By Mary Saenz Santa Monica
What those of us who watched or listened to the March 22 meeting of the City Council experienced was nothing more that an attempt of some councilpersons to speak to an issue that has been waiting for a solution long enough. They’ve had long enough to deal with the fact that lot sizes are different in north and south Santa Monica and “one size does not fit all” when it comes to codes and variances, etc.
Residents of the southern part of our city want a resolution sooner rather than later and letting the Planning Department continue on its two-year track does not resolve the issue. If the Planning Department cannot come up with a solution by August — the agreement finally honed by our City Council — then it is a situation far worse than we all imagined. Brinksmanship had nothing to do with it. Responding sincerely to a needless dilemma was the issue.
Councilman Ken Genser, who has worked so well with the Planning Department because he and his cohorts on the council conveniently used the bureaucracy as a tool in the attempt to control growth, whatever the size of the lot, just did not want to respond to the issue brought forth by some Sunset Park residents. Not fair... and on top of that the “overworked” Planning Department is in that condition because of the handy work of Genser and those on the council who vote his way.
What to do? Well, just continue to worship at the altar of ordinances and council directives intended primarily to intimidate, frustrate and delay home remodeling and improvement. Thank God Councilman Shriver just wants to do the right thing.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 31, 2005. Read the original PDF.