Although offended homeowners and City Hall officials have devoted large chunks of their discussions to the height of homes in the ongoing mansionization controversy, “a one-story place can stick out and look terrible, too,” said City Councilman Jim Clarke.
He was driving to Sacramento earlier this week to take a required ethics training course when he reflected on last Monday night’s study session with the Planning Commission.
“I am not advocating a planned development where you have stringent standards on what your colors have to be and where your garage goes,” Mr. Clarke said.
“Culver City has unique neighborhoods.”
Nearly every one of the 13 homeowners who protested imaginative overbuilding alluded to outsized homes ripping the delicate fabric of each neighborhood’s character.
Mr. Clarke noted that Planning Commissioner Scott Wyant said a “good-neighbor policy” should be a crucial consideration in the flaring debate over overbuilding.
“The question should be,” said Mr. Clarke, “does what you are planning to build fit in with the neighborhood?”
The Councilman was asked if he has a boundary in this rules-making debate — beyond which he would be infringing on a homebuilder’s freedom.
“I don’t,” Mr. Clarke said. “I am sensitive to that, though.
He recalled that homeowner Philip Lelyveld told the Council and Planning Commission that “just by adding one foot of setback on the side, in his mind, lowered the overall value of the house by a hundred thousand dollars.
“Interesting,” said Mr. Clarke. “But I doubt there is a direct correlation between the space on the side and the value of your home. I had not heard that argument before.”
The Councilman offered a counter position:
“If homes on a certain block are selling at a certain price, there may be a price difference between the largest house and the smaller house. But the price differential is not necessarily based on a dollar-per-square -foot basis.
“There is some impact, but not the direct correlation Mr. Lelyveld mentioned,” Mr. Clarke said.
We can talk on about masionization till the cows come home and about how they don’t fit into neighborhoods and they are not a pretty site for the neighbors and etc. etc
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Let us take a look at the homes that have turned into dumps in Culver City neighborhoods with trashed cars out in front and houses that are rotting away and overgrown landscaping, broken windows. Talk about eyesores and homes that are really bringing down our property values. Now there is really something to complain about. I would like the City to take stronger action on code enforcement and end the pockets of blight in many neighborhoods in Culver City.
I agree. On my street alone we have 4 hoarders that I know of! Their houses are dilapidated and stuffed with junk. The homes are not only dangerous to the occupants, they are dangerous to the neighborhood. One caught fire a few years and the occupant was also hoarding cats. Several cats died. There are several who hoard vehicles which they park helter skelter on the street.