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Council Mtg January 27, 1998
JAN 2 7 1998
Santa MOnica, Callforma
TO Mayor and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Adopt an Intenm Ordinance Extending a Moratorium on
SubdivIsions In the Area Bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street.
Adelaide Dnve and Montana Avenue
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council adopt an Intenm ordinance to extend for 48
months an eXisting emergency ordinance that prohibits subdivIsions In the area bounded
by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street, Adelaide Dnve and Montana Avenue On December
16, 1997 the City Council adopted a 45-day emergency ordinance establishing a
subdiVIsion moratonum In this area This ordinance Will expire on January 30. 1998 unless
the proposed ordinance (Attachment A) IS adopted
DISCUSSION
The eXisting 45-day emergency ordmance places a moratonum on the acceptance for
processing of subdivIsion applications filed after November 25, 1997 In the portion of the
Palisades Tract bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street. Adelaide Drive and Montana
Avenue The proposed Intenm ordinance extending this subdivIsion moratorium IS
necessary to provide the Plannmg Commission and City CounCil time to study and evaluate
a text amendment request to modify the minimum lot Width standards In this area The
mtenm ordmance Will ensure that no further subdivISions Will occur In the area that could
irreversibly alter the essentIal character and scale of the Palisades Tract until a deCISIon '6 A
JAN 2 7 1998
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IS made concerning the pending text amendment
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommendation presented In this report will have no budgetary or financial Impacts
RECOMMENDA TION
It IS respectfully recommended that the City Council adopt the attached interim ordinance
extending the moratorium on subdiVISIons In the area bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh
Street, Adelaide Drive and Montana Avenue for a period of two years
Prepared by
Suzanne Frick, Director
Karen Ginsberg, Planmng Manager
Amanda Schachter, Semor Planner
Planmng and Commumty Development Department
Attachment A
B
Ordinance
Public Notice
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ATTACHMENT A
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CIty Council Meeting 1-27 -98
Santa MOnica. Cahforrua
ORDINANCE NUMBER 1897 (CCS)
(City CouncIl Senes)
AN INTERIM ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM ON SUBDIVISIONS IN THE AREA BOUNDED
BY OCEAN AVENUE, SEVENTH STREET, ADELAIDE DRIVE,
AND MONTANA AVENUE PE:r-..roING REVISIONS TO THE
ZONING ORDINAL"ICE CHANGING THE MlNIMLl}..1 LOT
WIDTH FROM FIFTY FEET TO o~r: HUhTIRED
FEET FOR AN R-1 LOT WITHIN THE ABOVE-
DESCRIBED AREA, DECLARING THE
PRESENCE OF AN EMERGENCY
TIIE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS
SECTION 1 Fmdings and Purpose The City Counctl finds and declares
(a) The area of the City bounded by Seventh Street, Ocean Avenue. AdelaIde Dnve. and
Montana Avenue IS located wltlun the PalIsades Tract which was origmally subdIvIded III 1905
and IS a uruque and dlstmctIve neIghborhood
(b) Among the Pahsades Tract's speCial charactensttcs are 100 foot WIde streets, as
opposed to the 60 foot to 80 foot Wide streets typical for other Rl zoned areas of the City,
parcels WIth 100 feet of street frontage, as opposed to the typiCal Rl parcel street frontage of 50
feet, 200 foot parcel depths, as opposed to the typical 150 foot deep parcels found throughout
most of the CIty. 40 foot front yard setbacks, as opposed to the 20 foot to 30 foot front yard
setbacks In most of the other Rl areas of the CIty, and parkways and SIdewalks WhiCh are on
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average 25 feet in width_ Each of these features has a direct and substantIal Impact on the
character and scale of the neighborhood
(c) The Paltsades Tract was designed to accommodate large homes WIth large yards and It
was developed consistent Wlth thIs deSign Consequently, the Palisades Tract presently contams
large, old homes surrounded by substantial yards and gardens
(d) As a result of its broad streets and pathways. large lots, old homes. ample yards and
gardens, and substanttal setbacks, the Palisades Tract prOVIdes more open space than any other
reSIdential neIghborhood In the City
