COSTA MESA : City Hall Fighter Loses a Round

Sid Soffer, the City Hall fighter who was recently sentenced to six months in jail, was in the spotlight once again this week.

In the latest development in the 15-year battle between Soffer and the city, planning officials denied him a permit to legalize a portion of his property because he did not have all the information needed to complete the application. Soffer applied for the permit April 27, the last day he was eligible. Despite pleas by Soffer, the City Council on Monday affirmed the decision in a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Peter F. Buffa voting in Soffer’s favor.

“At this point in time we are under the belief that staff did comply with state law,” City Atty. Thomas Kathe told the council. “The city can deny an application if it is not complete.”

Soffer had applied for permission to legalize one of four properties that have been the center of the ongoing dispute with the city.

On Monday he told the council that he was never made aware of the deadline for applying for the permit. Besides, he said, he was just trying to do what the city was asking.

“The city knew when the deadline was going to be. I had no idea at all, no warning whatsoever,” Soffer said.

Kathe said the proper notification was made, but Councilman Buffa said he thought that the planning forms did not spell out specifically what was needed, so the application shouldn’t be denied.

In 1990 Soffer was convicted on seven counts of misdemeanor building code violations at the property at 540 Bernard St., which he rents out. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

The city contends that he never obtained permits to convert a garage and upstairs playroom into apartments and never received permits to have trailers. The lot has a single-family house, two apartments, two mobile homes and several vintage cars.