The Palisades Tract was originally developed in 1905 with 100 foot wide streets, 40 foot front yard setbacks, 100 foot wide parcel frontages, and 200 foot parcel depths. The project area is distinctive in that it is unlike other R1-zoned areas in the City, which typically consist of 60 to 80 foot wide streets, 20 to 30-foot front yard setbacks, 50-foot wide parcel frontages, and 150-foot parcel depths. The project area was originally designed with an intent to accommodate large homes with considerable yard and garden areas, and has been substantially developed in this manner. The tract was subsequently expanded eastward in 1912. However, that portion of the Palisades Tract was not developed in the same scale and character as the original Palisades Tract and, therefore, is not included in the proposed text amendment. As of 1983, there were 125 homes in the Palisades Tract, four of which were architecturally significant and determined to be individually eligible for National Register (historic) status. In addition, all but eight of the 125 single family homes contribute to the historic character of the district. Some of the homes in the Palisades Tract were designed by noted architects, including John Byers, Greene and Greene, and Robert Farquhar.

Due to the large lot sizes and open space features, the Palisades Tract provides more open space than any other residential neighborhood in the City, and attracts many City residents and visitors who enjoy walking and cycling in the pleasant ambience of the neighborhood. This is significant, in that the City is extremely dense, with a population of approximately 90,000 people within a land area of just eight square miles. The City is a highly desirable place to work or visit due to its ocean side location, fine climate, urban facilities and service and entertainment venues, resulting in numerous visitors to the area on both weekdays and weekends. Given the City's density, the ambience created by the Palisades Tract's open space and diverse architecture serves as an important asset to the entire community.

Because of these unique issues, the Council originally directed Staff to prepare a resolution of intention to amend the Zoning Ordinance to increase the minimum lot width to 100 feet for the area bounded by First Court Alley to 7th Street, and Montana Avenue to the north City limits. At the Planning Commission, the language was further clarified by adding a minimum lot depth of 175 feet to protect the existing depths. To ensure that this proposed ordinance addresses R1 properties within the Palisades Tract west of Seventh Street, staff re-examined the boundaries in the interim ordinance and recommends that the permanent standards clarify these boundaries as follows:

the area bounded by the center lines of First Court Alley, Seventh Street, Montana Place North Alley and Adelaide Drive.

Additionally, in order to capture all R1-zoned parcels within this area, staff recommends that the minimum parcel depth be set at 175 feet. This depth was selected because, with the exception of the ten lots bordering Goose Egg Park, (which have minimum lot depths ranging from 107 feet to 153 feet) the lots in the project area are a minimum of 175 feet in depth. These boundaries are shown on Attachment B, the Palisades Tract Map. The proposed text modifications are provided in Attachment C.

The project area is located within the R1 District North of Montana area, and therefore is also subject to the development standards (e.g., building height, parcel coverage, setback areas, and projection requirements) created by emergency Ordinance #1921 (CCS). Although the proposed text amendment would effectively prevent further subdivision of lots within the project area, it does not otherwise affect the standards established by the emergency interim ordinance. Staff believes the development standards established by the emergency interim ordinance and the proposed parcel dimension amendment for the portions of the Palisades Tract west of 7^th Street address separate issues. The emergency interim ordinance relates exclusively to the scale and massing of single family home development. The proposed text amendment is intended to protect the unique character of the R1 parcels within the Palisades Tract.

PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this Text Amendment on November 4, 1998. Although no members of the public spoke at this hearing, a significant number of people testified at public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council (on appeal) last year when two lot splits were proposed (and subsequently denied) at 502 and 518 Georgina. The Landmarks Commission also expressed concerns over the same two lot splits when it reviewed the demolition permits for the homes on these two lots. This testimony, in part, led to the Council's eventual adoption of the interim ordinances prohibiting the subdivision of lots in the Palisades Tract.

