R11062City Council Meeting July 25, 2017 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 1' 0
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA ADOPTING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
TO DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS FOR THE MIXED-USE BOULEVARD
LAND USE DESIGNATION CONTAINED IN THE LAND USE AND CIRCULATION
ELEMENT THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY PLAN
AREA TO IMPLEMENT AND ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH THE GOALS,
POLICIES, AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THE
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY PLAN
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65300 et seq. requires that
each city adopt a comprehensive, long term general plan for the physical development
of the city, a plan which is considered the constitution governing land use; and
WHEREAS, the general plan must include a land use element and a circulation
element; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica's Land Use and Circulation Element
("LUCE") was adopted by the City Council on July 6, 2010; and
WHEREAS, the LUCE designates the proposed general distribution, location,
and extent of land uses within the City; and
WHEREAS, the LUCE was adopted after an extensive planning process, and
addresses neighborhood conservation and enhancement; integrated land use and
transportation; proactive congestion management; complete neighborhoods with
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increased open space; community benefits; quality urban character and form;
preservation of historic resources; and growth management; and
WHEREAS, the goals and policies of the LUCE set the future direction of the
City, including the City's Downtown area, which is generally bounded by Wilshire
Boulevard along its northern edge, Lincoln Boulevard along its eastern edge, the 1-10
Freeway to the south, and Ocean Avenue and Palisades Park to the west (collectively
referenced herein as the "Downtown Area"); and
WHEREAS, the LUCE contemplates the Downtown Core designation of the
Downtown Area as a thriving, mixed-use urban environment in which people can live,
work, be entertained and culturally enriched; and
WHEREAS, the LUCE contemplates that the Downtown Core designation allows
for the broadest mix of uses and highest intensity development because it comprises
the City's major regional and employment district, with a human -scale and pedestrian
orientation at the street level with development intensities lower on the northern and
eastern edges in order to transition to the lower -density character of adjacent
neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the LUCE contemplates that specific uses within the Downtown
Core as well as development parameters, including height, floor area ratio, setbacks
and step backs, will be established by a specific plan; and
WHEREAS, as part of the development of the Downtown Community Plan
("DCP"), which is the specific plan contemplated by the LUCE for the Downtown Area,
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City staff engaged thousands of people in a broad and inclusive public outreach process
to engage residents, members of the business community, artists, schools, social
organizations and other stakeholders such as bicycle and pedestrian advocates,
preservationists, open space advocates; and
WHEREAS, this engagement process involved workshops, dialogue, voting,
reports, Internet and phone surveys, walking tours, PowerPoint presentations and
televised discussions at neighborhood meetings, the Planning Commission and the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, these workshops were attended by all segments of the community
including homeowners and renters, business owners, labor groups, education
institutions, health care representatives, public utility companies, civic association
members, preservationists, architects, developers, bicycle advocates, the creative arts
industry, environmentalists, neighborhood organizations, other community groups, and
representatives from the City's Boards, Commissions, and Task Forces; and
WHEREAS, since initiating the planning process for the DCP in 2012, four
iterations of the DCP have been introduced; and
WHEREAS, the final public hearing draft of the DCP was released to the public
at an open house event on April 12, 2017; and
WHEREAS, at the public hearings regarding the DCP, commencing on April 26
and continuing on May 10, 11, 17, 18 and 31, 2017, the Planning Commission received
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extensive public testimony and written submittals, reviewed and considered City staff
presentations and reports, and engaged in a lengthy deliberative process; and
WHEREAS, after considering all such oral and written testimony at the public
hearings on April 26, May 10, 11, 17, 18 and 31, 2017, the Planning Commission
adopted Resolution No. 17-006 (PCS) to recommend that the City Council approve the
April 12, 2017 draft of the DCP, as modified by certain changes in the Addenda Sheet
attached thereto as Exhibit B; and
WHEREAS, at the public hearings regarding the DCP on July 10, 11, and 25,
2017, the City Council received extensive public testimony and written submittals,
including, without limitation, Planning Commission Resolution No. 17-006 (PCS), and
reviewed and considered City staff presentations and reports, and engaged in a lengthy
deliberative process; and
WHEREAS, after considering all such oral and written testimony at the public
hearings on July 10, 11, and 25, 2017, the City Council approved the April 12, 2017
draft of the DCP, as modified by certain changes in the Addenda Sheet attached thereto
as Exhibit B (collectively referenced herein as "the Final Draft DCP"); and
