With ‘McMansions’ in crosshairs, Fremont is putting squeeze on two-story homes

With mega-homes or “McMansions” springing up in old neighborhoods, the Fremont City Council has decided to restrict the size of second-story home additions and new twostory homes in single-family neighborhoods.

It’s been a hot topic since last year after some residents complained that these “mega-homes” disrupt community character, block views and eliminate privacy.

Those looking to expand their homes with a second story, however, say the limits are unfair because they hurt families with multiple generations living in one home, and restrict a more affordable pathway to stay in Fremont.

After hearing about 40 people speak either against or in favor of the restrictions, the council voted 4-1 on Tuesday night to tighten limits on second stories by 10 percent over current standards. Vice Mayor Vinnie Bacon voted no, saying he wanted even more stringent regulations.

Fremont currently restricts the first floor of homes to 40 percent of the lot size, and the second floor to 60 percent of the size of the first, with certain design specifications.

If the new rules selected Tuesday go into effect, the second floor will only be allowed to be 50 percent of the size of the first floor, or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less, for a 6,000-square-foot lot. The 40 percent threshold for the first story will remain unchanged.

Under the new rules, the maximum square footage for second stories could be increased based on lot size.

On a 6,000-square-foot lot, for example, a singlestory home could be built as large as 2,400 square feet. A second story on that lot could be no larger than 1,000 square feet under the new rules. Previously, it would have been able to be built as big as 1,440 square feet.

Residents who spoke in favor of the restrictions at the meeting, many from the historic Niles district, said a large home recently built among the majority of smaller homes was ruining the community character.

Vicky Winstead said she has lived in her Niles home for 30 years, and was getting ready to retire.. But after a large home replaced a small one next door to her, she doesn’t want to live there any more.

“I used to be able to see the sunrise. I’ll never be able to see that again,”

“There are a lot of people in Fremont who prize their neighborhood for its character. Not every family needs to have a home that is large. There are some people, possibly empty nesters who don’t have their kids living with them, possibly young couples who want to just get into a home here in Fremont, that can use a starter home.” — Michelle Powell, Niles district resident

she said, blaming the rebuilt home for blocking her views.

Because of the change, “no one would want to live in that home,” she said. “So when you think about fairness and you think about value, you have to think about those who have been here and been in this city all their lives.”

Michelle Powell, also from Niles, supported the restrictions.

“There are a lot of people in Fremont who prize their neighborhood for its character,” she said, adding that keeping neighborhood homes intact could help people seeking smaller homes.

“Not every family needs to have a home that is large. There are some people, possibly empty nesters who don’t have their kids living with them, possibly young couples who want to just get into a home here in Fremont, that can use a starter home.”

Kristie Wheeler, Fremont’s planning manager, said prior to 2015, the city did not have any limits on lot coverage or second story sizes, allowing “megahomes” to propagate nearly anywhere.

But she noted that some design rule changes already implemented would likely prevent many of the large homes from being built.

Some people at the meeting told the council the cost of living in Fremont is untenable for many young adults, and parents need to accommodate them for a longer period, so limiting additions targets them unfairly.

“The bigger our children get, the smaller our house gets,” Mishla Gershenson said, noting she wants to add onto her home.

“We want to do this because we love where we live. … We would really rather not move out of Fremont, which is what we would have to do because we cannot afford to buy a house in Fremont anymore,” she said.

Pravi Tripathi said he has a second child on the way, and aging parents who all live in his home, and he needs to expand to accommodate his multigenerational family.

“We don’t keep our parents in aging homes. We keep them with us. And most of those aging parents will live on the first floor. We have no other way but to expand to the second floor,” he said.

“If you go and approve this, I have to separate my aging parents from us and put them in some other location. That’s not fair.”

The change in rules will need to be confirmed with a second reading at a future council meeting, city staff said.

The council had previously voted in October 2017 to restrict second-story sizes, but then held off on finalizing the changes later that year.