Variance

I am writing as a concerned neighbor residing in Chevy Chase Canyon ("Council shuts down plan appeal," May 18). I am alarmed by the rate of building taking place in our canyon. We were at an appeal with the council just two weeks ago, where, to our dismay, a large, architecturally-designed "flatland" home was approved by the City Council to be built onto a very difficult-sloped site on Edgewick Road. We spent about $1,000 in appeals in order to fight this project, but unfortunately we lost that battle.

Alex Coolman NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- As the controversy over the ABC7 sign simmers, the man who approved it in 1998 is requesting a variance for another plastic sign, this one three times as high as city codes permit. The 24-foot-high illuminated sign will be installed at a strip mall at the corner of Glenoaks Boulevard and Newby Street if it is approved at a Wednesday board of zoning adjustments hearing. Variances would be required for four code violations.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church is seeking approval of a variance for a new structure on the 400 block of Mermaid Avenue that would be eight feet higher than is permitted in the area. The church has proposed to demolish a 1930s-era Italian Renaissance-style building and replace it with a new Craftsman-style three-story structure. The building would be used for classrooms, offices and a social hall that would host activities such as weddings and funerals.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL - A proposed vocational school on Pacific Avenue got nixed Wednesday by a Glendale commission. The Glendale Board of Zoning Adjustments voted 5-0 to deny an appeal of Vartan Kargenian of Los Angeles who wants to open the adult school in a three-story building at 1101 N. Pacific Ave. The medical training school has come under fire from residents and businesses who complained there isn't enough...

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday appeared willing to continue a policy allowing property owners to seek exceptions from city zoning codes, but the issue of whether to make approval standards more strict for so-called use variances was sent to the Planning Commission for further review. Use variances are often sought when a property is zoned for a purpose other than what the owner wants to build or operate on the lot. They have historically been used by private schools, hospitals and other service-oriented operations located in or abutting residential zones.

Karen S. Kim NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- The battle continues for merchants hoping the Redevelopment Agency will overturn its decision to relieve a new Denny's restaurant of adding 33 code-required parking spaces to its lot downtown. One Brand Boulevard merchant is accusing the Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn. of misrepresenting its members to the agency. Association President Leslyn Ray spoke on behalf of her members before the agency made its decision Oct. 30 in support of the variance request.

CITY HALL — Homeowners of a northwest Glendale home who have been embroiled in a fight with the city to allow a 44-year-old addition that encroaches upon neighboring property were denied their request by the City Council on Tuesday. The council postponed the vote during its July 11 meeting to avoid a stalemate while Councilman Dave Weaver was away on vacation. He cast the deciding vote in the 3-2 decision Tuesday night. Councilmen John Drayman and Frank Quintero voted against denying the variance.

CITY HALL — The City Council wants Gay's Automotive and Towing Service — one of three of the city's official police towing providers — to pack up and vacate a San Fernando Road lot the company has been been using for about 18 years. A divided council voted 3 to 2 Tuesday night to reverse a May Board of Zoning Appeals decision that granted a variance to the company so they could continue to use the lot as an inoperable-vehicle storage facility. "It was a code-enforcement issue for years and the situation was never corrected," Mayor Dave Weaver said.