McMansions vs Fire Rebuilding May Become Issue
Written by 991KBU on February 15, 2019
Malibu’s city council was right in the middle of a discussion on how to prevent mansionization … when the Woolsey Fire hit.
Many Malibu resident are upset that mansions are being built amidst small houses …. ruinign the Malibu rural character.
The Planning Commission and the City Council appear to be at opposite decisions …. with the Planning Commission rejecting houses that are too big compared to surrounding homes … Planners say the city council has told them that any proposed house that meets all setback .,. size and other rules a should be approved, even if the project proposed seeks the maximum size allowed by code.
City planners say the Woolsey Fire has destroyed houses in the neighborhoods where mansionization and house size have arisen as issues … like Point Dume, Malibu Park, and Ramirez Canyon/Via Acero.
Changes to policy or regulations that affect the development potential of lots in these neighborhoods, on the one hand, could abate concerns over mansionization as properties are redeveloped.
On the other hand, making substantial changes as property owners seek to rebuild, or to sell their lots because they do not wish to rebuild, could be seen as imposing an additional financial burden on homeowners who lost their houses to fire.
The matter comes up before the city council one week from Monday..
