July 15, 2008
July 9, 2008
July 8, 2008
July 1, 2008
June 24, 2008
June 17, 2008
City Council Meeting: June 10,
2008
Agenda Item: 8-E
8-B
8-E
8-A
8-D
8-A
To: Mayor and City Council
From:
Subject: Review and Provide Direction on the
Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) Strategy Framework
Recommended
Action
Staff
recommends that the City Council review the Land Use and Circulation Element Strategy
Framework (Framework) and based upon the review and community input endorse the
Framework with appropriate comments and direct the staff to proceed with economic,
transportation and environmental analysis and evaluation.
Executive
Summary
The LUCE Strategy Framework is a
holistic vision and integrated set of tools to shape the City’s future over the
next twenty years. The Framework
contains designations, policies and actions for managing and implementing the
visions. It is comprehensive and
sufficiently detailed to enable the community and City Council to understand the
approach and provide direction so the staff can proceed with the necessary economic,
transportation and environmental analysis. This is the Council’s and the community’s
opportunity to review and assess the vision before proceeding on to the next
stage of analysis.
Eleven community workshops provided
the “building blocks” that have shaped this Strategy Framework. The highly transparent process involved a
wide range of the City’s residential, institutional, business, civic and
non-profit groups as well as interested individuals in coming together to resolve
issues and identify areas of agreement.
The workshops were followed by four City council meetings that addressed
the concepts and endorsed principles generated through the workshops. Examples of ideas brought forward include the
vision for the neighborhoods, the industrial areas, “placemaking” principles
for complete neighborhoods, policies for affordable and workforce housing, and
an innovative approach for managing transportation and reducing traffic.
The attached Chapter 1.3 of the Strategy
Framework (Exhibit A) explains the plan’s overarching approach and
strategies. The full Strategy Framework
document is comprised of three main sections:
§
Overview - Introduction & Purpose; A History of the Process
and Strategy Framework)
§
City Elements - Diversified & Sustainable Economy; Housing;
and Transportation
§
Land Use - Land Use Policy & Designations; Neighborhoods:
Boulevards; Districts; and Integrating the Plan
The
recommendations presented in this report do not have any direct budget or
fiscal impact.
Background
Recently, at the April 29, 2008 City Council meeting,
following an April 2, 2008 community workshop, the City Council endorsed “the Transportation,
Economic and Housing strategies” for incorporation into the Land Use and
Circulation concept plan (now titled LUCE Strategy Framework). The Planning Commission began reviewing the LUCE
Strategy Framework in the later part of May and will have met and discussed the
document at multiple Planning Commission meetings prior to the City Council’s
first discussion on the Framework. A
supplemental report summarizing Planning Commission’s comments and
recommendations will be provided to the Council prior to the conclusions of the
Council’s review and action.
Discussion
The release of the Strategy Framework
document is an exciting milestone in the City of
The community is embarking on a new
direction through the Strategy Framework.
The Framework document focuses on how the City may evolve over the
twenty year horizon of the plan while, meeting the community’s strong desire for
little change (areas for change comprise less than 10% of the City) and
preservation of the City’s existing character.
It provides the structure to actively encourage desired benefits such as
housing, open space, gathering and cultural elements, walking and biking
facilities – in a holistic and sustainable manner that ensures a great quality
of life, both now and in the future.
While reviewing the document, it is important to keep in mind that the
Strategic Framework:
§
responds
to the community’s desire to protect the residential neighborhoods while also
providing sensitive tools and strategies to improve the neighborhoods by making
them “complete,” so that stores and services are within walking and biking
distance;
§
provides
a clear performance zoning approach for development above a minimum baseline to
ensure that
§
identifies
the tools and strategies to focus desired change, such as affordable and
workforce housing in areas adjacent to transit; and
§
defines
and implements mechanisms to reduce traffic.
Summary
of Document
The Strategy Framework document is divided
into three sections. Below is a brief
overview of the document. The entire
document can be viewed on the web at
http://www.shapethefuture2025.net/,
the City Planning counter in City Hall or any City library.
Section
1 – Overview
•
Introduction
& Purpose: provides
a description of the LUCE Strategic Framework planning approach; the purpose
and statutory requirements; and the structure and contents of the document.
•
History
of the Process: explains
the initial outreach, research and analysis; and describes the community
workshops process in detail.
•
Strategy
Framework: addresses
core values of the community and explains the six overarching strategies in the
Framework: (1) Neighborhood Preservation and Enhancement; (2) Integrated Land
Use and Transportation; (3) Pro-Active Congestion Management; (4) Public
Benefits; (5) Urban Character and Form; and (6) A Sustainable Santa Monica.
Section
2 – City Elements
•
Diversified
& Sustainable Economy: summarizes issues that were raised early in the process through the Opportunities and Challenges report;
describes the elements of the current economy and projections; provides an
analysis of the predominant sectors in Santa Monica; and addresses the
contributions to the City’s fiscal health, particularly as influenced by land
use decisions. The section also contains
a “Vision” statement; goals and policies.
