Arcadia, Temple City Take Steps to Cut ‘Monster’ Homes Down to Size : Zoning: A new Temple City ordinance reduces height and density limits. A use permit will be required for homes over 3,500 square feet.

TEMPLE CITY — The City Council has amended its zoning code in order to discourage oversized homes that dwarf neighboring houses.

The ordinance reduces building height and density limits, and it will require a use permit for extremely large homes.

By a 4-1 vote Tuesday night, the City Council decided that a conditional-use permit must be obtained if a single-family house is bigger than 3,500 square feet, which would be nearly three times the size of typical homes built 20 years ago, said Community Development Director Bob Dawson.

The goal of the ordinance is to avoid a high-density, overcrowded look in the city, said City Manager Karl Koski. Because land costs have increased, developers have been building mansion-like homes on small or medium lots, he said. “When you look at it, you get the immediate feeling that it’s out of scale for the size of the lot.”

Under the ordinance, the height limit for apartments and condominiums is reduced from 35 to 30 feet. Subterranean and semi-subterranean parking is banned. In R-3, or high-density residential areas, each apartment or condominium complex is allowed a maximum of 18 units, down from 24.