Insulting Charges Unfounded

February 1, 2003

Dear Editor,

Matt Millen's letter regarding the timing of the Council's passage of the interim standards for R-1 zones in Sunset Park and North of Wilshire ("Coincidence?" Jan. 30) purports there was favoritism to delay the ordinance from coming before the Council because my clients and I are SMRR members. This is an insult and absolutely false.

Following the Planning Commission hearing in November my staff and I worked diligently to prepare plans for submittal prior to the end of the year. At the hearing, we were told that the ordinance was to be scheduled to go before the Council in early January 2003. We submitted plans on January 3, 2003.

The interim ordinance hearing was held on January 28, 2003. At the Council hearing, they delayed implementation to recognize another neighbor who has been working on a design for a number of months to allow them to submit and be vested.

Additionally, the Zoning Administrator and the Planning Commission showed no favoritism to my clients. In fact, the request to maintain a one-car garage in lieu of expanding the street-fronting garage to two spaces was denied before both.

They granted a 5 1/2 foot wall extension that is less than 6 inches into the side yard setback and a technical third floor within the allowable height due to the excessive slope of the lot. Similar variances have been granted a number of times in the same neighborhood.

We have been treated like many other residents in Santa Monica. We submitted plans, presented to the public, were appealed to a higher level and had another public hearing. This process took 10 months. I hardly would call this favoritism.

Sincerely,