At this point, just about everyone in the country has heard of the fast-food burger chain In-N-Out. Since its founding in 1948, the chain has gained popularity for its menu of delicious, high-quality burgers, fries, and milkshakes at affordable prices. The simplicity of the restaurant’s iconic menu is likely another part of its appeal to many customers. You know what to expect every time you visit. The menu doesn’t change. However, those in the know will tell you that In-N-Out has multiple “secret menu items.” And while those secret menu items are simply variations on their published menu items, they do require you to have special knowledge in order to know what to ask for when you get to the counter.
The same is true when you go to most city planning departments. Every city has a published set of rules that outline what can and can’t be done with regard to new buildings and remodels. But those rules don’t mention every consideration. Someone experienced in working with city planning departments, such as architects like us who have been submitting building plans in the same cities for more than 20 years, will tell you that some of the rules may be up for discussion and open to interpretation.
Take setback rules, for example. Every city will have setback rules regarding how far away a structure must be from the property line. These rules are in place for safety, as well as to respect the privacy and space of the building’s neighbors. Now, let’s say a client really wants to add a bay window to their home, but that bay window would project into the required setback. Strictly speaking, it may not be allowed, but the city might be willing to consider it if we can make a good case as to why it wouldn’t compromise safety or infringe on their neighbor’s space.
There’s also the idea of “offsetting,” where one design element essentially cancels out another one in a way that helps achieve what the planning department’s rule is trying to accomplish. In other words, we can make an argument that we are following the “spirit of the law,” rather than simply the “letter of the law” with our design. Using this tactic requires some creativity (and often some negotiation with city officials) on the part of our Long Beach architecture firm, but it can be very effective in getting everyone involved (our clients and city planning officials) what they want.
The key is to go to the city planning department early on in the process and have a conversation to find out if they are even open to the idea of a creative interpretation of the rules. That way, we don’t get our clients’ hopes up or spend a bunch of time drawing up plans that will never get approved.
Of course, some rules are not open to negotiation. For example, in Long Beach’s historic neighborhoods, little to nothing can be done to the front of a house. Trust us. We’ve tried. There is plenty we can do to remodel the interior of an historic home, but when it comes to changing the exterior, it’s really not up for discussion with the City of Long Beach.
Not every Long Beach architect is willing to put in the work to try to find the “secret menu items” within city planning departments. However, doing so can mean the difference between getting our clients exactly what they want and mostly what they want, so the effort can be well worth the trouble!