At the November 4, 1998 Planning Commission hearing, the Commission approved a motion recommending that the City Council approve the proposed Text Amendment as recommended by staff with the clarification that the text amendment only include those parcels which are currently zoned R1. This distinction was made by the Commission since the properties within the proposed boundaries located along San Vicente Boulevard are zoned R2 (Low Density Multiple Residential), and the properties fronting Ocean Avenue are zoned R4 (High Density Multiple Family Residential). In response to the Commission's comments, staff has reexamined the boundaries of the area affected by the proposed text amendment, and confirmed that all of the R2-zoned lots with frontage on San Vicente, and those R-4-zoned lots fronting Ocean Avenue (with the exception of one single family residence) are developed with multi-family residential units. Therefore, staff recommends that the western boundary be moved to First Court Alley rather than the centerline of Ocean Avenue to exclude the R4- zoned parcels along the Ocean Avenue frontage. The R2-zoned lots are still excluded from the text amendment, as the language only refers to R1-zoned parcels. This minor change is reflected in the proposed ordinance. The text amendment would not apply to the multi-family zoned properties, which consist almost entirely of sites developed with multi-family dwellings. (See Attachment B, which includes building footprints for all parcels within the subject area. These footprints help to provide a distinction between single family and multiple family developments). Minutes from the November 4, 1998 Planning Commission are provided as Attachment E.

MUNICIPAL CODE AND GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE

The proposed Text Amendment is consistent with the Municipal Code and in conformity with Goals and Objectives of the General Plan. Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.04.08.02.020 provides in relevant part, "the R1 District serves to maintain and protect the existing character of the residential neighborhood," and Policy 1.10.1 of the Land Use and Circulation Element states in relevant part, "encourage the development of new housing in all existing residential districts, while still protecting the character and scale of neighborhoods." The proposed text amendment is consistent with these provisions because it will prevent further subdivision of the R1 zoned parcels in this neighborhood and thereby maintain the characteristic 100 foot parcel frontage and 175 foot parcel depth which contributes significantly to the quality and special characteristics of this portion of the Palisades Tract neighborhood as one with wide streets and parkways and large parcel frontages and depths enabling it to continue to accommodate large homes with large yards and ample open space.

CEQA STATUS

The proposed Text Amendment is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to Section 15305 of the State Implementation Guidelines (Class 5) which allows for minor alterations in land use limitations in areas with an average slope of less than 20% which do not result in any changes in land use or density. The proposed project involves a fully subdivided residential neighborhood. The proposed project would not result in any changes to the existing single family residential land use, and would not result in changes in density in that the proposed project would effectively prevent further subdivision of land within the boundaries of the project area. Further, given the nature of this project, there is no possibility that the proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment. Consequently, the project is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State Implementation Guidelines.

BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT

The recommendation presented in this report does not have any budget or fiscal impact.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

Pursuant to Government Code 65091, notice of the public hearing was published in the Argonaut, at least 10 days prior to the hearing (see Attachment A).

CONCLUSION

Compared to the rest of the R1 District located north of Montana Avenue, the project area is distinguished by larger parcel sizes combined with wide streets typically extending 100 feet, deep front yard setbacks, and large parkways. Historically, this portion of the Palisades Tract was laid out in this manner in order to accommodate large homes surrounded by a substantial landscaped area. In Santa Monica, this type of parcel configuration is found only in the Palisades Tract, and the proposed text amendment is designed to preserve the historic layout of this subdivision.

By amending the Zoning Ordinance to effectively prevent further reduction of lot sizes in the project area, this text amendment will ensure that future development and improvements in this area will be compatible and consistent with the existing neighborhood scale, character, and parcel configuration. As detailed by the findings

below, lot splits in contravention of this text amendment would severely impact the existing character and scale of this unique neighborhood.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council hold a public hearing and introduce for first reading an ordinance amending Section 9.04.08.02.070(c) to increase the minimum lot width requirement from 50 feet to 100 feet and to increase the minimum lot depth from 100 feet to 175 feet for parcels located in the R1 single family district within the area bounded by the center lines of First Court Alley, Seventh Street, Montana Place North Alley and Adelaide Drive, as specified in Attachment C with the following findings.

