Sheryl Rosander, RSIP-3 committee chair
Despite living in what some call paradise, many Coronado residents worry that plethora of “McMansions” erected next to bungalows threatened the city’s village atmosphere and residents’ quality of life.
“We’re seeing things happening in our neighborhoods and we don’t like it,” said Susan Keith, chair of the Historic Resources Commission.
On Thursday night, a public workshop to address these concerns was held by an ad hoc Residential Standards Improvement Project-3 (RSIP) committee. Eighty people attended. This was not the first time the city addressed residential development; from 2003 to 2011, two other citizens’ committees (RSIP-1 and RSIP-2) were created to address these same issues. As a result of those projects, significant changes in the city’s development standards were made.
Development standards are tools municipalities use to control placements, size, structural coverage, setbacks, number of stories, and building height, explained Peter Fait, the city’s associate planner for development.
“We’ve just begun our next adventure, the workshop will help us frame the issues,” said Sheryl Rosander, RSIP-3 committee chair. “We need your input to do our job.”
Doug St. Denis, RSIP-3 committee member
Before she took comments from the audience, Rosander asked the audience to view a slide show of houses built since 2011. “Some buildings you don’t like have already been addressed by new design standards and couldn’t be built today,” she said. Not everyone was satisfied. “People need to picture that house on the lot and think about neighbor’s lot next to it,” said former city councilman Phil Monroe.
A two-story house next to a two-story house is often not an issue, for example, but in many cases, building a two-story house next to a single story house can rob the single story house (and it’s occupants) of light, air and privacy. In those instances “a second story has to be smaller, set back or not exist,” Monroe said.
Harold Myers also echoed Monroe’s sentiments, saying that the committee should considered the ‘big picture.’ “We have to stop looking at individual homes and start looking at neighborhoods,” he said.
Myers also spoke about “light trespass,” where lights from a home shine into or ‘invade’ a neighboring house, which can happen regardless of size or height differences. A number of cities restrict exterior lighting in residential neighborhoods, according to a flyer distributed at the workshop. In Beverly Hills for example, the municipal code says that “all permissive lighting shall be arranged to focus on the property from which it originates, and shall not directly reflect upon any adjacent residential property.”
Susan Keith, Historical Resources Committee, chair
Not everyone at the meeting felt the loss of neighborhood or village atmosphere. Bob Spear said that the Hotel del Coronado put up buildings that obstructed his view, but it never once occurred to him to object. He believed that they had the right to build what they wanted on their property. “The private person’s rights trump what we are hearing here tonight,” he said.
He also pointed out that people never like change, that new construction is always frowned on. “People never like anything that is being built at the time,” he said. He pointed to the homeowners replacing vacant lots as an example. “I’m sure there were people who missed the vacant lots and jackrabbits,” he said. His comments were greeted with the same level of applause as those who argued for more restrictions.
John O’Brien of Flagship Properties was happy with the RSIP processes. “I’m not averse to the changes that have been made,” he said. “We have adapted.” He further stated that he believed the design standards imposed by pervious RSIPs have improved Coronado.
Doug Metz reading comments posted on RSIP opinion board
Naturally, not everyone spoke. Of the 80 people there, only a handful stepped up to the microphone. Some applauded the speakers, but most people kept their own counsel. Perhaps realizing that many people are shy about speaking up at a public meeting, the committee set up a board and sticky notes at the back of the room for people to post their comments.
Additionally, an online survey is being conducted. Those who didn’t attend the workshop may fill out the survey; however, they must first view the slideshow of homes built under RSIP2 standards; this is the same slide show that was shown at the workshop. It, too, is available on the city’s website — find the images here.
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Gloria Tierney
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
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