Readers Respond -- Westside resident should keep his garage bedroom

Of course David Morley should be “allowed” to retain his home just as

it is (“Outlaw garage gets a reprieve,” April 19). In a Community

Commentary published July 17, I strongly voiced my opinion about this

very subject of using ones garage as an additional bedroom, and I repeat

it here (“Certain ways of improvement are not right”).

I do believe people have the right to convert their garage into an

additional and needed bedroom. Some city codes are necessary, some are

not. Freedom is getting to mean less and less it seems and certainly a

person should have some leeway on what they do with their own house as

long as it doesn’t adversely affect the neighbors and neighborhood.

Then to read about Morley’s plight, it just validated this concern,

and all of the other concerns I expressed in that letter. To put that

poor man through all that he’s going through now is not only wrong, it’s

immoral, disgusting and embarrassing. Adding a bedroom to your house

isn’t a crime. Having no garage isn’t either. Parking in one’s own

driveway is a personal option.

There should be some kind of grandfather clause in the codes that

would at least exempt people like Morley and become enforced in homes

being built since the August 2000 date the codes went into effect. Again,

I say that everyone has a right to feel safe in their own homes. I can

only imagine what it feels like for so many people who are now waiting in

apprehension for the “code enforcement” police to come and turn their

lives upside down. Most of them cannot, either financially or any other

reason, build a garage on their property. To put building a garage as an

option is no option at all.

I see many nice little neighborhoods where the homes were built with

only a tiny carport, which pretty much amounts to parking your car in

your driveway, doesn’t it? Or, is there a law against that, too? Should

they have to make their carports into a garage, too? And of course, there

are converted garages all over the city concealed behind the facade of a

garage door. There’s no way to know, unless, perhaps, our city resorts to

peering through windows or maybe even using a search warrant.

In view of Morley’s case, one may wonder where it all ends. This code

is not fair and not enforceable and should be kept only to be used in

very extreme circumstances.

Isn’t there any shame in preying on these less fortunate people of our

city? They’re suddenly plunged into what must seem an unreasonable,

impossible, no-win situation and then imposed with huge fines while they

sit perplexed and helplessly pondering their fate. Morley is pleading for

help. It really hurts me to read about his plight. Some have called Costa

Mesa the city with a heart. I say shame, shame.

DARLENE MAXSON

Costa Mesa

I believe that there is a good percentage of people in Costa Mesa who

don’t use their garage to keep their automobile in.

I feel that Morley should be entitled to keep his garage as it has

been used for the last 50 years. I believe the city government of Costa

Mesa is trying to agitate as many people as humanly possible.

I’m sorry to hear that and see what’s going on with them. I don’t know

why they cannot leave this gentleman alone.

FRANK EISENDRATH

Newport Beach