Council Drives Stake into "Monster Mansions"

By Jorge Casuso

Wednesday, August 11 -- The "Monster Mansion" is dead on costly North of Montana streets, where neighbors complained the mausoleum-like buildings were rapidly rising, casting shadows on their quaint houses.

Asserting an emergency due to the construction of more than 20 of the buildings over the past year, the City Council drove in the final stake with a unanimous 6 to 0 vote before midnight Tuesday.

The ordinance - which sets stricter design standards for single family homes - was applauded by neighbors, who had lobbied, then helped, the city craft a way to preserve the scale of their tree-lined streets.

The council directed staff to explore similar standards for other areas of the city.

"There has been a process that has involved a lot of voices, including architects who understand the need for some flexibility and creativity," said Mayor Pam O'Connor.

"Sometimes the emotional hysteria pushes people to some extreme places," said Councilman Michael Feinstein. "I'm very proud that this has been very, very civil."

The emergency ordinance closely mirrors a planning commission measure approved in June that calls for larger yards and smaller decks and patios and encourages porches, instead of garages, facing the street. The measure also encourages taller buildings with pitched roofs to add greater architectural variety and let more sunlight into neighboring lots.

The new ordinance adds more flexibility to the commission's measure by allowing more yard space and greater design options and by encouraging that existing structures become part of the new design. It also allows for more exceptions that can go before the architectural review board for approval.

The year-long emotional debate boiled down to cold arithmetic Tuesday, as speakers talked about square footage versus lot coverage, rattled off the length of setbacks and cited multi-digit ordinance sections. But in the end, the more than two dozen speakers mostly agreed it was time to take action.

"Nothing is ever perfect," said Doris Sosin, president of the North of Montana Neighborhood Association, which organized the fight against the "monster mansions." "We've all cooperated for a whole year. We've worked very hard. We're all ready. Let's go."

The ordinance, which takes effect immediately, applies to the area bounded by Montana Avenue, the northern city limits, Twenty-Sixth Street and Ocean Avenue.

In other action the city council:

· Approved an ordinance to provide a 1 percent bidding preference to Santa Monica businesses.
· Excluded tentative tract maps and tentative parcel maps submitted on or before May 25 from the moratorium on multi-family development. The exclusion will impact four proposed projects.
· Awarded a $1.1 million contract to Pima Corporation to complete traffic calming measures in the Sunset Park and Mid-City neighborhoods. The project will replace temporary markers with new curb extensions and landscaped medians.

The council adjourned in memory of Pete Vazquez, the brother of former city councilman Tony Vazquez; Elizabeth Burns, one of the owners of Bob Burns Restaurant, a local institution; and Kamiko Deering a supporter of Santa Monica school bands.

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