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| A hillside. |
Instead the city decided that the money required to mount a legal defense of the people's interests in this matter was needed elsewhere. Like for employee raises, or to shore up their retirement funding.
Here are the guidelines the city was supposed to be working with. You know, those kinds of things so many were happy about because they were going to protect Sierra Madre from bad development. Remember all that rhythm? It wasn't so long ago.
Design Guidelines
Chapter 1 A, Purpose and Intent
page 1-1 Development which is sensitive to the unique characteristics of the site and surrounding context
The General Plan
p. 23 Overview of land use policy
Parkland and open space should be preserved and expanded when possible. Hillside areas should be preserved either in their natural state or with very low density residential development designed to be sensitive to the environmental nature of the foothills.
The Hillside Management Zone Ordinance
17.52.010 Purpose
C. Direct and encourage development that is sensitive to the unique characteristics of the hillsides areas in the city…accordingly innovation in the design of buildings is encouraged so long as the result preserves hillside areas and is consistent with this chapter and with the General Plan.
All of which is wonderful language, but meaningless window dressing if nobody is willing to put any of it to actual use, or defend it when legally challenged. This stuff is now fairly pointless after the city's rather historic capitulation.
Here are some approximations ("story poles" in planner jabber) of what a few of the first batch of One Carter McMansions will be looking like. You can go up there and take a studied gaze at this all for yourself if you care to. That is what they are there for.
Except you'll have to walk. Or at least you will according to the No Parking sign.
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