They could even add a second floor and couple thousand square feet, building a pink elephant right under the watchful eye of the planning department. And neither the city nor the neighbors would have any recourse. In San Jose, rebuilding a home requires a special use permit, letters of notification to all neighbors within 300 feet of the teardown and city approval. I would not need a special use permit if I was 'remodeling' our house. We're caught between this push for architectural review and everyone's political agenda.
City officials tell a different story.
We have lots and lots of special use permits and we try to get them to hearing in two or three weeks. The Halls' house had zoning code problems and an appeal. We have not been trying to slow them down. For the next year, the Halls fought City Hall to rebuild their home. They say they were punished for following all the rules.