SR-400-004 (12)
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JUL 1 4 198t
Santa Monlca, Californla, July l4, 1981
TO:
Mayor and Clty Councll
FROM:
Clty Staff
SUBJECT: Plannlng Comrnlssion's Recornmendatlons for Establlsh-
ment of a Site ReVlew Dlstrlct for Ocean Avenue
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Introduct~on
This report transmlts the Plannlng Commlsslon's recommendatlon
that a Slte ReVlew Dlstrict be establlshed for the C3 Dlstrlct
located between Ocean Avenue and Second Street and Wllshire
Boulevard and Colorado Avenue.
Background
Last October the Clty Council lmposed a moratorium on new con-
structlon ln excess of two storles on the C3 area between Ocean
and Second and Wilshire and Colorado and dlrected the Plannlng
CommlSSlon to review the area and make recommendatlons for develop-
ment standards, partlcularly helght llmlts.
Analysls of the area indlcated the following:
1. The area encompasses four olocks of C3-zoned property
wlth a total area of 720,000 sq.ft. or 16.5 acres.
2. The current C3 zonlng permits office bUlldlngs up to
SlX stories and 90 feet on both the Ocean Avenue and
Second Street propertles and also permlts resldentlal
development on the Ocean Avenue frontage up to 6 storles
and 65 feet.
3. The proposed amendment recommended by the Plannlng
Commission would limit offlce development to 3.3 tlmes
lot area.
4. EXlstlng development is mlxed commercial and reslden-
tlal, ranglng fro~ the 22-story General Telephone DUlldlng
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JUt 1 4 1981
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~ayor and Clty Councll
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July 6, 1981
to older I-story structures. Several examples of rehabi-
lltat10n are 1nc1uded. Approximately 29% of the total
area would be cons1dered permanently developed 1n that
1t has structures or uses wh1ch would not normally be
subJect to demollt~on or removal for many years. These
include the General Telephone bU11d1ng, Champagne Towers,
the new W1lsh1re Pal1sades bU1ld1ng, the F1rst Presby-
terlan Church, the Shangrl-La Hotel and the Paclflc
Plaza.
5. Potent1al floor area development in the rema~n1ng
12.5 acres is 1.68 nulhon square feet at a 3.3 rat10.
6. The Local Coastal Program prO]ectlon for thlS area
1S not speclf1c although a reduced helght Ilmlt was
d1scussed at one point of the process. Vlew protectlon
from the publlC areas of Santa Monica Place lS des1g-
nated in the LCP.
Inasmuch as there 1S no established pattern or deslgn crlteria
common to each section, the P1annlng CornmlSS1on recommends the
area be placed In a Slte ReVlew D1strlct so that proposals can
be consldered on an lndlvidual basis as to compatlblllty wlth
Ocean Avenue and adjacent structures. The Commission believes
that speclfic setbacks or bUlldlng helghts, no matter how restrlc-
tlve, could result in uncomplementary development and that the
Slte ReVlew procedures are a preferable alternatlve.
Alternatlves
The City CounCl1 may effect any change of dlstrlct recommended
by the Plannlng CommlSS1on by directlng the Clty Attorney to
draft the required ordlnance for Councll conslderatlon.
Recommendation
It is respectfully recommended that the Council act favorably
on the plannlng COffiffilssion's recommendation by requesting the
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Mayor and Counc~l
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July 15, 1981
Attorney to prepare the necessary ordinance and return lt for
appropr~ate conslderatlon.
Prepared by J. W. Lunsford
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C3-S 5/18/81
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FINDINGS AND RECO~~lENDATIONS OF THE
SANTA MONICA CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
ON A PROPOSED fu~ENDMENT TO THE SANTA
MONICA DISTRICTING MAP ESTABLISHING
A SITE REVIEW DISTRICT ON PORTIONS
OF OCEAN AVENUE AND SECOND STREET.
SECTION 1. A resolution of lntentlon having been adopted
on April 20, 1981 and a public hearing having been held on
May 18, 1981 III accordance with the provisions of Section
9149 of Chapter 1. Article IX of the Santa Monica Municipal
Code, the Clty Plannlng Commission hereby finds as follows:
1. That property located in the City of Santa
Monica legally described as Blocks 123. 148. 173
and 198, Town of Santa Monica Tract, and commonly
known as 1201 through 1599 Ocean Avenue; l200
through 1598 Second Street (even only); and the
100 numbered blocks of Wllshire Boulevard; Arlzona
Avenue; Santa Monlca Boulevard; Broadway and
Colorado Avenue are presently classified in the
C3 General Comrnerclal District which permlts
bUlldings up to six storles in height without
required setbacks or yard spaces.
2. Existing zoning standards ln the C3 District
allow buildings of excessive height and scale which
may not be compatible or complementary to Palisades
Park and surrounding properties and requlre amendment
to protect public and private land and preserve the
ambience and environment of the surrounding area.
3. Due to the rRnge and diversity of eXlsting
development, the establishment of speclfic height,
yard and setback requirements will not assure compat-
ible and complementary development.
4. The establishment of a Site ReVlew District in
which each proJect could be evaluated in light of
ltS lndividual merits and effect on the community
would 'provide better protection and flexibllity than
speclfic standards.
5. The public necessity, convenience, general welfare
and good zoning practice require the proposed change
from C3, General Commercial. to C3-S, Site Review Dlstrlct.
SECTION 2. The Planning Commisslon hereby recommends that the
Honorable Clty Counell of the City of Santa Monlca amend the
Districtlng Map by reclassifying the subject propertles from the
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C3-S Slte Review Distrlct
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C3, General Commercial Distrlct, to the C3~R' General Commercial
Site ReVlew Dlstrlct. '
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SECTION 3. The Chairperson 15 authorized to execute these
findlngs and recommendations and the Secretary to certify to
their adoption after which they shall be forwarded to the City
Council for consideratlon and action.
DATED thlS 18th day of May 1981
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~E:t'tBERT KA~1,""c~ai
City Plannlng Corom'ss n
City of Santa Monica
I, James Lunsford, hereby certlfy that the above action was
approved by the following vote:
AYES: Cloke, HotchklSS, Kennedy, Edwards, Kleffle, Katz
NOES: None
ABSENT: Sullivan