did not sit well with either side. After the hearing, Williams complained that the delays had increased his building costs, while association member Bill York said the house would be one story taller than ordinances allow.