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El Centro council overturns planning commission, approves 6‑foot wall at 2779 West Main Street
Summary
After a public hearing with neighbors objecting on sightline and safety grounds, the City Council voted 3–2 to grant a variance allowing a six‑foot masonry and wrought‑iron wall at 2779 West Main Street and to deny the triangular corner cutback required by zoning staff and the planning commission.
The El Centro City Council voted 3–2 to approve a zone variance allowing a six‑foot masonry wall with wrought‑iron panels at the northwest corner of 2779 West Main Street, overturning a planning commission decision that denied a corner cutback.
Planner Angel Hernandez told the council the planning commission had approved the wall along Main Street but denied the applicant’s request for a triangular corner cutback that staff said could obstruct drivers’ and pedestrians’ sightlines. Hernandez reviewed the four legal findings required for a variance and said the commission concluded the cutback was not justified on safety grounds.
Neighbors who live along Santa Rosa Avenue urged the council to uphold the planning commission. Raul Zamora said the code’s conditions “are supposed to also be met during the worst conditions, which would be nighttime, rain,” and warned that failing to require the cutback would “create a higher risk or higher chance of accidents.” Erin Zamora, who said she uses the easement daily and has young children, told the council: “I am just asking here as a mother … to grant the cutback and or require the cutback be done because it is a public safety issue.”
The property owner, identified in the hearing as Mr. Jackson, presented photos and measurements and argued the existing layout allowed sufficient visibility and that a diagonal cutback would expose a fire hydrant and create other hazards. Jackson said he had invested in lighting and landscaping and that “there is no safety issue.”
Council members questioned staff about whether the easement is treated as a private driveway or an alley, property-line locations, and the distance from the property line to the shoulder. After deliberation the council moved to adopt Resolution 25‑91, overturning the planning commission and approving the variance without the triangular cutback. The motion passed 3–2.
The council’s action allows the applicant to finish the wall as proposed along the property line. Staff noted the easement is privately owned by homeowners along Santa Rosa but has long been used as a rear access. The council’s decision resolves this appeal by applying the city’s interpretation of the private‑driveway/cutback provisions to this parcel.
Next step: the applicant may proceed with building the wall consistent with the council’s approval and any conditions the council attached when adopting the resolution.
