Politics & Government

Derting May Sue City Over Home Improvement Project Review

Councilmembers Jane Day and Mike Hudson want a plan to add a cover to Derting's second story balcony to undergo an appeal hearing.

Suisun City Councilman Sam Derting implied he will sue the city if an upcoming city council review of his home addition plans goes against him, claiming other councilmembers are playing politics with this decision.

Last Tuesday, councilman Mike Hudson and Vice Mayor Jane Day issued a terse letter to the city's community development director requesting a council review of this month's unanimous planning commission approval of Derting's addition.

Derting lives in the 1000 Block of Park Lane, a string of stately homes lining the waterfront promenade's Delta Cove subdivision. Derting applied to cover a north-facing second story deck of his home.

Derting's plan met unanimous approval from commissioners, with little comment, in their Dec. 14 meeting. Mayor Pete Sanchez sat in the audience, as well as Sam Derting and his wife. No one spoke against the proposal.

Day said Thursday she wanted to appeal Derting's addition because it was important for the council to review the decision.

"(It should be looked at) because it's on the waterfront, first off. And that's a very pristine area," she said.

Hudson did not respond to two requests for comment, one made Tuesday afternoon and one made Thursday before deadline. On Tuesday, Hudson said he was too busy to respond.

Derting said he sees the appeal as nothing short of political payback because he didn't support the two councilmembers on their recent election and on decisions where he differed with Day and Hudson, The council splits 3-2 on some decisions, with Derting and councilman Mike Segala often in the minority.

"I have every intention of taking every legal means necessary to protect my private property rights," Derting said. "I'm going to pursue it. I'm going to exercise my rights afforded to me by the constitution."

Derting said he hired the architect who built his house on more than 7,000 square feet of land to make sure he was in compliance with city rules.

"I even had the same paint (selected)," he said. "I hired the same architect and I said I wanted it exactly the same. I followed the rules explicitly for the law."

The matter is not on the council's Jan. 4 agenda, and Day said she hadn't been told when the issue is scheduled to come before the council.


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