By -by Melody Hanatani
While the trees discussion could wait a few months, another contentious debate is expected to erupt at the Landmarks Commission meeting.
Several residents of the Third Street Historic District say they are outraged at two residential renovation projects that they believe would harm the characteristics that contribute to the historic district, which encompasses the east side of Third Street, the south side of Hill Street, the west side of Second Street and the north side of Ocean Park Boulevard.
The district was established in 1990. One resident is proposing constructing a 1,213-square-foot addition to an existing two-story non contributing structure in the rear of his property on the 2600 block of Third Street. The other applicant is seeking approval to demolish a noncontributing structure on the 2600 block of Second Street to construct a new single-family residence. The discussion for the latter project has been postponed to the December meeting.
Neighbors that oppose the two projects call them “modernist” and out of scale with the characteristics of the historic district.
Tony Haig, the co-organizer of the historic district, said the project to construct an addition to the non-contributing structure violates the guideline that the rear property must be smaller than the front house.
“Part of the fabric of this district is it’s typical to have a smaller house in the back,” he said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 12, 2007. Read the original PDF.