R113891
City Council Meeting: December 7, 2021 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 11389 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AMENDING SECTION 9.10.060 OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY PLAN TO
EXEMPT HOTEL USES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED WITHIN AN EXISTING BUILDING
FROM THE MINIMUM GROUND FLOOR HEIGHT REQUIREMENT
WHEREAS, on October 29, 2019, the Shore Hotel filed an application, 19ENT-
0397, requesting amendments to its existing Conditional Use Permit, 05CUP-009, to
establish a “micro-hotel”, an ancillary café with patio seating and alcohol service, and an
ancillary restaurant with a bar and patio; and to expand hotel amenities to include ancillary
personal service (massage) onsite; and
WHEREAS, on May 11, 2021, in accordance with Santa Monica Municipal Code
Section 9.45.110, the hotel filed an application for a text amendment, 21ENT-0116, to
amend the DCP to exempt hotel uses that are established within an existing building from
the minimum ground floor height requirement of 11 feet to accommodate the proposed
“micro-hotel”; and
WHEREAS, on July 6, 2010, the City Council adopted the Land Use and
Circulation Element of the City’s General Plan (“LUCE”) which designates the proposed
general distribution, location and extent of land uses within the City; and
WHEREAS, the LUCE includes a vision for the City’s Downtown as a thriving,
mixed-use urban environment for people to live, work, be entertained and culturally
enriched; and
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WHEREAS, the LUCE recognizes the Downtown’s vibrant urban atmosphere with
retail, dining, entertainment, office, residential and tourist activities, and encourages new
or expanded hotel and other visitor-serving uses; and
WHEREAS, on July 25, 2017, the City Council adopted the Downtown Community
Plan (“DCP”) which further sets forth the City’s vision of the Downtown as a high quality,
mixed-use district offering housing opportunities, jobs, arts and culture, local serving retail
and community and visitor gathering places; and
WHEREAS, consistent with the LUCE, the DCP encourages a range of
accommodation types and affordability levels to provide overnight accommodations to the
broadest spectrum of visitors; and
WHEREAS, the DCP seeks to evaluate regulatory incentives to establish a
broader base of affordable overnight accommodations Downtown; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code (“SMMC”) Section
9.10.001, the DCP’s development standards as prescribed in Chapter 4 of the DCP are
incorporated by reference into the Zoning Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, exempting hotel uses that are established in existing buildings from
the DCP’s minimum ground floor height requirement will enable guest room
accommodations to be sited in locations that may otherwise be hampered by physical
constraints and remove a potential barrier for the production of more diverse lodging
options in Downtown, including smaller “micro-hotels” that would likely be at a lower price
point than conventional hotel rooms due to their reduced size; and
WHEREAS, exempting hotel uses that are established in existing buildings from
the DCP’s minimum ground floor height requirement will also promote the adaptive reuse
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of vacant commercial space, increase ground floor design flexibility specific to hotel land
uses, facilitate innovation in lodging and visitor accommodations throughout all of
Downtown, and encourage increased lodging options within the Downtown to a broad
range of visitors; and
WHEREAS, on July 7, 2021, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed
public hearing and after considering oral and written testimony regarding the proposed
amendments to the DCP, adopted a Resolution of Recommendation, Resolution Number
21-005, recommending that the City Council adopt the proposed amendments; and
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2021, the City Council conducted a duly noticed
public hearing to consider the recommendation of the Planning Commission, and, after
considering all oral and written testimony, desires to adopt the proposed amendments to
the DCP.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Amendments to the text of the Downtown Community Plan.
Pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.45.080 and 9.45.130, the City
Council does hereby amend the Downtown Community Plan as set forth in Exhibit A,
attached to this Resolution and incorporated herein by reference. In adopting these
amendments, the City Council hereby finds and declares that, based on the oral and
written testimony presented to the City Council at the public hearing on December 7,
2021:
The proposed amendments to Section 9.10.060 of the Downtown Community Plan
are consistent with the General Plan in that the amendments implement LUCE
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policies to maintain the Downtown’s competitive advantage as a premier local and
regional shopping, dining, and entertainment destination and to create a balanced
mix of uses in the Downtown that reinforces its role as the greatest concentration
of activity in the City. Specifically, LUCE Policy D1.4 encourages new or expanded
hotel and other visitor-serving uses in the Downtown, and LUCE Policy D7.1
encourages a broad mix of uses that creates dynamic activity in both the daytime
and evening hours including retail, hotels, office, high-density residential,
entertainment and cultural uses in the Downtown.
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:
_________________________
JOSEPH LAWRENCE
Interim City Attorney
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EXHIBIT A
[behind this page]
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AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 9.10.060 OF DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY PLAN TO
EXEMPT HOTEL USES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN AN EXISTING BUILDING
FROM THE MINIMUM GROUND FLOOR HEIGHT REQUIREMENT
9.10.060 Development Standards
Table 4.2 prescribes the development standards for Downtown districts. Additional
regulations are denoted with Section numbers in the right hand column or with individual
letters in parentheses. Section numbers refer to other Sections of this Ordinance, while
individual letters in parentheses refer to subsections that directly follow the table.
