BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer
A couple’s plans to add decks and a “roundhouse” to their hilltop home and yard have put them at odds with some of their neighbors and their homeowners’ association. The dispute surfaced at last Tuesday’s Signal Hill Planning Commission meeting. Resentments were so strong that planning commissioners asked residents to tone down their comments several times.
The quarrel has been simmering for about a year. It began in January 2007, when Joseph and Pamela Hughes submitted their plans for extensive exterior modifications to their two-story, single-family home to the then board of directors of the Promontory West Bluff/Skyline Home Owners Association (HOA). The board at that time approved the plans with the condition that some changes be made. Later, after HOA elections, new board members were appointed, and they rescinded the previous board’s approval.
Since then, the Hugheses, the HOA and several neighbors have been arguing over who has the right to do what.
Hoping to resolve the conflict once and for all, the Hugheses asked that the planning commission conduct a preliminary review of their plans, but even that request angered some neighbors and HOA board members who insisted that prior to doing so, the Hughes should have obtained the HOA’s approval.
The Hugheses’ 3,182-square-foot home is located at 2311 Ocean View Drive in an area of the hilltop known as Promontory Estates. It was constructed by Comstock Homes in 2003.
“The proposal calls for extensive exterior modifications on all four sides of the home,” said James Kao, the city’s associate planner. He explained that the Hugheses hope to add three second-story decks, a train roundhouse and several other features.
“The train roundhouse is a detached covered structure,” Kao said. “At the first floor level, it is accessed from a covered patio where it serves as a roundhouse for the applicants’ model train track (which is designed to entertain guests).” Kao noted that the second floor of the roundhouse would serve as a covered lookout point- open at all sides.
HOA board members and some residents objected mostly to the second story decks that would partially impede neighbors’ views. The planning commission hosted a workshop at its April 15 meeting to help settle the dispute, to give the Hugheses direction as to what kinds of modifications could be permitted, and to give everyone the opportunity to vent their feelings. About 30 people attended the meeting and at least 15 of them attended solely for the workshop. The commission will conduct a public hearing on the matter sometime in the future.
One of the Hugheses’ neighbors, Lee Gober, noted that a diminishing of the view would result in a decrease in the worth of homes in the area. “Property values are going down right now and any (further) loss would hurt us tremendously,” she said.
Resident Yong Harry Kim said the only reason he purchased his home next to the Hugheses was to be able to enjoy the view and he didn’t want that to be reduced.
Another neighbor saw things differently. He insisted that the proposed decks would only block a small fraction of the neighbors’ views and that was no justification for forbidding the Hughes family from improving their home.
HOA president Todd Andayn said that the Hugheses were bound by signed agreements to get HOA approval for proposed modifications to their home prior to submitting their plans to the planning commission and they were trying to circumvent the process. “We have made repeated requests to the Hugheses to submit their revised plans to the (HOA’s) architectural committee,” he said, adding that after more than a year of delays, the Hugheses finally submitted their plans to the HOA on April 3.
Toward the end of the two-hour, at times acrimonious, discussion Joseph Hughes spoke to the commission. He explained that after the first board approved his plans, contingent on modifications, he went back to his architect and had him modify the design. He noted that after rescinding the approval of his plans, the new board had not given him clarification on what needed to be changed. “They have made accusations, but there is nothing in my plan that conflicts with the CC and Rs (the HOA’s covenants, conditions and restrictions),” he said.
Commissioner Tom Benson emphasized that the commission’s job was to make sure the Hugheses’ plans complied with city codes. He encouraged all the parties to work out their differences, improve their communication skills and come to a compromise before coming back for the public hearing on the matter.
Commission Chair Jane Fallon agreed. “We need to work with the staff and the architect,” she added. “And the homeowner needs to come up with solutions.”
