Proposed Hillside Development Restrictions Ruffle Feathers

Due to concerns about how new hillside regulations could affect properties, the agreed Tuesday night to delay any recommendation to the city council until details in the ordinance could be further examined, the San Mateo Daily Journal reported.

Redwood City is one of the few Bay Area cities that does not have a hillside ordinance, appealing to those who wish to develop their property with few restrictions. Residents said these rules could affect their property value.

"We need more outreach to make decisions on how to make a hillside ordinance," said Planning Commission Chair Janet Borgens. "We need more time as a community."

In its presentation, city staff members stated that the proposed ordinances are not meant to dictate the aesthetics of a home, but to build safe development by limiting aspects such as size and the amount of hillside grading.

"The staff did a phenomenal job, but it just wasn't enough to make that kind of decision," Borgens said.

Development in the hills has also had some recent controversy when to build their homes they way they desired. But many neighbors were concerned about building unsafe homes on soil with a poor foundation.

They were also concerned about the length of construction and how this could disrupt the wild habitats of many species.   

Correction: Article updated with quotes from the Planning Commission chair and clarification that the delay was not based on determining property values, but a need for more details.