TEXT AMENDMENT FINDINGS

• The proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance is consistent in principle with the goals, objectives and policies, land uses and programs specified in the adopted General Plan in that Policy 1.10.1 of the Land Use and Circulation Element provides in relevant part to "Encourage the development of new housing in all existing residential districts, while still protecting the character and scale of neighborhoods." Preservation of the neighborhood character and scale would result from this text amendment based on the following findings:

(a) The Palisades Tract was originally subdivided in 1905 and is a unique and distinctive neighborhood. Among its special characteristics are: 100 foot wide streets, as opposed to the 60 foot to 80 foot wide streets typical for other R1 zoned areas of the City; parcels with 100 feet of street frontage, as opposed to the typical R1 parcel street frontage of 50 feet; 200 foot parcel depths, as opposed to the typical 150 foot deep parcels found throughout most of the City; 40 foot front yard setbacks, as opposed to the 20 foot to 30 foot front yard setbacks in most of the other R1 areas of the City; and parkways and sidewalks which are on average 25 feet in width. Each of these features have a direct and substantial impact on the character and scale of the neighborhood.

(b) The Palisades Tract was designed to accommodate large homes with large yards and it was developed consistent with this design. Consequently, the Palisades Tract presently contains large, old homes surrounded by substantial yards and gardens.

(c) As a result of its broad streets and pathways, large lots, old homes, ample yards and gardens, and substantial setbacks, the Palisades Tract provides more open space than any other residential neighborhood in the City.

(d) The City itself is extremely dense with a land area of just 8 square miles and a population of approximately 90,000 people. Moreover, the combination of an ocean side location, fine climate, vigorous economy and urban facilities, services and entertainment venues make the City an extremely desirable place to work or visit. Consequently, on any weekday, approximately 200,000 persons are present in the City, and on weekends, this number frequently climbs to 400,000 or more. Population density and congestion both present threats to the quality of life in the City. Given the City's density, the Palisades Tract and the open space it provides are a unique asset to the City.

(e) Between 1947 and the early 1970's, a number of subdivisions of the parcels occurred in the Palisades Tract. These lot splits were approved administratively as a matter of right. In 1976, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1024 which repealed the right to subdivide lots as a matter of right and required public notice of a variance application to approve lot splits under certain conditions. In 1984, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1294 to implement the State Subdivision Map Act and require Planning Commission approval of subdivision requests. Since 1976, no lot split has been approved in the Palisades Tract. Consequently, more than fifty percent of the original 100 foot parcels in the Palisades Tract are still intact and the original character and scale of the tract has been maintained. However, the loss of any additional 100 foot parcels would adversely and irrevocably serve to change the character and scale of the Palisades Tract. Reducing lot width from 100 feet to 50 feet would reduce the required sideyard setback by 50%, resulting in less open space between homes and greater development density. Additionally, retaining the existing minimum lot sizes could result in reducing an existing 100 foot wide parcel into two 50 foot wide parcels. This would be inconsistent with the original design and plan for the character and scale of the Palisades Tract, and the resulting development would be out of scale with the majority of the other properties in the neighborhood.

• The public health, safety and general welfare require the adoption of the proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance in that Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.04.08.02.010 provides in relevant part that "the R1 District serves to maintain and protect the existing character of the residential neighborhood," and these qualities cannot be preserved and protected in this portion of the Palisades Tract without further preventing the subdivisions of R1 zoned lots within the area bounded by the center lines of First Court Alley, Seventh Street, Montana Place North Alley and Adelaide Drive. Subdivision of lots within this unique area of the City would detrimentally impact the scale and character of this portion of the Palisades Tract which is an exceptional City asset enjoyed by residents and visitors to the City who walk and bicycle in this neighborhood due to its special open space character. Approval of lot splits less than the minimum standards established by this proposed text amendment would irreversibly alter the essential character and scale of the Palisades Tract and deprive the city of a unique and essential resource.

Prepared by: Suzanne Frick, Director

Karen Ginsberg, Planning Manager

David Martin, Senior Planner

Donna Jerex, Associate Planner

Planning and Community Development Department

Attachments:

• Public Hearing Notice
• Palisades Tract Map
• Proposed Ordinance
• Ordinance #1897(CCS)
• Planning Commission Minutes (11/4/98)

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