By Mary O’KEEFE

Once again the development in the 2600 block of Foothill Boulevard, the former site of Plumb Crazy, has hit a snag. The building has been at the center of controversy not only because of its design but because of the uncertain future of an adjacent Moreton Bay Fig tree due to the construction of an underground parking garage at the location.
Last week Los Angeles County Building and Safety notified the developer of the suspension of his grading permit.
The plans depicted the property as flat, said Paul Novak, planning deputy to LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.
The land has a steep grade.
A local resident brought the discrepancy between the plans and the land to the attention of the Supervisor’s office.
“A resident that lives [near the location] looked at the plans and noticed the building was more than 35 feet if the parking was included,” said Stuart Byles, co-designer of the Community Standards District (CSD).
The resident went to the regional planning office and looked at a brochure that indicated the design is to be made at a natural grade, not a reconstructed grade, Byles said.
The result was an order suspending the grading permit to the developer, Gevorg Voskanian, which was delivered on Friday, Aug. 13. Building and Safety will not re-activate the permit until it receives approval from the Department of Regional Planning.
When the new plans will be submitted that include the natural grade has not been determined.
“I don’t know yet,” said Varoozh Saroian, architect for the program. “The changes that have to be made are humongous.”
Saroian added both he and Voskanian inherited the original plans when the property was purchased.
“The owner purchased it last year and from there we got the documents of a survey. Apparently the survey was not accurate,” he added.
Novak said the redesign of the building could result in any form from reducing the height of the building by one floor, eliminating the third floor, or relocating it on other areas of the property.
“Wherever they build, it must [not exceed] 35 feet,” he said.