May 21st, 2024
Re: 4/21/24 Council Meeting, Item 12
Dear Mayor Vaus and Poway City Council Members, City Manager Chris Hazeltine and Director of Development Services Bob Manis.
Comments on Item #12 Amendments to Chapters 17.08, 17.30 and 17.52 of the Poway Municipal Code Regarding Minor Development Review Applications; Zoning Ordinance Amendment (ZOA 24-0002)
As part of the current MDRA process, courtesy notices are provided to neighbors 10 days prior to approval. Should the MDRA process be eliminated for residential projects this courtesy notification would no longer be provided, as the City does not provide advanced notice of approval of building permits.
When this was first presented by Mayor Vaus he alluded to the significant delays and costs encountered by residents using the current MDRA process. However, when Mayor prompted Director of Development Services, Mr. Manis, for data, none was forthcoming and in fact Mr. Manis indicated that delays in the process were due to failures by the applicants to provide information to the city in a timely manner. Consequently, there does not appear to be any supporting data to confirm Mayor Vaus’s hypothesis. Given that MDRAs are currently required for the construction of single home additions, remodels, detached accessory structures, and unlighted recreational courts, all of which can significantly impact the quality of life of neighbors, we believe that the MDRA process should remain in place.
Thank you for your attention and we look forward to a favorable response.
Sincerely,
Nick Carruthers, Chris Cruse, Alison Park, Torrey Powers, and Eric Weller