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Relief asked for residences rezoned as commercial, manufacturing

March 28, 2007
Santa Paula City Council

They’re all over town, those often small homes hugging corridors that are now in real estate purgatory, hard to sell as a residence because of their commercial or manufacturing zoning.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThey’re all over town, those often small homes hugging corridors that are now in real estate purgatory, hard to sell as a residence because of their commercial or manufacturing zoning. And that zoning carries the caveat that if more than 50 percent of the structure is destroyed it cannot be replaced with another residence.Realtor Anita Pulido brought the issue to the City Council at the March 19 meeting. “I want to share with you what I’ve had on my mind for a long time,” the many property owners who live in corridors - such as Harvard Boulevard - that have been rezoned as manufacturing or commercial.Pulido said she is not aware of when the rezoning took place, but that the impacts are serious. The rezoning presents several obstacles, including the caveat that if more than 50 percent of the structure is destroyed in a fire the owner may not be able to rebuild.
“I have to pass that along to potential buyers” who already face down payment and other requirements triggered by the non-conforming type of purchase. Buyers of such properties face a “higher interest rate or hard money loans are necessary,” said Pulido.“The bottom line of my shaggy dog story - is there anything the Council” can do to reflect consideration of property owners,” who face the loss of property value. Pulido also asked if there is “any possible way these homeowners could get any kind of benefit” if they owned the property prior to the rezoning through a grandfather clause, or even rezoning back to residential property so “we don’t run into this time after time.”Councilman Ralph Fernandez asked if Pulido wanted the city to find if there is “some sort of methodology for rebuilding” to the current use if there is more than a 50 percent loss through fire. “Exactly,” noted Pulido. “This is the biggest investment” buyers will be making, and for current property owners, “We were here first guys, now what do we do to protect their investment?”Later in the meeting Councilman Bob Gonzales requested that a report be prepared for a future Council meeting.