By Susan Motander
Despite protests from a few citizens, on Tuesday evening, the Monrovia City Council voted to continue its ban on issuing permits for the demolition of houses built before 1940. City staff had recommended the continuance of the ban until a full report and recommendations regarding changing the city’s municipal code to prevent the building of so-called “McMansions” in Monrovia.
Two homeowners objected to the continuation of the moratorium. Both of them said that the ban on building permits and the related ban or demo permits had prevented them from making improvements to their properties and that they had looked forward to the bans expiring this month. They both said the city was denying them their property rights.
Dwight Betkey, one of the two homeowners to object to the continuation of the moratorium, said that the wording of the moratorium, which allowed some work to be done, not other work. He called the ordinance “overly restrictive” and “ambiguous,” saying that it left the interpretation of such phrases as “structural alteration of more than 50% ‘of the front of the home’” to what he called a “well-meaning, but overworked” individual.
In contrast several residents rose to praise the council for its work in what they called “preserving Monrovia” and urge the continuation of the moratorium. Long-time Monrovia resident Arlene Dunsun summed up the feeling of those supporting the moratorium, saying, “The community needs to set the standards to itself.”
In discussing the measure, the members of the council voiced some concern about the length of time it was taking to review the existing city ordinances regarding building. Council Member Alex Blackburn questioned the speed with which city staff was preparing the proposed changes and questioned the staff level. Mayor Tom Adams suggested a study session to “move the process along.”
Ultimately the continuation passed unanimously.