WHEREAS, the public hearings on July 10, 11 and 25 were duly noticed on June
26, 27, and 28, 2017, in accordance with Section 9.37.050(A) of the Santa Monica
Municipal Code; and
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WHEREAS, the Final Draft DCP complies with the requirements of Santa Monica
Municipal Code section 9.45.120 and Chapter 3, Article 8 of the California Government
Code; and
WHEREAS, the Final Draft DCP will serve as the specific plan for the Downtown
Area that will guide all public and private investment in the Downtown until the year
2030; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the Downtown Community Plan Project
Final Environmental Impact Report, dated April 2017, and Errata, dated July 19, 2017
(collectively referenced therein as "the Final EIR"); and
WHEREAS, the Final EIR was prepared in accordance with State and City CEQA
guidelines; and
WHEREAS, to ensure consistency between the Final Draft DCP and the LUCE,
certain amendments to the LUCE are necessary, including amendments to
development parameters for the Mixed -Use Boulevard land use designation contained
in the LUCE that are applicable to the Downtown Area, a summary of which is set forth
in Exhibit A, attached to this Resolution; and
WHEREAS, after considering all such oral and written testimony at the public
hearings on April 26, May 10, 11, 17, 18 and 31, 2017, the Planning Commission
adopted Resolution No. 17-007 (PCS) to recommend that the City Council adopt the
necessary changes to the LUCE to ensure consistency between the Draft DCP and the
LUCE; and
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WHEREAS, at the public hearings regarding the DCP on July 10, 11, and 25,
2017, the City Council reviewed and considered Planning Commission Resolution No.
17-007 (PCS) and proposed additional amendments to the LUCE to incentivize
affordable housing within the DCP area, which are included in Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments to the LUCE were analyzed in the Final
EIR, and the City Council adopted resolutions certifying the Final EIR, making a
statement of overriding considerations, and adopting a mitigation and monitoring plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.45.080, the
City Council hereby adopts changes to the Land Use and Circulation Element of the
City's General Plan as set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein by
this reference.
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:
44 C'e-
JOSEPH LAWRENCE
Interim City Attorney
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EXHIBIT A
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE AND CIRCULATION ELEMENT
AS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON JULY 25, 2017
Chapter 2.1 —
Land Use Policy Mixed -Use Boulevard Development Parameters
and
Designations
Amend development parameters for 100% residential above
the ground floor projects proposed at Tier 2 - above base
2.1-37 with community benefits - on the east and west sides of
1 Lincoln Boulevard and on Wilshire Boulevard west of Lincoln
Boulevard to ensure consistency with the Lincoln Transition
development standards set forth in the Downtown
Community Plan.
Amend development parameters for all other projects
proposed at Tier 2 - above base with community benefits -
2.1 —38 on the east and west sides of Lincoln Boulevard and on
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2.1 —39 Wilshire Boulevard west of Lincoln Boulevard to ensure
consistency with the Lincoln Transition development
standards set forth in the Downtown Community Plan.
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100% Residential above the ground floor
TIER 1 — BASE HEIGHT
• T -he -base -height in -the -Mined -Use -Boulevard -District is 32—feet(2stories)-with-a
1.5 FAR. A project will receive a 7 -foot height bonus above the 32 -foot base
height, allowing for an additional floor of housing, by building the required
affordable housing units in accordance with the percentage requirements
specified in the City's Affordable Housing Production Program for the project as a
whole (see Figures 6 and 7). A Tier 1 project is ministerial up to the discretionary
review threshold established by the Zoning Ordinance,
TIER 2 - ABOVE BASE - WITH COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• Subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide community
benefits may request a height up to 50 feet and 2.25 FAR. (see Figure 8)
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on the east side of Lincoln
Boulevard, subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide
community benefits may request a height up to 50 feet and 2.25 FAR.
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on the west side of Lincoln
Boulevard, subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide
community benefits may request a height up to 60 feet and 2.75 FAR.
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on Wilshire Boulevard west of
Lincoln Boulevard, subject to a discretionary review process, projects that
provide community benefits may request a height up to 50 feet and 2.25 FAR.
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on the east and west sides of Lincoln
Boulevard, 100% affordable housing projects may request an additional ten feet
of building height and 0.5 FAR above Tier 2 standards.
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TIER 3 - ABOVE BASE - WITH ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• Subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide additional
community benefits, may request a height of 55 feet and 2.75 FAR if the project
is located in an area designated Mixed -Use Boulevard within the area bounded
by-Co-lorad"vA eme,-OJympic-Boulevard Wtki-Stxeet,-ad-Gloverfield-Beulevard.
