Seal Beach : Complaint Filed to Remove Home’s Dome

The city attorney on Monday filed a complaint in Orange County Superior Court against the owners of the “dome house,” seeking demolition of the 30-foot observatory dome built atop their Sandpiper Drive home in 1990.

But City Atty. Quinn Barrow said homeowners Mark and Elizabeth Thompson have hired a contractor who plans to remove the dome on Thursday, which would end the need for further legal action.

“We don’t really want to go to court, but it’s been dragging on for many months, and we would like to see the dome come down,” Barrow said.

In August, 1993, the city ordered the Thompsons to remove the dome because of height and zoning violations. The dome was built with approval from the city Planning Department, but the council ruled that the project had been misrepresented.

Mark Thompson, a financial adviser, said Monday’s legal action was unnecessary. “I’m totally dismayed by it,” he said. “We’re planning on going ahead with the (demolition) at this point.”

The structure was opposed by residents in the Marina Hill neighborhood even before it was built. Next-door neighbor Jerry Andersen circulated a petition against the dome, which was signed by 200 residents.

After the Thompsons failed to meet a Nov. 14 deadline for demolition of the dome, the city gave them an extension to Nov. 28. Director of Development Services Lee Whittenberg said the Thompsons have been cooperating with the city.

“The Thompsons have taken out their permit to remove the dome, but their contractor indicated he could not remove the dome until Dec. 1,” Whittenberg said. “We’re going to be proceeding with the court case in the event the process slows down.”