Table 4.2 Development Standards—Downtown Districts
Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Parcel and Intensity Standards
Minimum
Parcel Size
(sq. ft.)
7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500
Minimum
Parcel
Width (ft.)
50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
Minimum
Parcel
Depth (ft.)
150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150
Maximum FAR
Tier 1 1.25 1.25 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.5
Tier 1—
With
Housing
1.5 1.5 2.25 2.25
2.25
2.25 2.25 1.5
Tier 2 1.75 2.25 2.75 2.75 3.0 3.0 2.25 1.75 Section
9.10.070
Tier 2—
With
Housing
2.25 2.75 3.5 2.75
3.5
3.5 2.75 2.25 Section
9.10.070
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Tier 2—
With
Housing for
parcels
that front
on Wilshire
Boulevard,
are not
located
adjacent to
a
residential
district,
and have a
LUCE
designation
of
Downtown
Core
- - - - - - - 2.75
Tier 3 - - - - - 3.5 - - Section
9.10.070
Tier 3—
With
Housing
- - - -
-
4.0 - - Section
9.10.070
100%
Affordable
Housing
Projects
2.75 3.25 4.0 3.25 4.0 4.0 3.25 2.75
100%
Affordable
Housing
Projects—
- - - - - - - 3.25
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Parcels
that front
on Wilshire
Boulevard,
are not
located
adjacent to
a
residential
district,
and have a
LUCE
designation
of
Downtown
Core
Building Form and Location
Maximum Building Height (ft.)
SMMC
Section
9.04.050,
Measuring
Height
Tier 1—
Base
Standard
32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 32’
Tier 1-
Projects
Including
On-Site
Affordable
Housing In
39’ 39’ 39’ 39’ 39’ 39’ 39’ 39’
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Compliance
with AHPP
Tier 2 40’ 50’ 60’ 60’ 60’ 60’ 50’ 40’
Tier 2 –
With
Housing
50’ 60’ 60’ 60’ 60’ 60’ 50’ 50’
Tier 2—
With
Housing for
parcels
that front
on Wilshire
Boulevard,
are not
located
adjacent to
a
residential
district,
and have a
LUCE
designation
of
Downtown
Core
- - - - - - - 60’
Tier 3 - - - - - 84’ - -
Tier 3 –
With
Housing
- - - - - 84’ - -
100%
Affordable 60’ 70’ 70’ 70’ 70’ 84’ 60’ 60’
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Housing
Projects
100%
Affordable
Housing
Projects—
Parcels
that front
on Wilshire
Boulevard,
are not
located
adjacent to
a
residential
district,
and have a
LUCE
designation
of
Downtown
Core
- - - - - - - 70’
Height
Transitions
to
Residential
Districts
See
(A)(1)
See
(A)(1) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A See
(A)(1)
SMMC
Section
9.21.060,
Height
Exceptions
Minimum
Ground
Floor
Height
11’ See (E)(3)(l)
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Maximum
Ground
Floor
Height
16’ 16’ 16’ N/A 16’ 16’ 16’ 16’
Building Form Regulated by Building Type
Minimum
Stepbacks
(ft.)
Required
Above
Ground
Floor
15% of
façade
15% of
façade
15% of
façade N/A N/A 15% of
façade
15% of
façade
15% of
façade See (C)(2)
Build-to-
Line See (C)(1)
Minimum
Upper
Level
Stepbacks
35% of façade, see (C)(3)
Minimum
Open
Space
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
N/A
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Varies
by lot
width,
see
(B)(1)
Minimum
Side
Interior
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
N/A
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
15% of
façade,
see
(C)(5)
Maximum
Unbroken
Primary
10’ wide by 5’ depth, see (C)(7)
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Standard LT
(East)
LT
(West) NV BC
(Promenade)
BC
(2nd &
4th
Streets)
TA OT WT Additional
Regulations
Façade
Length
Setbacks
Building
Frontage
Line
(Ground
Floor
Setback)
See (D) See (D) See (D) See (D) See (D) See
(D) See (D) See (D)
Minimum
Interior
Side and
Rear—
Adjacent to
Residential
District
10’ see
(A)(1)
Illustr.
4.3
10’ see
(A)(1)
Illustr.
4.3
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
10’ see
(A)(1)
Illustr.
4.3
Rear
Adjacent to
Alley
2’ for first 16’ of building height
Parking See SMMC Chapter 9.28, Parking, Loading, and Circulation
Active Design
Active
Design See (E)
Pedestrian
Oriented
Design
See (E)
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l. Hotel uses shall be permitted on the ground level in the
Downtown Community Plan area. Each individual hotel use is
not required to have a minimum ground floor height of 11 feet,
so long as the individual hotel use is located in an existing
building or structure and complies with all requirements under
Article 8 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code. For parcels wider
than 75 feet, 25% of the street frontage must be an active use.
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Adopted and approved this 7th day of December 2021.
__________________________
Sue Himmelrich, Mayor
I, Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that Resolution No. 11389 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 7th day of December 2021, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Brock, Davis, De la Torre, Negrete, Parra,
Mayor Pro Tem McCowan, Mayor Himmelrich
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk
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