100% Affordable Housing projects and projects which preserve a City -designated
Landmark or Structure of Merit may request this additional height and FAR in all
areas designated Mixed -Use Boulevard. (see Figure 9) Projects may also
request a height up to 60 feet with a corresponding percentage decrease in FAR
over 55'.
All Other Projects
TIER 1 - BASE HEIGHT
• The base height in the Mixed -Use Boulevard District is 32 feet (2 stories) with a
1.5 FAR. A project will receive a 3 -foot height bonus above the 32 -foot base
height, allowing for an additional floor of housing, by building the required
affordable housing units in accordance with the percentage requirements
specified in the City's Affordable Housing Production Program for the project as a
whole (see Figures 6 and 7). A Tier 1 project is ministerial up to the discretionary
review threshold established by the Zoning Ordinance.
TIER 2 -ABOVE BASE WITH COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• Subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide community
benefits may request a height up to 45 feet and 2.25 FAR. (see Figure 8)
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on the east side of Lincoln
Boulevard, subject to a discretionary review process, as required by the
Downtown Community Plan, projects that provide community benefits may
request a height up to 40 feet and 1.75 FAR.
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on the west side of Lincoln
Boulevard and on Wilshire Boulevard west of Lincoln Boulevard, subject to a
discretionary review process or development agreement, as required by the
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Downtown Community Plan, projects that provide community benefits may
request a height up to 50 feet and 2.25 FAR.
• Within the Downtown Community Plan area on Wilshire Boulevard west of
Lincoln Boulevard, subject to a discretionary review process, projects that
provide community benefits may request a height up to 40 feet and 1.75 FAR.
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• Subject to a discretionary review process, projects that provide additional
community benefits, may request a height of 55 feet and 2.75 FAR if the project
is located in an area designated Mixed -Use Boulevard ; or within the area
bounded by Colorado Avenue, Olympic Boulevard, 20th Street, and Cloverfield
Boulevard. 100% Affordable Housing projects and projects which preserve a
City -designated Landmark or Structure of Merit may request this additional height
and FAR in all areas designated Mixed -Use Boulevard. (see Figure 9).
• Proposals above the base height must provide the City with enumerated
community benefits as identified in the "Five Priority Categories of Community
Benefits" section of this chapter. Housing and mixed-use housing projects will be
required to provide a percentage of affordable units either on- or off-site. Other
projects will contribute applicable project mitigation fees for the purpose of
addressing affordable housing requirements.
ALL TIERS
• One hundred percent affordable housing projects will continue to be provided
existing incentives, including: building height not to exceed the allowable
maximum height limit at the highest tier, inclusive of any development bonus for
affordable housing; reduced parking requirements; flexibility in providing a
reduction in required ground floor pedestrian -oriented uses, which may also
include community services, arts, and similar uses, as applicable; and
administrative review of affordable housing projects (up to a maximum of 80% of
median income only) with 50 units or less.
• New or remodeled buildings on property adjacent to the boulevard shall have a
minimum fagade height to ensure the visual definition of the boulevard's open
space, to be defined in the zoning ordinance. (see Figure 10)
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• Maximum height of the building fagade adjacent to the property line along the
boulevard or the intersecting side street shall be defined in the zoning ordinance.
(see Figures 8 and 9)
• Above the maximum streetwall height, the building shall step back from the
boulevard in a manner that will minimize the visual bulk of the overall building as
viewed from the public sidewalks and roadway and ensure maximum light, air
and sense of openness for the general public. Guidelines or standar
building mass above the streetwall shall be established in the zoning
ordinance.(see Figures 8 and 9)
Buildings that share a property line with a residentially -designated property are
required to be setback at least 10 feet from the abutting residential property line.
Further, to assure privacy and access to sunlight and air for the adjacent
residential use, all new buildings and additions to existing buildings shall not
project, except for permitted projections, beyond a building envelope
commencing at 25 feet in height above the property line abutting the residential
property or where there is an alley abutting the residentially -designated property,
the centerline of the alley, and from that point, extending at a 45 -degree angle.
from vertical towards the interior of the site.(see Figure 11)
For any existing auto dealers that expand without using the urban auto
dealership format, a discretionary process will be required.
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Adopted and approved this 25th day of July, 2017.
Ted Winterer, Mayor
I, Denise Anderson -Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that Resolution No. 11062 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 25th day of July, 2017, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers McKeown, Himmelrich, O'Connor, O'Day, Vazquez,
Mayor Pro Tem Davis, Mayor Winterer
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
a&ALV-
Denise Anderson -Warren, City Clerk