Investor Called Out Over Creative Zoning

Residents in Carlsbad, California are crying foul over a landlord’s plan to build houses there.

According to a news report, locals are concerned about the landlord’s interpretation of zoning ordinances. In particular, they say he abuses the “granny flat” exception in single-family homes to create multifamily properties, and installs kitchens were plans call for wet bars.

The neighbors say these rental properties bring in more traffic and noise, according to the report.

The landlord is said to own 38 rentals in the area. Many of the properties are vacation rentals, but others are used for long-term tenants, according to the report.

City officials told reporters that the landlord was forced to remove kitchen appliances that had been used to expand the utility of wet bars in order to accommodate tenants. The company was also cited for unauthorized rental units within houses.

According to the report, the landlord was approved to build five homes in Carlsbad, each with a “granny flat”. But neighbors filed a preemptive complaint, asking city officials to prevent the conversion of these homes to multifamily rentals.

City officials confirmed that the landlord had evicted tenants living in other illegal units, and removed unpermitted kitchens from those units.

But local residents are not yielding. They’ve signed a petition and have vowed to keep up the pressure.

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