Alpine considering limits for 'monster houses'

(Daily Herald) Alpine's planning commission met Tuesday night to discuss drafting an ordinance to limit "monster houses" in the city. Though no decision was made, the discussion laid the groundwork for where the commission was going.

"An appropriate scale of houses is a nice way of saying no monster houses," Chairman Jannicke Brewer said referring to the city's plan.

"It seems to me like if there is a neighborhood where people want those, why should we oppose it?" commissioner Brad Reneer said.

As of right now, the city currently measures the height of a home from the midpoint of a roof. Though the roof cannot be more then 34 feet high, if you start with a larger roof, the actual peak of the roof can exceed 50 feet and does in some places in Alpine.

"A really tall house looks out of place," Brewer said about homes being built on lots in the older part of town closer to the city center.

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