Opposition has continued ahead of Wednesday’s hearing. In an Aug. 18 public comment, another longtime Manhattan Beach resident argued that granting setback variances could make it harder for the city to reject similar requests in the future and gradually turn neighborhoods into an “urban canyon.” He urged commissioners to reject the application.
City staff, however, noted that every home on the south side of 25th Street between Blanche Road and 23rd Street already has a front setback that does not conform to the current 20-foot requirement. Nearby setbacks range from zero to 15 feet, according to the report.
Staff also pointed to other unusually shaped lots nearby that received setback reductions in previous decades, while stressing that variance applications are considered individually and do not establish precedent.
The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 1400 Highland Ave.