SUV owner's lament: Garages a tight squeeze
By: BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | ∞
Jeff Segall tries to squeeze an SUV into his Carlsbad garage.
BARBARA HENRY Staff Photographer
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CARLSBAD ---- Before Jeff Segall bought his two-story, Spanish-style home in Carlsbad's Aviara neighborhood, he took a measuring tape to the garage doors to make certain that if he ever bought a sport utility vehicle bigger than his Ford Explorer, it would fit inside.
But he miscalculated ---- "I forgot about the mirrors," he said Friday.
His frustrations with squeezing an Acura MDX into his garage ---- and his neighbors' bigger struggle with a Suburban ---- have led Segall to push Carlsbad to require that garage doors be at least 9-feet wide. It's a topic the city's Planning Commission will consider Wednesday.
The industry standard is an 8-feet wide door for a single-car garage.
For two-car garages, the kind most prevalent in North County, developers typically install a 16-foot door that's used by both vehicles. However, Segall lives in Carlsbad's tony Aviara, where some two-car garages have an architectural detail that require separate doors, each 8-feet wide.
City officials say they've encouraged that design as a way to make garage areas more visually interesting. The trouble is, it doesn't accommodate the modern sport utility vehicle, Segall said.
Commissioners initially debated the garage door topic in January when Segall was on the panel. He has since stepped down.
The issue will make a return appearance next week so that city staff members can gain a little more direction on how to rework Carlsbad's existing building standards, the city's planning director, Don Neu, said Friday.
Among the unsettled issues is whether the requirement would apply to older homes when they are renovated, as well as to new construction, he said.
Any change would ultimately need approval by the City Council.
The garage door proposal has its opponents. The Building Industry Association of San Diego County, a lobbying group for the construction industry representing some 1,400 member companies, has said it doesn't like the idea.
Association officials couldn't be reached for comment Friday, but in a letter to the city, the group's public policy advocate, Scott Molloy, wrote that requiring wider doors would limit builders' flexibility.
Wider doors make it difficult to make a garage area visually interesting and might even cause problems for the overall design of a home, he wrote. He said builders already know garage door width can be a problem.
"Builders are already adapting to the issue of garage doors by either offering a wider door where possible or notifying buyers of the size limitations of their garage doors," he added, calling it the "most appropriate way" to handle the situation.
Carlsbad doesn't technically have a mandated width for garage doors, the city's planning director said. The city has standards for the inside of a garage ---- a two-car garage must be at least 20 feet by 20 feet.
"The idea is once you get (into the garage), you have room to open the doors of the car," Neu said.
But there's no requirement on the width of a garage door. In fact, the city has encouraged the builders to put two 8-foot-wide doors on a two-car garage to improve the look of the garage area, he said.
How often developers use this style depends on the type of homes they're building --- some styles, say Spanish-influenced, may lend themselves to the two-door treatment, he said. However, the majority of new homes tend to have the single, 16-foot doors, he said.
Guy Oliver, a project manager for Corky McMillin Cos. handling part of Carlsbad's 1,112-home Robertson Ranch project along El Camino Real, said most of the homes in that development will have 16-foot-wide garage doors. Only 20 won't, he said.
He added that his company doesn't see the proposed width change as a big issue, but it is supportive of the stand that the building association has taken. It offers the company more flexibility, he said.
Meanwhile, Planning Commission Chairwoman Julie Baker said Friday that she's not sure what position she's going to take on the issue, adding that she will review the staff report this weekend.
"On the surface, it looks like a no-brainer," but there are other factors to consider, she said.
Baker said she won't support the change if it means compromising on the city's requirements to make garage areas look visually interesting. However, she's well aware that some large SUVs won't fit through an 8-foot garage door.
"My husband has a (Chevy) Tahoe and he has to fold the mirrors down to get it in," she said.
Folding the mirrors works to get a vehicle in a garage, but it makes backing out difficult, former Commissioner Segall said.
