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Commission sends proposed changes on residential footprint and square‑foot rules to City Council after heated debate
Summary
After a lengthy exchange, the Planning Commission voted 4–1 to forward a proposed code amendment (numbers to be finalized) to City Council seeking direction on changing the municipality’s baseline footprint and the ministerial threshold that triggers standards modifications.
The La Habra Heights Planning Commission voted to send a proposed package of code amendments to City Council that would reframe how the city limits residential building size, shifting emphasis from a strict "allowable square footage" cap toward a structural‑footprint approach and proposing higher thresholds for ministerial review and administrative approval.
Commissioner Jim Lucas introduced the item, describing research comparing La Habra Heights to similar communities and arguing that current code language conflates ‘‘structural footprint’’ and ‘‘allowable square footage,’’ penalizes accessory buildings such as garages and forces nearly every new home through a time‑consuming standards modification because the ministerial baseline is only 1,500 sq ft. He proposed several changes: clarify code section 7.18.040A to use the term "structural footprint" (deleting the term "allowable square footage"); raise the baseline one‑acre footprint from 7,500 sq ft to 9,000 sq ft; increase the planning director’s administrative modification authority from 1,000 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft; allow the Planning Commission to approve up to an additional 5,000 sq ft by standards modification; and raise the ministerial threshold (proposed numbers were discussed as examples but later left “to be determined” pending data).
Commissioners and staff debated trade‑offs: larger footprints can increase grading, retaining walls, impervious surface and site disturbance, while the current thresholds may deter buyers and constrain market demand. Staff (Rafferty) explained that square footage already factors into graded‑area calculations and that increasing allowed building area could require corresponding changes to graded‑area and hardscape formulas.
After extended discussion about public reaction, market data and procedural limits (staff/attorney time to draft language requires City Council direction), the commission amended the motion to keep specific numeric thresholds flexible ("to be determined; example 3,500 sq ft for ministerial threshold") and voted 4–1 to send the proposed amendments and supporting exhibits to City Council for direction. Commissioner Steven Blayden voted no.
Quote: "I want to clarify that structural footprint refers to ground‑level building coverage only," said Commissioner Jim Lucas as he introduced his motion. "The code currently treats garages and workshops as livable space, which penalizes accessory uses."
Next steps: Staff will forward the commission’s package (with exhibits) to City Council; if Council directs, staff will prepare formal code language, supporting data (e.g., recent project footprints), and ordinance drafts for subsequent hearings.
