sr-051380-6o..
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Santa Monica, California, May 7, 1980
T0: The Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Extend the Main Street Moratorium
Introduction
This report transmits a recommendation that the City Council
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direct the City Attorney to draft an emergency ordinance extend-
ing the Main Street Moratorium pending the development of a Main
Street Plan. To be effective, the ordinance must be considered
at the May 27, 1980 Council meeting.
Background
On January 8, 1980, the City Council established a moratorium
on development on Main Street from Pico Boulevard to the South
City limits and commercially zoned or used parcels on adjacent
side streets. The moratorium will expire on June 25, 1980.
During the four months since the moratorium was established,
representatives of the Main Street Association (MSA) and the
Ocean Park Community Organization (OPCO) have held ten meetings
together as the "Main Street Planning Group" in an attempt to
develop a special plan for Main Street that is acceptable to
residents, merchants, and property owners. Agreements have
been reached in most major areas, including height and setback
limits, noise control, limits on bars, restaurants, and other
uses, architectural guidelines, and some approaches to parking
and traffic problems. The initial draft of the citizens' plan is
t~AY 1 3 1980
Mayor and City Council -2- May 7, 1980
expected to be presented to the Planning Commission on May 19,
1980.
Both representatives of the Main Street Association and the
Ocean Park Community Organization are concerned that insufficient
time remains for the Planning Commission and City Council to act
on the proposals prior to the expiration of the moratorium on
June 25, 1980. If the moratorium were to expire before new
development controls desired by OPCO and P45A were considered and
perhaps adopted by the Planning Commission and City Council, then
the intent of the moratorium may be negated. Therefore, both MSA
and OPCO representatives have requested a 60 day extension of the
moratorium.
As of this writing,. a final draft of the Main Street plan,
written by OPCO and MSA representatives, has not been completed.
These groups have suggested that City staff be authorized to
prepare an ordinance extending the moratorium for presentation to
the City Council on May 27, 1980.
A regular ordinance would be effective no earlier than ~u1y 27,
1980, and would require a second reading at a budget meeting.
This would leave a four-week gap in the moratorium. Thus, to en-
sure a continuing moratorium, an emergency ordinance would be
necessary. Under 5619 of the Charter, a finding of urgency and
five (5) affirmative votes are required.
Mayor and City Council -3- May 7, 1980
Alternatives
1) Take no action and allow the moratorium to expire on
June 25, 1980.
2) Extend the moratorium, modifying its terms.
3) Extend the moratorium as written to a time certain.
Recommendation
It is respectfully recommended that the City Council act favorably
on the request of the Main Street Planning Group and authorize the
City Attorney to prepare an emergency ordinance extending the Main
Street Moratorium for a 60 day period.
Prepared by: Shane Stark
Kenyon Webster
John Jalili