IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL BELMONT HEIGHTS RESIDENTS
As most of you know, significant concern was expressed by residents of Belmont Heights regarding “mansionization” of the Heights at a meeting of the Belmont Heights Community Association (BHCA) held last February. At that meeting, a subcommittee of the BHCA was tasked with finding ways to address the issue.
After months of assessing what various cities were doing to reduce mansionization, meeting with city staff, homeowners, architects, builders, and real estate professionals, the subcommittee (the Neighborhood Preservation Committee or NPC) has formulated a plan that we feel does not excessively limit homeowners who want to make changes to their home.
To that end, the NPC has recommended to city staff the following changes be put into place for the next year as a temporary solution while the NPC and Belmont Heights residents determine a permanent solution that will maintain the beauty and character of the Heights:
1. To qualify as a remodel, a homeowner may demolish no more than 30% of the existing structure.
2. Additions or new construction exceeding 800’ sq. must be submitted for a staff site plan review through the City of Long Beach Planning Bureau. Current zoning limitations will remain in place. Site plan review outcomes may be appealed to the Planning Commission.
3. Demolition requests must be accompanied by building plans.
4. Site plans submitted to staff must include a written project description that includes the proposed design’s concepts and materials, and photographs or graphs that depict the relationship of the home to the character of the neighborhood.
5. Timely notice shall be sent to the BHCA for all site plans submitted to staff. Comments provided to city staff by BHCA shall be considered but are not binding.
Accommodation will be made for projects that are either “in the pipeline” or for which significant monies have been spent for plans/drawings etc.
The BHCA and NPC feels that these temporary measures provide an environment that allows the community to study options for future growth in Belmont Heights without compromising the unique character of the community.
For an explanation of these changes see "Interim Ordinance Q & A" on the Belmont Heights Community Association website www.mybelmontheights.org. Minutes of the NPC process are available for review here as well. You can also contact the NPC through the website.
These recommendations will be going to council vote on October 9th. The BHCA asks that you show your support of these temporary measures by emailing our district planner, Mark Hungerford at Charles_Hungerford@longbeach.gov and coming to the council meeting.
(NPC members: Marc Coleman and Maureen Neeley, Co Chairs, Mike Stewart, Marky Morel, Grace Parris, Jerry Olivera, Bette McKinney, Craig Starnes, Paul Murname, Dianne Sundstrom, Jonathon Glasgow, Elizabeth Lambe, Maureene Hay, Alan Pullman, Susan Bach-Bradley, and Mark Huffman)
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