So you have a bay view of down town (San Diego: neighborhood, construction)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Or used to have

Point Loma Residents Protest New Development | NBC 7 San Diego

This thing is talllllllllllllllllllll

[snpdragr]

What's the loophole used to build it 10ft higher than the limit? The article/vid wasn't clear.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by snpdragr

What's the loophole used to build it 10ft higher than the limit? The article/vid wasn't clear.

They piled dirt on one part of the lot, and measured the height from there. (That's from a news video I saw of the issue, and that's one of the neighbors who stated that.)

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by oddstray

They piled dirt on one part of the lot, and measured the height from there. (That's from a news video I saw of the issue, and that's one of the neighbors who stated that.)

Oddstray is correct. I went out there this weekend to look at it. Essentially, the contractor built a retaining wall on a level lot, filled the area next to the wall with dirt and then measured the building height from this new, artificially created grade level. Into this new grade, the contractor has burrowed into the fill dirt to create "subterranean" parking.

It is clearly an abuse of the intent of the law in regards to the 30 foot height limit, grading, retaining walls, and subterranean parking. It will be interesting to see if the City rolls over for this one too.

[T. Damon]

The code is very clear that it is to be measured from the NATURAL grade, I bump up against this on my projects, especially if the are on slopes. You can't go around piling dirt willy nilly to try to get around this.

I am very surprised that this got through, the reviewers are all sticklers that I get, requiring you to diagram the line that follows the natural grade to its maximum allowable height in several views to ensure the building is not protruding beyond it.

An inspector should catch it now.

[The Flying Dutchman]

This is just hearsay, but I heard a stop order was issued by the mayor.

[moved]

Originally Posted by The Flying Dutchman

This is just hearsay, but I heard a stop order was issued by the mayor.

The shutdown was confirmed by K U S I.

[I Love Buildings]

Here's a more up to date video showing the townhall meeting:

Point Loma residents push back against tall project - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8

Annnndd, one more bonus video if your a Point Loma resident or just more curious of the neighborhood's voiced opinion.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/32308196/r...ay-is-too-tall

https://youtu.be/rLc-aW3ndfw

[futbol]

Originally Posted by T. Damon

The code is very clear that it is to be measured from the NATURAL grade, I bump up against this on my projects, especially if the are on slopes. You can't go around piling dirt willy nilly to try to get around this.

I am very surprised that this got through, the reviewers are all sticklers that I get, requiring you to diagram the line that follows the natural grade to its maximum allowable height in several views to ensure the building is not protruding beyond it.

An inspector should catch it now.

I don't work in the construction/development industry, but I figure you do from your previous posts.

Don't these projects have to be inspected at each phase to prevent this kind of thing? I mean, shouldn't this have been stopped way earlier, when they were building the 'subterranean' garage?

[T. Damon]

Originally Posted by futbol

I don't work in the construction/development industry, but I figure you do from your previous posts.

Don't these projects have to be inspected at each phase to prevent this kind of thing? I mean, shouldn't this have been stopped way earlier, when they were building the 'subterranean' garage?

It would probably not show up as a problem in the foundation/underfloor inspection, (excavations complete, foundation not yet poured) -all that area is either in or out the ground setbacks, and anything with over 5' of clearance is counted towards the FAR in most zoning areas, finished or not. But during the frame and rough inspection, before insulation and wall cladding is applied, it absolutely would glaringly stand out to any inspector worth his salt. This is what probably happened, either the inspector wasn't paying attention to that maximum height constraint (which is typically the first the thing they look at) or that inspection hadn't taken place yet and the citizen's eagle eyes caught that.