COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:Neighbors should be in the loop

Neighbors, beware of any new construction adjacent to your property.

I have lived in my Burbank home since 1976. In January, I received a notice of Accessory Structure Permit that my new neighbor was requesting approval to construct a two-story building behind his home (not attached to the main house, but behind the house) to be attached to the detached garage. My concern at this time was that this second-story building would look directly into my backyard, thereby I felt an invasion of privacy.

I went down to the Community Development Department to review plans and express my concerns. Upon looking at this plan, all I saw was what looked like a window from the second-story facing my backyard. I was told that there would be no windows that faced my backyard. Being inexperienced in these matters and not having the slightest idea of what I was really looking at, I really did not know what questions to ask, so not many were asked.

It was not until the new building started going up that I started having trepidations. The new garage was now about 4 to 5 feet from my bedroom window, while before I never really noticed the garage.

Because I could not figure how the old garage only came to a certain point and now it was seen from my bedroom window, I measured the old garage wall. What I did not know, since I did not know how to read the blueprints, was that the existing garage would now be several feet higher and that the garage would be extended an additional 6 1/2 feet forward, to forever block my little view.

Now, when I look out my window, instead of looking over the rooftops at greenery, I look directly into this colossal garage. I can only hope that this massive garage is just used for a garage.

I again went down to the city of Burbank and asked why the garage had been approved for an additional 6 1/2 feet. They advised that the measurements were legal and that I should have previously mentioned something about my objections to it. I told them up-front that I had absolutely no idea of how to read the document and had someone told or mentioned to me that the garage had been extended; I would have immediately said something about it.

This brings me to the essence of this letter. While it may be true that I cannot do anything at this point, it does not mean that I cannot share it with all Burbank residents in hopes that it might help others in the future and save them from the heartaches that go along when you're the adjacent next-door neighbor.