He demonstrated the difficulties Friday morning with his brother-in-law's Cadillac Escalade. The fully opened driver's side mirror touched one wall of his garage, and the partially folded-in passenger's side mirror was less than a half-inch from the other wall.
Though some folks might argue that people who buy big cars need to pay the price of their decision, Segall said he thinks the city needs to acknowledge that many of its residents have garage door troubles.
"All you have to do is go to Costco or a local school, and three-quarters of the vehicles are these larger vehicles, so it seems to me it's inherently obvious that it's a problem," he said.
Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com.
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Yogo Sales wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:52 PM:Buy a couple of YuGos and you could rack them and stack them...
janet wrote on Jul 14, 2007 1:03 AM:wow that is so pitiful. You buy a car that is a menace for all small car owners and that is a major cause of global warming. And then you whine that you can't get it in the garage. So whose fault is that? Oh, I get it. You want what you want and you want it now. End of story.
local osider wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:11 AM:Mabey its time to join the rest of the world in knowing that your SUV is overgrown and unnecssary. They not only take up too much space in your garage, they take up too much space when you park them on the street, or in parking lots and on the freeway..They take up too much fuel, and they make our freeways dangerous by instilling in the driver a sense of "might makes right so get outta my way". I would be ashamed to drive a large SUV at this stage of the game as it shows a sense of ignorance about the enviornment we live in. SUV's are bad for the community as a whole...mabey think about downsizing to a sedan? Better mileage, easier parking as well as nobody will look at you like your an ignorant fool!Ever hear of Global Warming people????
Come on, cars need to fit in garages! wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:13 AM:"Though some folks might argue that people who buy big cars need to pay the price of their decision" -- Give me a break. Garages should adequately house our cars without having to fold down mirrors etc. The purpose of a garage is for our cars. It is a no brainer if style is getting in the way of function. Do we all want garages filled with stuff and all of our neighbor's cars out on the street? Come on- make garages suit their purpose!!
Bob wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:24 AM:Extending the nine foot width requirement to renovation projects is a bad idea as the header for the eight foot door is already in place. Would require rebuilding entire wall, at great expense, for negligable gain.
SO? wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:38 AM:What's the problem? If you buy one of those large vehicles you can afford to build a garage to house it.
Too funny! wrote on Jul 14, 2007 7:47 AM:First I thought this article was just a ridiculous space filler. Then on further thought I realized how many of these people are floating around North County these days, taking up 1.25 parking spaces at the stores. Go after all the stores next Jeff...on my behalf, because I'm sick of getting back to my car to find that I have to climb in through the passenger door because some oversized vehicle piloted by a cell. phone yacker who can't drive the thing in the first place has decided to "share" my spot with me. Let's not even go into keeping them in their own freeway lane.
GFN wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:01 AM:"Visually interesting"??? Visually interesting vs. functionally convenient, and you have a problem deciding that??!!?? What the heck is the matter with you people??!!?? You have lost all touch with reality...make the doors nine feet so people can use their garages to PARK THEIR CARS!!!
stop already wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:53 AM:either don't buy the garage or don't buy the residence but stop blaming others because you buy a vehicles thats too big. move to ny city & pay 50k + for a parking stop or to the country and build your own garage. America, stop complaining about everything.
enviornmentalist wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:55 AM:think about the future...get a smaller suv that fits and then we will not need to read ridiculous articles like this...boo hoo poor suv drivers:(
Luxury Problems wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:16 AM:Isn't it a wonderful world when the Planning Commission can spend time considering how to get luxurious cars into even more luxurious garages. This poorly thought through idea will add 10's of $1,0000's of dollars to the cost of producing (and buying) already cost-prohibitive homes. The engineering and unconventional bracing required to stabilize the wider garage openings will be incredibly complex and muy expensivo. Just when did it become government's responsibility to ensure people buy cars that fit into standard garages? Are we that intellectually lazy that we need the local government to take care of this trivial luxury benefit? Isn't this the same Planning Commissioner that thought that making builders dress up the rear and side elevations of houses was also the city's responsibility (until the mayor told the commission they should not tilt at windmills unliess directed by the Council). Seagal - try lowering the cost of housing - not raising it to your elite Aviaran standard.
