M I N U T E S
REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
Founded 1875
"Populus felix in urbe felici"
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1995 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
7:00 P.M. ROOM 213, CITY HALL
1. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 7:09
p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Zinner led the Pledge
of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL: Present: Kenneth Breisch
Ralph Mechur
Eric Parlee
Thomas Pyne, Chair
Kathy Weremiuk
John Zinner
Also Present: Kyle Ferstead, Commission Secretary
Suzanne Frick, Director of
Planning/PCD
Amanda Schachter, Senior Planner
Mary Strobel, Deputy City Attorney
Kenyon Webster, Planning Manager
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Ms. Frick stated that the minutes for December 7, 1994,
were previously approved on January 11, 1995.
Commissioner Zinner made a motion to approve the minutes
for December 14, 1994, as submitted. Commissioner Breisch
seconded the motion, which was approved by voice vote.
5. PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT:
Ms. Frick gave the Director's Report. She stated that the
Commission meeting scheduled February 1st has been
rescheduled to February 8th due to a quorum problem. She
also reported that the City Council will be considering
the Arboretum on January 24th.
Chair Pyne asked Ms. Frick if the public hearing has been
closed for the Arboretum. Ms. Frick stated that requests
to speak received on the prior hearing date will be
honored, but new requests will not be taken. Commissioner
Mechur stated that the Planning Commission Chair might be
allowed to speak. Ms. Frick stated that is correct, and
that the City Council may elect to reopen the public
hearing.
6. STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL ACTION: Consent Calendar
Statements of Official Action were not submitted for
approval.
7-A: PUBLIC HEARINGS: Consent Calendar
Resolution of Intention, Permit Lifespan (Planner: Amanda
Schachter)
Staff Report
Commissioner Parlee made a motion to approve item 7A, as
submitted. Commissioner Breisch seconded the motion, which was
approved by voice vote.
8-A: PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Development Review 94-002, 3110 Main Street, CM District,
Applicant: Main Street Plaza, Application for a Development
Review Permit to amend DR 234 to allow commercial visitors,
customers, employees and tenants at 3110 Main Street to be
charged for parking. Currently, DR 234 requires that parking be
provided "at no direct cost" to "all project tenants,
customers, visitors and employees" at 3110 Main Street.
(Planner: D. Buckley)
Staff Report
The applicant's representative, Chris Harding, 1250
6th Street, Suite 300, Santa Monica 90401, was present
to discuss the application.
Commissioner Zinner asked Mr. Harding to correct his
letter regarding sale of bus tokens for the RTD, to
the MTA. He also asked if tokens for the Santa Monica
bus line would be available. Mr. Harding stated they
are available and he will correct his records
regarding the RTD.
Commissioner Zinner asked if by "carpool", the
applicant means two or more riders or three or more
riders. Mr. Harding stated "two or more riders".
The following members of the public spoke:
Sara Faulds, 2411-I 3rd Street, Santa Monica 90405
Bonnie Reiss, 26665 Seagull Drive, Malibu
Mike Feinstein, 142 Hollister Avenue, Santa Monica
90405
Mr. Harding spoke in rebuttal to the public comment.
Commissioner Weremiuk asked how many spaces were in
the parking area. Mr. Harding stated that there are
152 spaces.
Commissioner Weremiuk asked how many of those 152
spaces are used by employees. Paul Silvern of
Hamilton, Rabinovitz and Alschuler, responded that he
prepared the parking analysis for the application, and
stated that he did not have an exact number, however
approximately 26% of the spaces are used by employees
and tenants of the building during peak evening hours
and 11% of the spaces by visitors to the facility.
Commissioner Parlee commented on parking and potential
impacts to the neighborhood. Mr. Silvern stated that
he did not obtain information regarding where
employees park if they do not use the building's
parking, however he felt there was no need for
employees to park on the street.
Commissioner Mechur commented on the parking spaces
leased at St. Clement's Church. Mr. Harding stated
that there are thirty spaces leased at the church for
the employees of Shatzi's restaurant. He also
stressed that the office use in this building is very
low intensity and that the residential area near the
site, in Santa Monica, has preferential parking at
night. Mr. Silvern stated that his survey of the
area, which was done in the summer, revealed only 55%
of the available spaces in use at any one time. He
also stated that the building's parking could absorb
more intensive users.
Chair Pyne closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Zinner asked staff for the Commission's
authority in changing the hours for preferential
parking in the area. Ms. Frick stated that the
Commission has no discretion in this matter and such
requests must be generated by residents.
Commissioner Zinner expressed agreement with the
applicant regarding free parking as not being a
solution. He stated that preferential parking for the
neighborhoods would be a better solution.
Commissioner Mechur also expressed agreement with the
applicant and asked if a condition could be made to
survey the residential parking. Ms. Frick stated that
such a survey is very labor intensive. She
recommended that the applicant work with staff on this
matter if the residents request a change in hours for
the preferential parking.
Commissioner Parlee asked staff if it would be
appropriate to ask the applicant to work with the
neighbors regarding the expansion of preferential
parking. Ms. Frick stated that the Commission has
done this in the past.
Commissioner Zinner suggested tying such work to OPCO
and asked the applicant to agree to fund any studies
that might be needed for the expansion of preferential
parking. Ms. Frick stated that if the residents come
forward with a request for an expansion, then the
applicant could be contacted to aid the neighbors in
their request.
Commissioner Zinner made a motion for approval with
the following conditions: that page five be amended to
clarify carpools as two or more riders; that the
language regarding bus tokens be amended and include a
50% discount for all bus lines; and that language be
created to require the applicant to aid residents in
the preparation of documentation for any request to
expand preferential parking hours.
Commissioner Mechur seconded the motion.
Commissioner Breisch asked about the inclusion of a
condition regarding funding for a shuttle.
Commissioner Zinner stated he would accept the
language used in the Lawrence and Harding letter.
Commissioner Mechur also agreed to the additional
condition.
Deputy City Attorney Strobel suggested clarifying the
shuttle condition, as the letter indicates it would be
contingent upon the creation of an assessment
district.
Chair Pyne reopened the public hearing to allow Mr.
Harding to speak. Mr. Harding stated that the
language regarding the shuttle may be broadened and
not be contingent upon an assessment district.
The motion was approved by the following vote:
AYES: Breisch, Mechur, Parlee, Pyne, Weremiuk,
Zinner.
8-B: Conditional Use Permit 94-022, 1429 Third Street
Promenade, C3C, Applicant: Albert Mizrahi/Gotham Hall,
Application for a Conditional Use Permit to amend Conditional
Use Permit 92-014 to permit a 4,766 sq.ft. expansion of an
existing 9,365 sq.ft restaurant/bar with an approved Type-47
(On-Sale General for Public Eating Place) alcohol license on
the second floor and roof deck of 1429 Third Street Promenade.
The proposal includes a request for a 190 sq.ft. dance floor, a
102 sq.ft. stage, and live music. The proposal would add 237
seats to the existing 206 seats for a proposed total of 443
seats. (Planner: Susan Healy Keene)
Continued to February 1, 1995
Commissioner Breisch made a motion to continue item 8B
to February 8, 1995. Commissioners Weremiuk and
Parlee seconded the motion, which was approved by
voice vote.