City Strips Forster Mansion of Special-Events Permit

Wedding and other special events are no longer allowed at the , the Planning Commission voted Tuesday, stripping the "historical treasure" of its permit after city officials found a litany of code violations.

Among the issues uncovered by city staffers: sewage spills onto Ortega Highway, un-screened portable toilets and amplified music played after 10 p.m.

"I don’t see any attempt to comply with conditions of approval," Commissioner Jeff Parkhurst said of a permit that sets forth 27 rules with which the event operator must comply. Instead, he said, it's as if Arpi Evans is "thumbing her nose" at the rules.

Evans has operated an events business out of the mansion since May 2008. She initially began hosting events without proper licensing, but since obtaining in it September 2009, the city reported receiving , mostly about noise generated during event setup and from deejays as they emcee.

Evans said Tuesday she is unsure whether she'll appeal the Planning Commission's decision—made in a 5-1 vote—to the City Council. She has indicated that it's an option, considering she has weddings booked for future dates.

She told the Planning Commission that she "was baffled by all of this." In some cases, she said there were no violations, and in others, she said she needed more time to meet the conditions of approval.

But there's been a "litany of violations and noncompliance," Commissioner Gene Ratcliffe said. "I would be hesitant to give the operator a chance to correct them, because she’s had that opportunity."

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