Poor things... wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:30 AM:my heart bleeds for you. First you have to pay $100 for a tank of gas, then they stopped making the big ol' Hummers, now this?! Oh, the HUMANITY! Makes me feel almost guilty driving my little Honda that takes $25 to fill and can squeeze into a shoe box. Maybe we should start a special charity for these poor SUV owners so they can afford the gas and build better garages.
jteacher wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:37 AM:PLEEEAAASSE! Are you SERIOUS? Oh...poor baby! Gee! My cars fit into my garage just fine! Hmmm! Another pet peeve, SUV drivers parking in "compact" spots! WHY do people feel the need to drive these obnoxious, gas guzzling, won't-even-fit-in-the-garage vehicles? Some kind of inferiority complex?
Hummer Driver wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:42 AM:SUVs are great! Before I bought my H2 though, I measured the garage several times. It fits just fine with plenty of leftover room for my 1965 Chrysler hobby car and plenty of storage space (it's a 3-car tandem garage.) Now my H2 stays nice and clean in the garage so that it will always look sharp for when I go out and drive around menacing those self righteous hybrid owners. Just remember that age old carpenter's rule: measure twice, cut once. LIVE BETTER, DRIVE AN SUV!
Unbelievable wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:04 AM:A new low, a front page story about some self important, decadent, yuppie who can't get his senseless, useless, vehicle (SUV) into his garage. These penquins are the reason gas prices are so high and help keep Lil' Bush's oil follies in operation.
What? wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:40 AM:Hehe, this is so funny. Do your freaking home work! These are the two biggest investments most people make. You might want to make sure they work together befor you buy. If the builders start haveing problems selling the units with eight foot doors you can bet they will stop building them that way.
Stupid wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:41 AM:Wow, I'm sure starving people in Africa can relate to this. Why don't you test out your vehicle before you buy it, including whether it fits into your garage! Are people really this out of touch? I can't believe I live in a world with people who are this stupid.
John wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:42 AM:Man bites off more than he can chew, manages to shovel it down his gullet and then can't fit in his pants (or through the bathroom door). He opines, "The doors are too small and my pants are too tight. Make the government force everyone to be my size." Gluttony be thy name.
Cal wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:46 AM:Maybe this guy is a liberal democrat - but living in Aviara, driving a mega-SUV, I betcha he's a conservative republican. Conservatives who usually don't like the government butting in have set up tight controls on homeowners who now can't fit their fat... cars in the garage. Not to make this a partisan issue, but isn't the irony here just amazing!
Waaaaahhh! wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:51 AM:This "I want my kids to safe in a giant truck even if it means killing everyone around me" attitude makes me sick. In five years these people would be driving decommissioned sherman tanks.
Economics 101 wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:06 AM:If you can't afford to buy in a neighborhood with big garages - you can't afford a big fat SUV.
Floyd wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:08 AM:Standard parking spaces are 12 feet wide, so the minimum garage door width should be 12 feet wide (assuming we're going to regulate that, too). And before you ask how two 12-foot doors can fit on a 20-foot garage, all you have to do is use the existing standard of one 16-foot door. There, see, wasn't that easy?
Liz wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:09 AM:You would think that instead of whining that the world needs to change to acommodate his massive wheels, that Jeff would have had a realization about the folly of buying bigger and bigger vehicles. What's the limit--these behemoths can hardly stay in their own traffic lanes. When I ran a bike shop, I was always amused by customers who bought a pair of bikes and then were unable to cram them into an oversized SUV. SUVs have big spatial "footprints" but don't seem to have that much useable interior space. I can easily fit two bikes and all of our camping gear inside our little Ford station wagon.
