SR-14-B (2)
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Council Office CER:cls
Councll Meetlng of March 11, 1936 --
Santa Monica, Callfornia
11./- E
"AI 11 f9lll
MAR 2 5 1986
t I O?J .. OD 1
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Council Members
Mayor Chnstlne
r
E. Reef:2.j~
Request for a Report
of TORCA Projects
DiscuSSlon and
the Processing
on Ways to Expedite
I have recelved some complaints from tenants that the TORCA processing
does not go very quickly. Now that mortgage rates are beglnning to move
downward, these folks are anxious that they do not Miss out due to lengthy
processing time.
I recall that quite a few months ago we had some TORCA tenants who
complalned about the hlgh fee. We told them that the fee was tled to the
amount of staff work and we also asked staff to examine our TORCA processing
to see if it could be made more efficlent, consuming less staff time and
therefore, costing less ln fees. We never heard back.
Now I have been copied on a letter (attached) that Paul DeSantis has sent
to Planning with some suggestions for efficiency.
I belleve we owe it to the tenants who deslre to undertake a TORCA proJect
to ensure that the Clty is not the princlple source of delay. We should be
embarrassed that only one project has been completed and we are about to
celebrate the second annlversary of the adoption of the charter amendment,
and this record is not for lack of applications as there are several hundred
Unlts "in the plpeline."
/4-8
liAR 11 1986
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2 [) 1996
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I recommend that we ask staff to report to us on ways to move the TORCA
projects wlth a minimum of delay, and lnclude their comments on Mr. DeSantls'
suggestions and any that staff may have for greater efflciency.
Attachment: Letter from Mr. DeSantis
./
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ylOSKATEL L'\w CORPORATIOX
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BE....ERLY HILLS. CALIPOR~L"" 90~12
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February 24, 1986
Ms. Ann Slracusa, Plannlng 01rector
C~ty of Santa Maulea
1685 Maln Street, Room 212
Santa Monlca, CA 90401
RE: TORCA Processlng
Dear ~s. Slracusa.
We appreclate the ?rompt and efflClent cooperatlon
that we always recelve from your department. I would llke
to ask your cooperat1on 1n response to a n~er of complaints
I have heard about the length of time that it takes the Clty
to complete the TORCA processing.
One of the most ser10US problems 15 the lssuance
of the Statement of Officlal Actlon by your department. As
an example, two current proJects, TPC-018/TTM 44173 and TPC-
025/TTM 44226 have been serlously delayed. Both of these
proJects were approved by the Plannlng CommlSSlon on ~onday,
January 6, 1986. However, to uate, February 24, 1986, we
stlll have not received the slgned offlclal coples of ~he
Statement of Off1clal Actlon. I understand that on at least
one occas1on, lt was almost three months after COmID1SS10n
approval before the Statement was actually released.
Here are the co~sequences of such long delays.
The clv~l englneer lnforms us that the County of Los Angeles
wlll not begln lts reVlew of the 7entatlve ~ract Map unless
~t ~as a copy of the s~gned Statement of Offlc~al Action.
In proJects of flve unlts or larger (the maJorlty of the
proJects), the Department of Real Estate also requlres a
copy of tne Statement of Offlclal Actlon before ~hey wlll
begln thelr procesSlng. Tuus, the Clty of Santa Monica
aelay causes two crltical other governmental agencles to
postpone tnelr processlng.
We reallze ~hat your offlce has a tremendous
workload and ~s understaffed. I do feel, however, that the
TORCA process ~s now well enough establlshed that such
~elays could be ffilnlilllzed. If there are problems w1th a
TORCA proJect, they usually arlse durlng the TORCA appl~catlon
process prlor to the Tentatlve Map Appllcatlon. It appears
~
Ms. Ann Slracusa
February 24, 1986
Page Two
that once the TORCA appl~catlon has been approved, the
Tentat1ve ~ap Appl1cat1on process LS relatlvely smooth.
Most proJects are approved by tne Plannlng CommlS51on
wlthout changes from tne s~aff report. Slnce the CO~~lSSlOil
v1rtually always approves the proJect w1thout cla]Or changes,
the Statement snould not requ1re weeks of subsequent staff
t1me.
~ I also would llke to suggest that 1t should be
~ ~~~~~~le to reduce the t1me currently requ1red for the
f Tentat:Lve nap Appllatlon process. UnllKe a non-TORCA proJect,
I 5ubscantlally all of the staff 5 check1ng and research has
! been done durlng the TORCA appl1catlon process. It ~.,ould
I seem that tnere may be ways of reduclng the tlme requ1red to
\ process map appl1cat1ons on TORCA PROJ~CTS.
~
I would appreclate your comments. Such delays are
not only of concern to our cl1ents, they also are delaYlng
tenant purchases and delay rece1pt by the Clty of sJbstant1al
taxes for the TO~CA fund. ThlS has resulted In a substantlal
cash shortfall for the C1ty. If there 1S anyway that I can
be of asslstance, especlally 1n terms of expedltlng the
Tentat~ve Map processlng, please let me know.
Aga~n, thank you for your coO?eratlon. I look
forward to your response.
Very truly yo.ur1.'f
/J" /, t .
/ .. I
I('t tl0 t~ '0'
PAUL C. DeSANTIS'
PDS:kk
cc: Clty Manager John Jlal~ll
~1ayor Cnrlst1ne Reed
COITmlSS~Oner Penny Pearlman
CommlSSloner Cd K1rscher