Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Planners Reject Request to Exceed Height Limits

The Anaheim Planning Commission refused Monday to allow a developer to exceed the height limit for 35 homes in an exclusive housing tract in the Anaheim Hills area.

Homeowners who live above the housing tract, called Peralta Hills, had complained that their views of the surrounding Santa Ana Canyon and the mountains would be spoiled if the homes were allowed to exceed the 25-foot height limit.

Developers wanted to build multimillion-dollar homes in the tract, exceeding the area’s 25-foot height limitation by 10 feet.

The commission voted 6 to 0 to deny the request for a blanket variance. Commissioner Lewis Herbest noted that the city normally makes exceptions to city codes on an individual basis.

The city had hoped to resolve the dispute by having the Peralta Hills developer, Vic Peloquin, conduct a visual survey to determine how high a structure could be built without blocking views from nearby homes.

The developer and homeowners agreed at the time to abide by the results. But when the study concluded that view obstruction was not a problem with 35 of the 41 new homes, homeowners challenged the accuracy of the survey.

Developer Peloquin could not be reached for comment Monday, and it was uncertain whether he would appeal the decision to the City Council.