O'side Senior wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:16 AM:Bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger bellies, bigger deficits! Where will it end?
Too bad wrote on Jul 14, 2007 12:11 PM:So you buy a tank then whine because you can't fit the thing into your garage. Too bad! We already know you can't fit the thing into one parking space or one lane. I'll bet you whine about the high price of gas too! And if you run into a normal size car with that thing, think of the major damage you do to others. Oh, that's right, you don't think about anyone else.
Vero wrote on Jul 14, 2007 12:29 PM:C'mon folks, there are people who don't have beds to sleep in or enough food to eat. What is the reason that you need to drive around in an oversided SUV anyway....sound like ego to me, hey everyone look how much money I have. Buy a smaller car and leave the garages alone.
reality wrote on Jul 14, 2007 12:35 PM:get a clue! Typical Carlsgood yuppy- someday maybe you'll understand but it will probably be too late.
It's all about $ wrote on Jul 14, 2007 12:59 PM:Builders' cut corners every way they can when building new houses, so of course garages will be smaller. The auto industry builds bigger cars. It doesn't take a village to figure this one out. Buy a car that's energy efficient, buy a house that's older. I agree with Nelson....Ha Ha:)
Midterm wrote on Jul 14, 2007 1:44 PM:Why can't the megasized car owner fork over some money to resize the garage to fit the SUV? Why make all homeowners who have normal sized cars pay extra?
Sad wrote on Jul 14, 2007 2:21 PM:They should look at requiring that all homes use solar rather than encouraging the continuous consumption of resources. We live in a really sad world.
GFN wrote on Jul 14, 2007 2:41 PM:Floyd, you are wrong about the 12 foot parking width. It is probably 8 1/2, or even 8 feet only...some cities have 9, but none more than that.
American wrote on Jul 14, 2007 2:55 PM:We as a society can't allow this! Wasteful, unsafe-in-accident, egoistic SUV drivers wanted things their own way. What kind of society we lived in that allow these kind of behaviors?
Loud Applause!!!! wrote on Jul 14, 2007 3:37 PM:Early this am no comments were visible yet. It does my heart good to know that there are indeed rational thinking people still left in North County. -Too Funny
Floyd wrote on Jul 14, 2007 3:41 PM:I was referring to "standard" parking spaces, not "compact" parking spaces. Please pay attention.
Small_Car_Fan wrote on Jul 14, 2007 4:13 PM:It's amazing how many people think they need a big vehicle (especially an SUV). When I was a kid, my parents had a Volkswagen Beetle (their only car at the time), and my mom, dad, sister and I all used to fit fine in there. And now, I see single drivers in Ford Expeditions and other behemoths! In fact, I know one person who bought a van just so he could carry his telescope around (and it's not even that big of a telescope either)! Pretty funny! Anyway, SUV drivers out there...what is it that you actually DO with your SUVs (spoken in an "Office Space" voice) that you couldn't do with a regular car?
No Floyd wrote on Jul 14, 2007 4:15 PM:"Standard" parking spaces are 8 1/2 or 9 feet wide. Have somebody who can read look it up for you.
Mike wrote on Jul 14, 2007 4:16 PM:Do they have support groups for people with cars too large for their garages?
Big Truck wrote on Jul 14, 2007 5:03 PM:Is there really noyhing else to report, i mean who cares about this idiot an his problem. I drive a Ford F-350 Crew Cab Extended bed overall lenght 21ft 8inches and 8ft 9inches wide. It has a 7inch lift and 42inch tires and i parked just fine on a 3 car driveway. My garage is full of dirt bikes.
Democrack wrote on Jul 14, 2007 5:12 PM:I love my diesel pickup, and my wife loves her Mercedes, both of them. Regardless of what the hand-wringing liberalistas say, this is STILL America. We can drive whatever we want. I can afford our five cars, RV, and our 4400 square foot house in Encinitas. You whiners simply have a bad case of envy. Get over it. Want to be wealthy? Work smart, invest smart, don't follow the crowd.
