HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA2017-228 Comment 38e_05302019_SchmittFrom: Jerry Schmitt <JerrySchmitt@cox.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2019 11:00 AM
To: Campbell, Jim; Avery, Brad; Duffield, Duffy; Muldoon, Kevin; Herdman,
Jeff; Brenner, Joy; O'Neill, William; Zak, Peter; Weigand, Erik; Lowrey, Lee;
Ellmore, Curtis; Kleiman, Lauren; Dixon, Diane; Koetting, Peter; Kramer,
Kory; 'Sean Hanna'; 'Janice Grace'; 'Diane Hornby'; 'Jerry (Home) Schmitt';
'Karol Hatch'; Zdeba, Benjamin
Subject: Code Violations: PA-2017-228 AT&T Property/4302 Ford Rd Multi-Unit
Project and other concerns
To: James Campbell, Deputy Community Development Director and Ben Zdeba, Associate Planner
From: Sean Hanna, Karol Hatch, Diane Hornby, Janice Grace, and Jerry Schmitt
Re: Code Violation of 4302 Ford Road Project PA2017-228
Our Harbor View Homes neighborhood consists of 1 and 2 story homes and the above projected
proposes 3 stories which is out of school with the existing residential neighborhood. Three stories is 50%
greater than the 2 stories in our neighborhood so it’s incompatible.
The City of Newport Beach General Plan LU5.1.2 requires Compatible interfaces and states:
“Require that the height of development in non-residential and higher-density residential areas
transition as it nears lower density residential areas to minimize conflicts at the interface between the
different types of development”
The proposed Ford Road residential project does not transition appropriately. In fact, it does exactly the
opposite – it steps up from two stories on the Bonita Canyon frontage to three stories on the Harbor
View homes adjacency which is clearly in conflict with this General Plan policy. It is incompatible with
the lower density Harbor View Homes neighborhood and violates this policy of the City’s General Plan.
What is even worse is that the project requests to increase the RM zoning district height limit from 33
feet to 37 feet. This increase in height makes the project even more incompatible with the existing
residences in Harbor View. The project needs to meet all the findings required pursuant to 20.30.060.C.2
of the municipal code in order to get the increased height and the proposal simply does not meet all of
these requirements because:
1. It does not increase setback and open space areas. Setbacks are at a minimum under RM zoning
2. It does not enhance and protect public views. It blocks views from the public park; and
3. It does result in undesirable or abrupt scale changes or relationships between the proposed
structures and adjacent developments or public spaces.
So the above requirements are not met and the additional height should not be approved.
Also, plan sheet A0.01 incorrectly shows the front yard at the Bonita Canyon and MacArthur side of
the property and the rear yard at the existing AT&T building. The side yards are shown on Bonita
Canyon and at the Bonita Canyon Sports Park. The front yard should be along the frontage with
Bonita Canyon Sports Park (and Ford Road where their driveway is) so the setback along the Bonita
Canyon Sports Park side should be 20’ which is the front yard required under RM zoning. This front
would match the front of the AT&T building. They should not be allowed to change the front, side
and rear yards around so they can minimize the setbacks. This building should be setback as far
away from the park as possible.
A 3-story building is incompatible with the park, the public views from the park and the existing
residential homes in Harbor View, especially with the minimum setbacks that they propose.
The project will clearly blocks the current public view (circled in red) from the park.
Please vote NO on this proposal.