Coastal panel takes up Mar Vista

California Coastal Commissioners voted 6-2 this week to hear an appeal of city permits issued for the troubled Mar Vista project in South Laguna.

The decision overruled the recommendations of its own staff. City officials had not been advised of an appeal hearing date as of Thursday.

“They have asked the city to shut down the project, which we are not going to do, based on the city attorney’s preliminary advice,” City Manager Ken Frank said.

The 17,000-square-foot house and 4,700-square-foot garage proposed for the 12-acre site at 31401 Mar Vista has been repeatedly challenged by neighbors of the project, who argue the project defies the city goal of neighborhood compatibility, and by opponents of “mansionization,” who want to see limits set on the allowable size of homes.

The project was shut down in November when neighbors appealed the administrative approval of changes to the council-approved plans. Project developer Gerald Massineo took the issue to court and was on the verge of winning when the city settled out of court. Massineo agreed to some project changes requested by the city.

“The city reissued the permit the day before a lawsuit that the city was going to lose was settled,” Frank said. “We had no choice but to reissue the permit or the court would have, and it is the city attorney’s position that we have no choice now.”

In April, project opponent Devora Hertz asked the Coastal Commission to look at Massineo’s water-quality management plan. The commission requested additional information to be reviewed at the June 13-16 meeting.

Coastal Commission District Manager Teresa Henry notified Mar Vista Development Corp. in a letter dated May 19 that continued development would be at the property owner’s risk.

“If the commission finds that the development is appealable and subsequently determines that the appeal filed raises a substantial issue with respect to the project’s conformance with the standards in the certified local coastal program, the entire project ? not just the portion within 100 feet of the drainage course ? will be subject to the commission’s jurisdiction,” Henry wrote.

Massineo declined on Thursday to comment on the latest hitch in the Mar Vista project.