Frustrating an Individual’s Dreams

I am writing in regard to the Jan. 23 article (“House Is Too High, City Says”) about the Huntington Beach City Council ruling on a variance request.

There is an issue beyond the legal matter that is of concern to me. First, let me say that the house in question is in my neighborhood. It’s a fairly nondescript neighborhood. In my opinion, most of the houses are uninteresting at best, and many serve to well illustrate the adage that money is no reflection of taste. Each morning as I jog through the area, I am reminded that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and tastes. But maybe that is no longer true in Huntington Beach.

As an architectural designer , I find it easiest to overlook most of what I pass by in this neighborhood. But Mr. (Emad Ali) Hussan’s Arabian-style house always makes me smile. Like it or not, he had his very own vision of what he wanted to call home. He complied with the rules and regulations and built his dream house. Playing by the rules and building your own dream have always been American ideals. But maybe that is no longer true in Huntington Beach.

NEIL REYNOLDS, Huntington Beach