Community Corner
OPINION: Property Owner Prepares to Fight 3-Story Ban Proposal
The following is an email sent out Sunday by Jim Eckel, organizer of the Commercial Property Owners Association of San Clemente in advance of the Wednesday planning commission meeting. He organized the association last year to stand against efforts led by the San Clemente Historical Society to ban three-story buildings in the historic downtown area. The commission will be holding a hearing on the section of the city's draft Centennial General Plan that addresses building heights.
Dear San Clemente Commercial Property Owners: This Wednesday, May 22, 2013, beginning at 6 p.m. in the SC Council Chambers, is the culmination of an effort that began last summer, when it became known that certain members of the SC Historical Society and their allies on the General Plan Advisory Commission voiced their desire to limit YOUR development rights of YOUR property in Downtown San Clemente.
Through our collective efforts such as showing up to the Planning Commission meetings wearing green and speaking our minds at the lectern, we were able to show the commissioners that we were a unified force and that our voices of resistance to this limitation of our property rights should be heard and this non-needed restriction be soundly rejected.
We all know the outcome – the San Clemente Planning Commissioners, voted unanimously to reject the building limitations suggested by the SC Historical Society, and concluded that three –story mixed use buildings should not be prohibited in your downtown. The Commissioners recommended the City develop stronger, more protective design standards to ensure three-story designs are compatible with Downtown character and give greater certainty to the design review process.
These are selected statements from the Commissioners:
Commissioner Anderson narrated a slide show of three and four story buildings around town to show how these buildings are part of the existing “village character”, and are compatible with adjacent structures. She noted that although three stories have been allowed, NO three-story buildings have been built on Del Mar during the last 16 years.
She didn’t feel that preserving Downtown “village character” should preclude three-story, mixed use buildings and added that amending the General Plan to entirely prohibit three-story buildings could reduce property rights owners have held for decades.
Vice Chair Darden commented that many individuals and/or groups providing public testimony indicated as lack of certainty and security in the development review process. She noted the importance of creating a clear vision to ensure Downtown maintains its character and scale while still allowing opportunities to improve buildings and businesses to prevent stagnation.
She encouraged continuation of existing guidelines that allow a combination of one, two, and three story buildings (with approval of CUP) with the addition of forward thinking, comprehensive, parking management strategies.
Commissioner Ruehlin noted that despite population gains of 65 percent since the last General Plan Update, only SIX development projects have been approved in Downtown. With a proposed increase of only seven percent in population until the next General Plan Update, it is unlikely population pressure will fuel significant Downtown development, and prohibiting three–story, mixed used buildings may upset to delicate balance of Avenida Del Mar, and negatively affect its destination status and/or interrupt its positive trajectory.
Chair Avera felt it was not necessary to eliminate the potential for three-story, mixed use buildings to protect Downtown village character. He does not believe the City should be more restrictive and take away development rights of property owners, given that the current development standards have not created a problem.
Reduction in a property owners development rights should not be taken lightly and should only occur when there are not more reasonable alternatives to protect village character. The commissioners’ views were factual and beheld critical thinking by them on all aspects of this issue.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN! The SC Historical Society is still calling for a two–story limitation, despite the reasoned, methodical approach used by the commissioners to contest every aspect of their petition.
This fight for our rights is NOT OVER! The current property rights that you enjoy are in jeopardy of being forever taken away from you. This is why we need to fill the Council Chambers this Wednesday evening with property owners such as you to state our case once again and with resolve, that we as a collective group reject this two –story limitation on our property rights and request the continued support of the Planning Commissioners to reject this limitation from entering the General Plan.
Protect Your Rights – Support Your Planning Commissioners Decision On This Issue! The Time Is NOW! Please Come To This Meeting!
Thank you, Jim Eckel
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