City To Fine Unauthorized Changes to Potentially Historic Properties

The San Diego City Council voted 6-2 today to establish fines on property owners who make unauthorized changes to potentially historic properties.

The fines would be separate from penalties already on the books for renovations made without permits.

The council action came a little more than a month after the Windermere Cottage on Virginia Street was demolished without city approval, Councilwoman Sherri Lightner said. The structure was thought by some to have been the oldest occupied residence in La Jolla, according to news reports.

“This was a very important cottage to the community of La Jolla,” Lightner said.

According to city staff, any house over 45 years old could have historic value, and the cost of a study to see whether a property fits the city's criteria is as high as $7,000. There is also a $1,100 municipal fee.

However, very few houses built before 1966 are actually historic, Senior Planner Kelley Stanco said.

The actual size of the fines have not been determined, pending a review of the city's overall civil penalty structure.

“I think $250,000 is a good starting point,” said Councilman Todd Gloria, whose district includes many homes the city considers to have historic value.

He said the city needs to crack down on people who are flouting the city's rules, without troubling all residents who live in an older house.

Councilwoman Lorie Zapf, who dissented along with Councilman Carl DeMaio, said the city's guidelines were “subjective.”

“I think we're going down a dangerous path,” Zapf said.

Stanco said normal procedure is for city staff to try to get the property owner to rectify the problem before assessing a fine.

–City News Service