•
Housing:
describes the current
housing stock and the trends that have influenced housing affordability in
•
Transportation:
provides a
comprehensive assessment of the components of congestion; identifies twelve key
transportation principles, including (1) measuring success, (2) managing
transportation as a limited resource, (3) the importance of streets as they
relate to land use, (4) the importance of a quality experience, (5) recognizing
streets as public open space, (6) transportation as a solution to global
climate change, (7) advancing health and active living, (8) affordability, (9) a healthy economy relies on
good transportation, (10) equity of resources, (11) safety, and (12) improved
facilities through public benefit performance incentives; and comprehensively addresses the components
of transportation in seven sub-sections that each contain a “Vision”
statement, goals, policies and actions:
§
Streets (infrastructure) - streets provide many roles and this section defines
the role of each type of facility, provides design guidelines and policies and
includes a “Street Network” map keyed to each type of facility.
§
Walking - walking environments ranging from the major boulevards to recreational
facilities are addressed and identified on a “Walking Network”: map. Goals, policies and actions are identified.
§
Bicycle Network - the potential for bicycles as a sustainable
and viable resource is addressed, followed by a description of the range of
potential facilities that are also identified on a “Bicycle Network” map. Goals, policies and actions are identified.
§
Transit - transit streets ranging from Regional Transit Streets to Local Access
Transit Streets are addressed and identified on a “Transit Network” map. Also addressed are bus stops and the
potential Exposition Light Rail and Subway to the Sea projects. Goals, policies and actions are identified.
§
Automobile Network - distributing trips through the street
system (indicated on an “Auto Network” map) and managing streets so they
function well according to their purpose are discussed. Goals, policies and
actions are identified.
§
Transportation Demand Management - strategies and approaches to incentivize the
use of transportation resources are discussed, tailoring approaches to
different types of users including employees, students and residents are explained
and a map of proposed “Demand Management Districts” is provided. Goals,
policies and actions are identified.
§
Parking - six parking principles are discussed: focus on availability, share most
parking, manage existing supply, unbundle the cost of parking from the cost of
housing, use price to balance supply and demand, and help motorists find the
nearest space. Goals, policies and
actions are identified.
Section 3 – Land Use
·
Land
Use Police & Designations: explains how this plan differs from the 1984 plan, the tools of
performance-based zoning for public benefit, and an overview and map of the
land use designations that are described in more detail in the subsequent
sections.
·
Neighborhoods: describes the ten vibrant neighborhoods
within
·
Boulevards: describes an overall vision for the
Boulevards, including active gathering spaces, enhanced transit facilities and
boulevard activity centers. Identifies eight
Boulevards: Wilshire, Santa Monica, Broadway, Colorado, Olympic, Pico, Ocean
Park and Lincoln; provides a comprehensive assessment of each, including
existing character, key issues, the “Vision” for the Boulevard or specific
sub-areas, identification of Activity Centers, identification of height,
development intensity and public benefit incentives for each Boulevard,
sub-area and Activity Center. Goals,
policies and actions are identified for each Boulevard.
·
Districts: identifies eleven Districts throughout the
City: Downtown, Healthcare, Civic Center, Beach & Oceanfront, Montana
Avenue, Main Street, Santa Monica Airport & Business Park, Bergamot Transit
Village, Mixed use Creative District, Memorial Park Activity Center and
Industrial Conservation District.; provides a comprehensive assessment of each
District including existing character, key issues; “Vision” goals, policies and
actions are identified for all Districts; and identifies height, development
intensity and public benefit incentives for the Beach & Oceanfront, Montana
Avenue, Main Street, Bergamot Transit Village, Mixed use Creative District,
Memorial Park Activity Center and Industrial Conservation District.
·
Integrating
the Plan: describes how Strategic Framework supports
the many adopted policies, principles and guiding documents that represent a
core set of community values, outline community needs and serve as guides for
identifying public benefits. The
policies are organized into the following, with each including a “Vision”,
goals, policies and actions.
§
Sustainable and Healthy Living – incorporates
the
§
Arts and Culture - incorporates the Creative Capital Plan
§
Historic Preservation – incorporates the Historic Preservation Element
§
Education and Public Facilities – incorporates the
§
Child
Care
§
Schools,
Public Facilities & Services
§
Lifelong
Learning
Next Steps
The Strategy Framework provides
the basis for the community, Planning Commission and City Council to set the
direction for the program that will undergo economic and environmental
analysis. After the City Council has endorsed
the Strategic Framework and provided comments and direction to staff, staff
will proceed with the analysis and evaluation, including Council’s confirmation
of a transportation analysis methodology.
Financial Impacts &
Budget Actions
The recommendations presented in this report
do not have any direct budget or fiscal impact.
Prepared by:
Ellen
Gelbard, Assistant Director
|
Approved: |
|
Forwarded to Council: |
|
|
|
|
|
Planning
and Community Development Department |
|
P. City Manager |
EXHIBIT A
Of the
LUCE Strategy Framework