 |
|
|
|
|
Council Watch
San Jose City Council approves regulating 'monsters'
Temporary ruling halts rebuilds until the new design law takes effect
By Jessica Lyons
In an attempt to protect San Jose's historic neighborhoods from budding McMansions and yet allow homeowners to expand small one-story bungalows, the City Council on Dec. 14 unanimously adopted a design-review process for single-family homes.
To prevent an influx of would-be "Godzilla"-home builders from racing to beat the city attorney's pen, the council also unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on home-demolition permits until the design review goes into effect. The city attorney will draft the new design laws and return to the council within a month's time.
"I view this as a living document, one that will be amended and change over time," said Willow Glen councilmember Frank Fiscalini, who introduced the proposal.
Under the proposal, a remodeled home occupying 45 percent of a lot or less would not undergo any sort of design review. For example, a homeowner with a 5,000-square-foot lot could build a 2,250-square-foot home.
A home with square footage between 45 percent and 65 percent of its lot size would be required to conform to specific design guidelines based on the surrounding neighborhood. A home with a square footage greater than 65 percent of its lot size would be subject to the full design-review process, including a public hearing. Garages and basements are excluded when calculating a home's total floor area.
After six months as law, the design review will return to council for review.
For several Willow Glen homeowners, the council's decision comes as a relief. They say they are tired of losing their neighborhoods--and their privacy--to starter castles sprouting up around San Jose.
"We are pleased as punch to see these adopted," said J. Michael Gonzales, president of Willow Glen Neighborhood Association. "We feel it's going to provide the protection for neighborhoods that San Jose has never had, and it's going to work toward reducing the self-interest of some builders, investors and real estate people who are in it for the bottom dollar and think about the neighborhood secondly. I don't think anyone loses."
Some homeowners disagree.
"This is crazy," said Willow Glen resident Chris Justi. "It's a highly subjective, emotionally based issue. Right now, the current building setbacks work just fine. This moratorium ... is really going to screw things up."
WGNA will host a public meeting to discuss the new design-review process next month. For more information, including an exact date and time, visit www.wgna.net, or call 294.9462.
|
|
|
|
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
