Manhattan Beach Calls for More Hearings on Zoning Code Changes

Faced with homeowners’ concerns that a Manhattan Beach zoning code revision could unfairly restrict house sizes, the City Council on Tuesday postponed final approval of the code and called for new public hearings on proposed square-footage regulations on homes throughout the city.

Before the hearings, the Department of Community Development will hold information meetings at which property owners will be able to find out how the various square-footage formulas in the new code would affect their property. Those meetings will be held within the next month.

Commonly called ZORP, for zoning code revision program, the voluminous document contains many proposals on zoning, development, parking and neighborhood preservation, as well as rules governing house sizes.

The one restriction that has drawn significant complaints would roll back residential square footage throughout the city. It is a way to limit so-called “monster buildings” that have replaced older, smaller homes in recent years, blocking neighbors’ views and sunlight.

The revision was tentatively approved by the council Sept. 25, but a scheduled final approval this week was scuttled after some council members changed their minds about the square-footage regulations in the beach area.

At the same time, 191 residents--largely from beach neighborhoods--flooded City Hall with clipped newspaper coupons asking how the rollback affects their properties. Coupons were contained in an ad run in the Beach Reporter, a Manhattan Beach newspaper.

The controversy centers on about 600 30-by-90-foot beach area lots. Under current regulations, three-story structures may be built up to 5,670 square feet. The new code, which links square footage to lot size, would reduce dwellings to 4,180 square feet, including 400 square feet for a garage. A few smaller beach lots are guaranteed at least 2,500 square feet, including garage.

Mayor Steve Barnes and Councilman Bob Holmes on Sept. 25 tried unsuccessfully to make the revision less restrictive, though still tighter than the current zoning. In interviews, Councilwomen Pat Collins and Connie Sieber said they also believe the beach rollback would be too severe, and is out of proportion to the rest of the city.

“I felt we were real tough on the 30-by-90s,” said Collins.

Though the beach area was in the spotlight Tuesday, the council voted to hold new hearings on a citywide basis because residents in other neighborhoods may be unhappy when they learn how the rollback would affect their property.

Councilman Dan Stern was the lone dissenter, arguing that the council should pass the code revision and then hold the information meetings and hearings. He said needed changes could be made later.