ENCINITAS -- Saying that an umbrella was not just an umbrella but "life blood" for him, developer Richard Sax persuaded Encinitas planning commissioners Thursday night to allow residents of the Lofts at Moonlight Beach to put up sun umbrellas on their decks.

The commissioners seemed to agree, voting 3-1 to allow 12 forest green umbrellas on the rooftop decks of the three-story live-work complex on the corner of Encinitas Boulevard and Coast Highway 101.

Commissioner Gene Chapo voted against the motion, and Commissioner Paul Van Syke was absent.

The project, which includes 18 luxury condominiums with more than 13,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, broke ground in July 2007.

"I had no idea this would become such a major concern, and it wasn't for two years," Sax told the commissioners. "But now, we have found that it makes the difference between a sale and not a sale."

All of the 18 condominiums are three-story lofts with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. They range in price from $1.5 million to $2.5 million. Only 12 of the units have roof decks, the developer's architect, David Hawkins, said Thursday night.

Construction is expected to be complete by the end of October with move-in slated for November. So far, only two lofts and two commercial spaces have been sold.

Sax said before the meeting that he underestimated how important it would be to buyers to be able to put up umbrellas on the decks.

"This is really important, " he said. "It's so important that I came out tonight with the debate on and missed my wife's cooking."

City senior planner Gene Ybarra said Sax and his team scheduled a meeting in May with residents to discuss the issue of allowing umbrellas, but no one from the community attended. Only one resident wrote a letter lodging a complaint, pointing out that the building was already one of the tallest on the Coast Highway from La Jolla to Oceanside, and umbrellas would further block views of the ocean.

Peder Norby, Leucadia Highway 101 coordinator, said that it didn't surprise him that the commission was dealing with a question about rooftop umbrellas.

"We have height limits in Encinitas," he said. "People hold their ocean views and those height limits very dear. On the surface, it could look like we're micromanaging but tell that to someone with an ocean view."

Sax said the process of getting approval from the Planning Commission and the City Council has been expensive and lengthy.

Just last month, the council debated whether to allow the developer to stripe one parking space in front of the project on A Street for Postal Service parking.

Councilwomen Teresa Barth and Maggie Houlihan opposed allowing the one on-street parking space, but the motion carried by a 3-2 vote.

Contact Staff Writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 901-4074 or at rwebster@nctimes.com.