I feel sorry for them... wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:17 PM:what a dilemma! Hey, whadda 'bout the Hummer owners? Probably too heartwrenching to delve into that topic.(Sniffle)Life just isn't fair! Someone should PAY for this inconvenience! Sue the SUV manufacturers so they will be forced to put large stickers on the new trucks to warn potential buyers of this defect. Private sellers should have to disclose the supersize problem to used SUV buyers. Good luck SUV owners. We´re rootin´for ya!
Carole wrote on Jul 14, 2007 7:07 PM:So everybody in Carlsbad has to have a more expensive garage because of a few yuppie crybabies. Here's a clue. Buy a smaller car. Then you can stay in your lane, fit in one parking space. What REALLY gets me is parents buying their teens SUVs because they are safer. Sure, if you have an accident, but better to get a smaller, better handling cars so they won't have an accident.
Janet wrote on Jul 14, 2007 7:11 PM:We don't care what you can afford. I have money too, but I choose to spend it in other ways. The point is that you should buy a car to fit your garage or a house to fit your car. But you shouldn't whine about it if your huge car doesn't fit in the lanes (ever getting smaller) or your garage. Or about the price of gas.
Mikthebik wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:02 PM:It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. Mark Twain
To Small Car Fan wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:08 PM:"what is it that you actually DO with your SUVs (spoken in an "Office Space" voice) that you couldn't do with a regular car? " ... ANSWER: Pull My Boat!!!
Use The Driveway wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:10 PM:If he can't fit the car in the garage then he can park it in the driveway ... or he can move to a house that will accommodate his vehicle ... or he can buy a vehicle that will accommodate his house. There's no reason to go changing policy & building requirements because someone's vehicle is too big for his britches!
EthnicStudent wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:45 PM:Was this really on the front page? Thank you Jeff and this reporter for making us North County people look STUPID and INCONSIDERATE to REAL PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karen wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:19 PM:You measure the space before buying a stove or refiregerator, do the same with your damn SUV's. Honestly, this shouldn't even make it into the newspaper with everything else going on in the world around us.
Karen wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:27 PM:This is so funny...we are thinking of buying a Toyota Tacoma when the one we have now "expires" and we were measuring the garage to make sure the long bed model would fit if we got the full extra cab. (to make it a four seat truck)...That's just for your basic non-SUV 4X4 truck. SUV's seem to be for people who have inadeqaucies or empty spaces in other parts of their lives. Try to make yourself and the world around you better, don't by an SUV.
Nick wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:28 PM:Small cars are for poor folks, tree huggers and those without kids. I can afford the fuel in my big diesel truck, it fits in my driveway just fine, hauls my toys to the river and fits a famly of 4 extremely well, not to mention them being safer wrapped in AMERICAN STEEL! You want to make San Diego a better place to live? If you weren't born here, leave. That's a helluva good start.
jteacher wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:06 PM:Democrack, You are the type of person that makes the world a disgusting place to live for so many others. It's all about YOU. It's all about what you feel ENTITLED to! Guess what? I have plenty of money to buy an SUV, but I prefer to buy a car that doesn't destroy the environment and guzzle up valuable resources. When I bought my last vehicle my number one criteria was that it didn't use too much gas. NOT because I can't afford it, but because I think it's WRONG! "Work smart, invest smart, don't follow the crowd?" Wow! That's pretty profound. How about..."Be kind to others, take care of the planet, be considerate, make a contribution to society, don't be greedy, don't get caught up in materialism..." You get my point!
JC wrote on Jul 16, 2007 7:42 AM:Maybe you should buy smarter.. European.. VW touareg Has Mirrors That fold in... if you want BIG... anyway you should buy a car that does destroy our Earth...