(e) The character and scale of the ongmal PalIsades Tract make It umque In the City The
City itself is extremely dense With a land area of Just 8 square mIles and a populatIon of
approximately 90,000 people Moreover, the combinatIOn of an ocean side location, fine chmate,
vigorous economy, and urban faClhtles, services and entenamment venues make the Cuy an
extremely deSirable place to work or VISlt Consequently, on any weekday, apprOXImately
200,000 persons are present in the City. and on weekends, thiS number frequently clImbs to
400,000 Dr more Population density and congestion both present threats to the quahty ofhfe III
the CIty
(t) Given the City's denSity, the Pahsades Tract and the open space 11 provides are umque
recreational and aesthetIc assets City reSIdents and VISItors frequently walk and bicycle 1fi thIS
neighborhood due to Its special ambience
(g) The Palisades Tract was subsequently expanded in 1912 eastward However, that
portion of the PalIsades Tract was not developed In the same scale and character as the ongtnal
PalIsades Tract and is not mcluded in the moratonum
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(h) Between 1947 and the early 1970's, a number of subdivIsIons of the parcels occurred
m the PalIsades Tract These lot splIts were approved admmistrauvely as a matter ofnght In
1976] the City Council adopted Ordmance 1024 whIch repealed the nght to subdIVIde lots as a
matter of right and required pubhc notIce of a vanance applIcatIon to approve lot splits under
certain condItions In 1984, the CIty Council adopted OrdInance 1294 to Implement the State
SubdiVISIon Map Act and reqUIre Planrung CommissIon approval of subdIVISIon requests Smce
1976, no lot spht has been approved in the Pahsades Tract Consequently, the majority
of the original 100 foot parcels In the Pahsades Tract are stIll mtact and the ongmal character and
scale of the tract has been maIntamed However, the loss of any addltlonal 100 foot parcels
would adversely and Irrevocab]y serve to change the character and scale of the Palisades Tract
Reducmg lot wtdth from 100 feet to 50 feet would reduce the reqUlred sIdeyard setback by 50%,
resultmg m less open space between homes and greater development denSity Reducing lot Width
would also result m the removal of older homes In the neighborhood AddItIOnally, reducmg an
eXlst10g 100 foot Wide parcel Into two 50 foot Wlde parcels would be mconslstent WIth the
ongmal deSIgn and plan for the character and scale of the Pahsades Tract
(I) WIthin the past eIght months, real estate values In the CIty have nsen sIgmficantly, and
the CIty has received two apphcatlOns for subdIVISions oflots m the Pahsades Tract The CIty
antiCipates other apphcatlOns Will be forthcommg
(J) A text amendment has been ti]ed to modIfy the mlO1mum lot Width standards 10 thIS
area from 50 feet to 100 feet Before the Zonmg Ordmance IS amended, the potential for
approval oflot sphts poses a current and immediate threat to the puhhc health, safety, and welfare
of the reSidents The approval of permIts for such development would result In a threat to pubhc
health, safety, and welfare In that such approvals could IrreverSibly alter the essential character
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and scale of the Pahsades Tract and depnve the CIty of a unIque and essential resource, as
detatled above
(k) In hght of the above-mentioned concerns, the CIty CounCIl adopted Ordmance Number
1892 (CCS) on December 16, 1997, which ordinance estabhshed a 45 day moratonum
(1) Pendmg the study and possIble amendment of the ZOnIng Ordmance, It IS necessary, on
an intenm baSIS, to estabhsh a moratonum on subdivIsions m that portion of the Palisades Tract
described above
SECTION 2 Moratonum
(a) A moratonum IS hereby placed on the acceptance for processmg of any applicatIOn for
approval of planrung, bUilding, engmeenng, or other CIty permits for subdIVISIons In the area
bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street, Adelaide Dnve, and Montana Avenue
(b) CIty staff IS hereby dIrected to disapprove all apphcatlOns filed after November 25,
1997 for approval ofplannmg, buildmg, engmeenng. or other City permIts for subdlVlslOns m the
area bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street, Adelaide Dnve, and Montana Avenue
SECTION 3 This ordmance shall be of no further force and effect forty-eIght (48)
months from the date of ItS adoptIOn, unless pnor to that date, after a pubhc heanng, notIced
