Week 6: Preparing for Planning Commission

It’s Tuesday, August 7th. We are exactly two weeks away from the August Planning Commission Meeting, which was specially scheduled to hear two projects which were continued from the July meeting. They were continued because the Planning Commission felt that the applicants needed to make more changes to their plans to ensure that their homes were more compatible with their neighborhoods and that they addressed, to the extent reasonably practicable, the concerns of neighbors regarding views and privacy.

The project at 421 Via Media has consumed lots of my attention during the course of my internship, and as I reflect on my work here, I believe that I have made the biggest personal contributions to the Planning Department’s handling of this case. The property owner of 421 Via Media is a former Planning Commissioner, so he is intimately familiar with the planning process and is a familiar face here at City Hall. While there is no actual favoritism or other unscrupulous influence as a result of his past association with the Planning Commission, neighbors definitely perceive influence and as a result have been vocal in their opposition to the development. 421 Via Media is currently a single story dwelling on a large, downsloping lot, so the property owner is seeking to remodel the residence to add a second story that expands out over the downhill grade. The massing of the structure from the street is one-story in appearance but with a slightly higher ridge than the existing house. Neighbors across the street object to the construction on the grounds that their view of the ocean over the existing house will become unreasonably obstructed. Per the Municipal Code, concerns over views are legitimate and are considered by the Planning Commission.

But the politicking around this proposal has been drawn out for a long time. In 2016 the property owner submitted plans for this project, and it was continued over the course of 5 meetings before finally being deniedon the sixth. Earlier this year, the property owner tried again, submitting similar plans. The project has been continued another 5 times and the meeting on August 21st will be his final chance to sway the Planning Commission one way or the other–there will be no more continuances after this. Neighbors are adamant that the revisions which have occurred after each meeting are still insufficient in protecting their views, and bitterness has developed in the neighborhood.

My role in this conflict started as soon as I arrived at PV Estates. I was responsible for interviewing neighbors and filing their concerns, speaking to the property owner about neighborhood compatibility, and photographing the site from multiple perspectives to represent all interested parties. I also wrote the staff report for the Planning Commission to review, which contained all factual information about the project, its history, and neighborhood concerns, and helped present the findings to the Planning Commission. I developed a relationship with the interested parties, and although no one was satisfied by the Planning Commission’s decision to continue the hearings, my previous work on this site was not forgotten, and now that Elizabeth is gone, I am the only familiar face left in the City for these citizens. Over the past week, the property owner has submitted revised plans for the final round of Planning Commission, and I took on the responsibility of helping the planning consultants understand the history of the project, as well as the instructions given by the Planning Commission. This is essentially my major contribution–bridging the gap between Elizabeth and the consultants with regard to these high-profile, heavily contested applications. At the end of this week, final plans are due, and next week we will begin drafting staff reports, doing site visits, and interviewing neighbors. I plan to be present for all of these activities as a familiar face and hopefully bring these long debates to an end on the 21st.

Speaking with Aaron (the senior consultant) this morning gave me the boost of morale that I needed. The past few weeks have felt a little tedious at times and I’ve found myself breezing through work too quickly to keep me busy all day. I felt that I was developing a reputation of being lazy because it seemed like every time Aaron or Jeffrey came to speak with me, I had nothing on my plate. Not because I was slacking, but because I’d finished my assignments and there was no leftover work in the feeder for me to take on. Aaron reassured me today that I was one of the best interns he’d ever had and that “you plow through things like a workhorse.” It made me feel like my contributions mattered a lot more when he recognized the efforts I’ve exerted since I arrived here. Hopefully I can continue to be as useful as possible before it’s time for me to head back to Virginia.