Get over It! wrote on Jul 16, 2007 1:55 PM:Jeff's car is a Ford Explorer....geez all you tree huggers and self righteous "small car" drivers...it's not like he has a Hummer or a WHOOMPING HUGE Excursion!!! An Explorer is basically a MiniVan that sits a little higher. Sounds like there are a bunch of haters out there! I'm not giving up my SUV, I love it! I works for me, fits in my driveway and it's not going anywhere!!
SUV Drivers Fund Terrorism wrote on Jul 16, 2007 1:56 PM:Boo hoo... people buy big trucks and SUVs and then complain when they don't fit in garages and parking spaces. We've got troops dying in the Middle East to guarantee the flow of oil, so that fat, lazy Americans driving large vehicles have plenty of gas.
Alf wrote on Jul 16, 2007 2:57 PM:Big cars, "Nick", are for those who do not understand that gasoline comes from crude oil that does not exist in infinite quantities. Once it is gone, then what? I guess you do not give a rat's behind about how your grandchildren get around, do you? Live for today and let the others worry about tomorrow, RIGHT? Alf, the Libertarian.
esteban wrote on Jul 16, 2007 3:57 PM:Why would you want to park in the garage anyway? I keep all my other stuff in the garage. I park my Hummer and Suburban on the street where they belong. Once we start tapping into that Alaskan oil, gas will NOT be a problem. Unabashed conservative, esteban.
Nick wrote on Jul 16, 2007 7:13 PM:That's exactly right "Alf". For the last 40 or 50 years, nobody gave a damn, and now, all of a sudden, global warming, waning crude oil production and the environment are all "MY" problems. Your right, I don't give a rat's behind. Your generation didn't care "Alf" and now I'm supposed too. Nope. When you get China and India to start caring, maybe I just might, but I doubt it. Like I said, I can afford the diesel fuel for my truck, the $1,000 a year to register it and the $5,000 a year in property taxes for my big house and chunk of land. Don't even get me started on the $700 a month I shell out for my family's health insurance. Welcome to America, the land of Democracy and free trade, yep!
RobertM wrote on Jul 16, 2007 8:39 PM:Why should the government be involved. Surely there must be house with a nine foot garage you could buy. If people demand it, the market will provide. Builders want to sell the houses they build. Should the government also widen all the freeway lanes to accomodate larger and larger vehicles?
Hey Floyd... wrote on Jul 16, 2007 10:05 PM:You'll notice "tony" Aviara is not the menace you might think he is when you consult your pocket thesaurus (and grasp the lack of a capitalized "T"). Good luck in the future mate.
Bill wrote on Jul 17, 2007 10:17 PM:These are the kind of stories that give me pause about how desireable it may be to live in the Aviara area of Carlsbad. Carlsbad should be careful about being tolerant of such frivolous importuning. The City should not entertain any change which would encourage SUVs. Jeff Segall's difficulties parking his SUV are his problem. The next owner of his house will probably have a hybrid, and the owner after that an even smaller car. By then this story will be nothing more than an anecdote of life when times were different. City planners would be wise to let this one pass.
Nick wrote on Jul 18, 2007 5:53 PM:Aviara is an eyesore, just like every other development in the last 10 years. Bulldoze them all and give it back to nature. I love how all of the tree hugging enviormentalists come out of the woodwork for this article. How many of you are living in some concrete development that was built in the last 10 years? Drive a hybrid and help the environment, but we're hypocrites becuase once beautiful open space was paved over to make room for my home that looks like every other one in our cute little devlopment, with wonderful HOA's and CC&R's to tell you what you can and can't do with "your" property. What a joke.....
Escalade's suck gas and space wrote on Jul 21, 2007 1:14 PM:"He demonstrated the difficulties Friday morning with his brother-in-law's Cadillac Escalade. The fully opened driver's side mirror touched one wall of his garage, and the partially folded-in passenger's side mirror was less than a half-inch from the other wall." This is disgusting, rampant materialism at its finest. If the car doesn't fit, you must...get over it, and move somewhere else. Don't waste our taxpayer's dollars debating over this nonsense.
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