R-10346RESOLUTION NO 10346 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA TO
APPROVE AN AMENDMENT OF THE LAND USE PLAN SCENIC AND VISUAL
RESOURCES MAP OF THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM TO DELINEATE THE
.PUBLIC VIEWS THAT WILL BE AFFORDED FROM THE REMODELED VIEWING
DECK AT SANTA MONICA PLACE
WHEREAS, in approving the Santa Monica Place project ih 1977, the California
Coastal Commission required that public viewing decks within a 10,000 square foot open
public desk space be provided at the second and third floors of the Second Street
elevation to afford the public an opportunity to view the sandy beach, ocean, ocean
horizon and Santa Monica Pier; and
WHEREAS, when Santa Monica Place was built in 1980, the public viewing decks
were provided at the second and third floors and were originally used, in part, for outdoor
dining and public viewing; and
WHEREAS, within the past ten years the viewing areas ceased to be used for
outdoor dining and few, if any, members of the public used the decks for viewing the
ocean, beach and Santa Monica Pier as retail activity at the second and third floors of
Santa Monica Place has declined; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.02.20.18.080(c)
application 06GPA-001 was filed with the City of Santa Monica on September 15, 2006 in
conjunction with a four story, affordable 164-room hotel development at 1515 Ocean
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Avenue and 1530 Second Street which would impact the views from the viewing decks at
Santa Monica Place; and
WHEREAS, application 06GPA-001 requested that the Land Use Plan Scenic and
Visual Resources Map of the Local Coastal Program be amended to remove the second
and third floor decks on the Second Street elevation of Santa Monica Place as designated
public viewing areas;
WHEREAS, since the Coastal Commission's approval of Santa Monica Place and
construction of the mall there have beeh a number of commercial buildings approved by
the Coastal Commission and built along Second Street and Ocean Avenue that diminish
the views from-the viewing decks, including the building at 1540 Second Street; and
WHEREAS, in approving the building at 1540 Second Street in 2004, the Coastal
Commission found the views from the .second and third floor viewing decks were not
significant and the decks offered very little ocean viewing opportunities for the public due
to the location of the mall, existing development and other obstructions along Second
Street and Ocean Avenue and, for these reasons, suggested that the City should have
amended the Land Use Plan Scenic and Visual Resources Map of the Local Coastal
Program to remove the decks as public viewing areas prior to City approval of the
development; and
WHEREAS, the remodel of Santa Monica Place has been approved by the City
and the Coastal Commission, and construction is ongoing which will remove the second
floor viewing platform and will establish a smaller 5,700 square foot open public deck on
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the third floor adjacent to an 8,000 square foot enclosed food court with orientation toward
Second Street which due to this redesign will afford views towards the ocean over other
buildings, i.e., the 1540 Second Street building; and
WHEREAS, in the report prepared for the Coastal Commission in conjunction with
the approval of the Santa Monica Place remodel, the Coastal Commission staff
acknowledged that the public viewing decks on the second and third floors were no longer
relevant but that the visitor-serving opportunities offered by the remodeled mall including
restaurants, outdoor seating, public viewing area with ocean orientation and parking would
continue to be available.
WHEREAS, to preserve the view of the ocean, the proposed development would
have to be reduced to two stories; and
WHEREAS, as demonstrated by the feasibility analysis proposed by PKF
Consulting on February 1, 2007 and peer reviewed by Maurice Robinson & Associates,
LLC, on June 21, 207, only a luxury hotel could be economically developed at this site at
that reduced height.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council does hereby amend the Land Use Plan Scenic and
Visual Resources. Map of the Local Coastal Program as set forth in Exhibit "A", attached
to this Resolution.
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SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this. Resolution, and,
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Gr~l~~ ~ti~
M H OUTRI
Ci Att ney
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Adopted and approved this 23`d day of September, 2008.
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Richard Bloom, Mayor Pro Tem
I, Maria Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Resolution No. 10346 (CCS~ was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 23` day of September, 2008, by the
following vote:
Ayes: Council members: Genser, Holbrook, McKeown, O'Connor, Shriver
Mayor Pro Tem Bloom
Noes: Council members: None
Abstain: Council members: None
Absent: Council members: Mayor Katz
ATTEST:
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Maria M. Stewart, C y Clerk
EXHIBIT A
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