SR 02-23-2018 7A
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: February 13, 2018
Agenda Item: 7.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lane Dilg, City Attorney, City Attorney’s Office
Subject: Second Reading and Adoption of Interim Zoning Ordinance Amending
Portions of Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.07.030 to Revise
Development Standards for Maximum Parcel Coverage, Maximum Building
Height, and Additional Minimum Stepbacks for Upper Stories in the R1
Single-Unit Residential District
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council adopt the attached Ordinance amending portions of
Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.07.030.
Executive Summary
At its meeting on January 23, 2018, the City Council introduced for first reading an
ordinance amending portions of the Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.07.030 to
revise development standards for maximum parcel coverage, maximum building height,
and additional minimum stepbacks for upper stories in R1 single-unit residential district.
The ordinance is now presented to City Council for adoption.
Prepared By: Elsa Kapsinow, Executive Assistant to the City Attorney
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Ordinance
B. Written Comments
1
Vernice Hankins
From:zinajosephs@aol.com
Sent:Saturday, February 10, 2018 11:16 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Kevin McKeown Fwd; Tony Vazquez; Gleam Davis; Sue Himmelrich;
Pam OConnor; Terry O’Day; Ted Winterer
Cc:zinajosephs@aol.com
Subject:City Council 2/13/18 agenda item 7-A: Interim Zoning Ordinance -- Support
February 10, 2018
To: City Council
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 2/13/18 agenda item 7-A: Interim Zoning Ordinance Amending Portions of Santa Monica Municipal
Code Section 9.07.030 to Revise Development Standards for Maximum Parcel Coverage, Maximum Building
Height, and Additional Minimum Stepbacks for Upper Stories in the R1 Single-Unit Residential District
The FOSP Board supports this interim zoning ordinance to reduce maximum lot coverage for 2-story
single family homes from a total of 61% to 50%.
Maximum height for 2-story homes in the Sunset Park neighborhood would remain at 28 feet. (Maximum
height for homes north of Montana would be reduced from 32’ to 28’.)
Maximum lot coverage for 1-story homes would remain at 50%.
The maximum aggregate square footage of 2nd floor balconies, terraces, and roof decks would be 400 sq ft
(extending a north of Montana maximum citywide).
Per City Council direction, accessory dwelling units ("granny flats") would be excluded from lot coverage
calculations.
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Background:
Three neighborhood associations (NOMA, Friends of Sunset Park, and Northeast Neighbors) worked together
to develop a method to measure the concerns of residents about the building of new homes in R –1 (single
family home) neighborhoods in Santa Monica.
The questionnaire was emailed to all Sunset Park residents on the FOSP group email list.
554 residents from the three neighborhoods responded to an anonymous questionnaire between September 15
and November, 2017. (242 of the responses were from Sunset Park residents.)
Question 1. I think the new construction is too large in proportion to the neighboring homes. 73% agreed.
Question 2. I think the new construction is too tall in proportion to the neighboring homes. 66% agreed.
Question 4. I think the new construction may intrude on neighbor’s access to sunlight. 75% agreed.
Question 5. I think the new construction may interfere with sea breezes. 60% agreed.
Question 6. I think the new construction may result in a loss of the adjoining property’s privacy due to
the new construction’s height, balconies, and decks. 80% agreed.
Question 7. The loss of trees and greenscape from new construction concerns me.
77% agreed.
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Question 8. The reduction in front-and side-yard setbacks from porches and over hangs concerns
me. 76% agreed.
Question 13. I favor the use of incentives or disincentives (such as fee waivers, tax breaks, higher fees,
etc.) to encourage rehabilitation rather than demolition of older-single family homes. 68% agreed.
Question 15. This was an open ended question. There were 273 who submitted comments.
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Vernice Hankins
From:Phyllis Chavez <chavez_art@yahoo.com>
Sent:Saturday, February 10, 2018 3:12 PM
To:councilmtgitems; Kevin McKeown Fwd; Tony Vazquez; Gleam Davis; Sue Himmelrich;
Pam OConnor; Terry O’Day; Ted Winterer
Subject:2/13/18 agenda item 7-A: Interim Zoning Ordinance Amending Portions of Santa
Monica Municipal Code Section 9.07.030 to Revise Development Standards for
Maximum Parcel Coverage, Maximum Building Height, and Additional Minimum
Stepbacks for Upper Stories...
Dear City Council Members,
I support The interim zoning ordinance to reduce maximum lot coverage for 2-story single family homes
from a total of 61% to 50%.
Maximum height for 2-story homes in the Sunset Park neighborhood would remain at 28 feet. (Maximum
height for homes north of Montana would be reduced from 32’ to 28’.)
Maximum lot coverage for 1-story homes would remain at 50%.
The maximum aggregate square footage of 2nd floor balconies, terraces, and roof decks would be 400 sq ft
(extending a north of Montana maximum citywide).
Per City Council direction, accessory dwelling units ("granny flats") would be excluded from lot coverage
calculations.
Thank you for your time.
Phyllis Chavez
Sunset Park
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Vernice Hankins
From:Karen Comegys-Wortz <kcomegyswortz@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, February 12, 2018 5:58 PM
To:councilmtgitems; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Gleam Davis; Sue
Himmelrich; Pam OConnor; Terry O’Day; Ted Winterer
Subject:2/13/18 Agenda Item 7-A Interim Ordinance
Dear Council Members,
This ordinance is long overdue.
I am a 1500 Sq. Ft. house next to a 5000+ Sq. Ft. house
My house looks like it shrunk!
The city has been giving in to developers for too long!
We need this Ordinance to keep the character and integrity of the Sunset Park neighborhood.
We are over building our lots.
Please vote to reduce our density of buildings.
Thank You,
Karen Comegys
1725 Cedar St.
Santa Monica, 90405
--
Karen Comegys Wortz
kcomegyswortz@gmail.com
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Vernice Hankins
From:Regula K.Ziegler <regula@americaconnections.com>
Sent:Monday, February 12, 2018 8:39 PM
To:councilmtgitems
Cc:Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Gleam Davis; Sue Himmelrich; Pam
OConnor; Terry O’Day; Ted Winterer
Subject:Interim Zoning Ordinance
Dear Council Members,
As a 47 year Sunset Park Resident, I am horrified to see the drastic change that is happening to our wonderful Family
Neighborhood, and to Santa Monica Neighborhoods at large.
Santa Monica always was and still is a desirable choice for Home buyers exactly because of the unique character of our
individual looking Family Neighborhoods.
Alas, nothing in life stays the same, and there is nothing wrong with two story houses. However, the design of most of
the new developments on nice Family Neighborhood streets are changing the character of Santa Monica, and not for the
better!
Why would you allow the size of monstrous single family home developments/remodels when, on the other hand, you
are encouraging us to conserve energy?
Why would you allow these remodels, knowing that these monstrous homes (some of them 4‐stories high) restrict
airflow, sunlight and the open feeling that our current Family Neighborhoods enjoy?
I strongly support the Interim Zoning Ordinance, and I am counting on you to represent and support concerned Santa
Monica Residents, not Developers.
Regula K. Ziegler ‐ former FOSP Board member
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REFERENCE:
Ordinance No. 2568
(CCS)