Model Home To Help Fire Victims Not On List Of OK Zoning Uses, Mazza Wanted It Removed
Written by 991KBU on October 6, 2020
The chairman of the city Planning Commission tried hard last night to block a Malibu couple from continuing to run their business in the Civic Center.
The business is a modular home … set up as a demonstration for Malibu fire victims to see what temporary housing can look like.
The business owner … Lauren Tucker … has set up a model modular home on a vacant lot near City Hall.
A temporary house has been set up on a vacant commercially-zoned lot … no plumbing … no electric hookup … no septic tank.
She says more than a hundred Malibu families have toured the home … to get ideas about temporary modular houses to live in during a rebuilding process that will take years.
Planning Commissioner John Mazza says that is a bad precedent.
Mazza said the concept of a modular home demonstration is not on the list of approved types of businesses in the Malibu zoning codes.
And Mazza said allowing this use would make it hard for the city to enforce its zoning codes in the future.
NEWSCART 73035 MODULAR MAZZA
“We’re saying going in … we’re going to ignore the rules.
“And we’re going to to let the planning director decide whatever it is that can be done … and we’re going to let the permitting director decide whatever if it qualifies.”
But under city and state zoning rules … the planning director -IS- specifically allowed to use judgement in interpreting approved uses.
City staff pointed out that one criteria is neighborhood serving … and the idea of a model home to be used to help people decide how to rebuild can certainly fir that description.
And the four other planning commissioners pointed out that the model home is helping Woolsey Fire victims … and that the modular is meeting a unique need int the community.
Commissioner Steve Uhring.
NEWSCART 73034 MODULAR UHRING
“This does seem to be providing some sort of benefit to those resident who got burned out in the fire.
“And if it’s doing that … and I believe it is … it seems to me that as a Planning commission we should be trying to take care of the residents whom we represent.”
A one year permit … for the modular home for fire victims to tour … was approved on a 4 to nothing vote.
Mazza voted no.
