ITEM 8-D
COUNCIL MEETING: July 21, 1992 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Ordinance for Introduction and First Reading Exempting
Certain Non-Profit Theatre Facilities From Ordinance
Number 1634 (CCS).
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council introduce for first
reading an ordinance exempting non-profit theatre facilities from
Ordinance 1634 (CCS), the Citywide moratorium on non-residential
and hotel development. The exemption would allow the
construction of non-profit theatre facilities designed
specifically for stage productions and related educational and
administrative activities. On June 9, 1992 the Council heard
testimony from the Santa Monica Playhouse requesting that the
Citywide commercial development moratorium be amended to permit
the construction of a new playhouse facility. The Council
directed staff to evaluate the proposal and return with an
ordinance to permit an exemption for non profit,
theatrical/educational facilities. The proposed ordinance is
contained in Attachment A.
BACKGROUND
The Santa Monica Playhouse, currently located at 1211 Fourth
Street, is proposing the construction of a new facility to be
located in Santa Monica's downtown commercial core. The proposed
facility would be approximately 22,000 square feet, which is over
the 15,000 square foot development threshold permitted under the
moratorium. Since the Santa Monica Playhouse is a non-profit,
community serving organization, they have requested an exemption
from the constraints of the City's commercial moratorium. After
hearing the request, Council directed staff to evaluate the
proposal while also asking that the Santa Monica Playhouse
prepare a detailed description of the project.
The proposed theatre facility will consist of two theatres, one
containing approximately 125 seats and the other approximately
150 seats. In addition, space will be provided for educational
workshops, classes, and the theatre office administration. No
general office, retail, or restaurant space is proposed. The new
facility will enable the Santa Monica Playhouse to consolidate
all their operations under one roof. Currently, activities such
as set construction and storage occur in off-site locations
outside of the City. The need for additional off-site space
increases the Playhouse's operational costs.
Planning staff believes that the theatre facility will contribute
to the cultural diversity in the downtown core of the City
through its continued educational and theatrical activities.
Therefore, to enable the project to move forward through the
application process, staff recommends that non-profit theatrical
and educational facilities in the C3C zone be exempt from
Ordinance 1634. The proposed ordinance states that non-profit
theatre facilities designed specifically for stage production and
related educational and administrative activities and located in
the Downtown Overlay C3C Zoning District, which will occupy
25,000 or less square feet, are exempt from the City's commercial
moratorium. However, the project will still be subject to the
Zoning Ordinance and will require normal discretionary approval.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommendation presented in this report does not have a
budget or fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council introduce for first
reading an ordinance to exempt certain non-profit theatre
facilities from Ordinance 1634 (CCS), the Citywide moratorium on
non-residential and hotel development.
Prepared By: Paul Berlant, Director of LUTM
Suzanne Frick, Planning Manager
Amanda Schachter, Associate Planner
Land Use and Transportation Management Department
Program and Policy Development Division
Attachments: A. Ordinance Amending the Citywide Moratorium on
Non-Residential and Hotel Development
ORDINANCE NUMBER ____
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA EXEMPTING CERTAIN NON-PROFIT THEATRE
FACILITIES FROM ORDINANCE NUMBER 1634 (CCS)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Applications for approval of non-profit theatre
facilities designed specifically for stage production and related
educational and administrative activities and located in the
Downtown Overlay C3C zoning district, which will occupy 25,000 or
less square feet, are exempt from the provisions of Ordinance
Number 1634 (CCS) pursuant to Section 3 of such Ordinance,
provided such projects obtain a development review permit.
SECTION 2. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal
Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of
this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no
further, are hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary
to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause,
or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid
or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of any competent
jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby
declares that it would have passed this Ordinance, and each and
every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not
declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether
any portion of the Ordinance would be subsequently declared
invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 4. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall
attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall
cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper
within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become
effective after 30 days from its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__________________________________
ROBERT M. MYERS
City Attorney