By Susan Motander
In response to large public turnouts at both city council meetings and a meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Council passed two emergency ordinances at its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 18. The first ordinance creates a 45 day moratorium on the issuance of demolition permits for houses constructed before 1940. The second prohibits issuing building permits for the same time period for construction of new homes or substantial additions to existing residences.
As Steve Sizemore, Director of Community Development, explained, this time period will give city staff time to prepare a time frame for potentially longer moratoria. He said staff would report back to the council at its December 16th meeting on plans for public hearings and other research necessary to put in place a more complete plan for the retention of Monrovia’s older homes and the maintenance of the character of its neighborhoods.