pursuant to Santa Momca MUnICIpal Code Section 9 04 20 22 050, the CIty Councd, by maJonty
vote, extends the moratonum
SECTION 4 ThIS ordmance IS declared to be an urgency measure adopted pursuant to
the proVISIons of SectIOn 9 04 20 16 060 of the Santa MOnIca MUnICipal Code and SectIOn 615 of
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the Santa Maruca City Charter As set forth In the findmgs above, thiS ordmance IS necessary for
preserving the pubhc health, safety, and welfare, and the approval of any additIonal subdiVISIons
would result In a threat to pubhc health. safety, or welfare
SECTION 5 Any prOVISion of the Santa Momca Murucipal Code or appendIces thereto
inconsIstent Wlth the prOVISIons of thiS Ordmance, to the extent of such mconSlstenCles and no
further, IS hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the proviSIOns oftlus
Ordmance
SECTION 6 Ifany sectIon, subsectIOn, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordmance IS
for any reason held to be mvahd or unconstltuttonal by a declSlon of any court of competent
Junsdlction, such deCIsion shall not affect the validity of the remammg portIOns of thIS Ordmance
The CIty Council hereby declares that It would have passed thiS Ordmance and each and every
sectiOn, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared mvaltd or unconstItutIOnal Without
regard to whether any portion of the ordmance would be subsequently declared mvaltd or
unconstitutional
lOW; 9
SECTION 7 The Mayor shall sIgn and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage ofthts
Ordmance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be pubhshed once in the officIal newspaper
Wlthin 15 days after Its adoptlOn Thts Ordmance shall become effective upon 11s adoption
APPROVED AS TO FO&'1
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MARSHA JONES vMOUTRIE
CIty Attorney
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Robert Holbrook. Mayor
State of Cahforma )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
Cay of Santa MOllica )
I. Mana M Stewart, CIty Clerk of the Cay of Santa MOllica. do hereby certIfy that the
foregomg Ordmance No 1897 (CCS) was mtroduced for fIrst readmg and was adopted on
January 27. 1998 by the followmg vote
Ayes
Councll members
Ebner. Femstem, Greenberg. O'Connor. Rosenstem
Noes
Councll members
None
Abstam
Councll members
None
Absent
Councll members
Genser. Holbrook
ATTEST:
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Mana M Stewart, City'(:lerk
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ATTACHMRNT B
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NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING
BEFORE THE SANTA MONICA CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
A Public Hearing will be held by the City Council on the following
request
Proposed IS a two year Intenm ordinance extending an eXisting 45 day
emergency ordinance that established a moratorium on subdivIsions In
the area bounded by Ocean Avenue, Seventh Street, the northern City
limits, and Montana Avenue pending reVISions to the ZOning Ordinance
changing the mInimum lot Width from fifty feet to one hundred feet for
an R-1 lot In thiS area
WHEN:
Tuesday, January 27, 1998 at 630 P M
WHERE:
CounCil Chamber, Room 213
1685 Main Street, Santa MOnica
HOW TO COMMENT
The City of Santa MOnica encourages public comment on thiS and other projects You or
your representative, or any other persons may comment at the City CounCil's public
hearing, or by writing a letter
Letters should be addressed to City Clerk
1685 Main Street, Room 102
Santa Momca, CA 90401
MORE INFORMATION
If deSired, further InformatIOn on any application may be obtamed from the City Planning
DIVIsion at the address above or by calling (310) 458-8341
The meeting faCIlity IS accessible If you need any disability-related accommodations.
please contact staff at (310)458-8701
Pursuant to Callforma Government Code Section 65009(b), If thiS matter IS subsequently
challenged In Court, the challenge may be limited to only those Issues raised at the Public
Hearing deSCribed In thiS notice, or In written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa
MOnica at, or prior to, the Public Hearing
ESPANOL
Esto es un aVlso sobre una audencla publica para revlsar appllcaclones proponlendo
desarrollo en Santa MOnica Esto puede ser de Interes a usted SI desea mas
Informacion, lIame a Carmen Gutierrez al numero (310) 458-8341
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