Santa Monica, California
Planning Commission Mtg: March 1, 1995
TO: The Honorable Planning Commission
FROM: Planning Staff
SUBJECT: Development Review 94-005
Address: 1 Pico Boulevard
Applicant: ET Whitehall Santa Monica Partners/Shutters
on the Beach
INTRODUCTION
Action: Application for Development Review Permit to amend
Development Review Permit 325 to permit valet assisted public
parking in-lieu of twenty one on-site public metered parking
spaces. The amendment will not reduce the number of public
parking spaces. The proposal meets all applicable development
standards.
Recommendation: Approval of amendment to previously approved
Development Review Permit with conditions.
Permit Streamlining Expiration Date: March 21, 1995
SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The subject property is a 58,582 square foot parcel located on
both sides of Appian Way between Pico Boulevard and Vicente
Terrace having a frontage of approximately 203 feet. Surrounding
uses consist of parking and residential uses (BP and RVC with
Beach Overlay) to the north, a health and fitness facility and
residential uses (R4 with Beach Overlay) to the south, a hotel
(RVC with Beach Overlay) to the east, and public beach use (Beach
Overlay District) to the west. Existing on-site uses include a
196 room hotel with meeting rooms, restaurants, health club and
parking structure.
Zoning District: Residential-Visitor Commercial with Beach
Overlay District
Land Use District: Oceanfront District
Parcel Area: 1.5 Acres
(West Parcel: 24,809 square feet)
(East Parcel: 33,773 square feet)
MUNICIPAL CODE AND GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE
The proposed project is consistent with the Municipal Code and in
conformity with the General Plan as shown in Attachment A.
CEQA STATUS
The project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA,
pursuant to Class 1 - (c) of the State Guidelines in that the
operational change in the mode of providing public parking spaces
in an existing parking structure involves no expansion of use.
RENT CONTROL STATUS Commercial exempt.
FEES The project is not subject to any special Planning and
Zoning related fees.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 9.04.20.20.080, within 30 days
after the subject application was deemed complete, the applicant
posted a sign on the property stating the following information:
Project case number, brief project description, name and
telephone number of applicant, site address, date, time and
location of public hearing, and the Planning and Zoning Division
phone number. It is the applicant's responsibility to update the
hearing date if it is changed after posting.
In addition, pursuant to Municipal Code Section 9.04.20.22.050,
notice of the public hearing was mailed to all owners and
residential and commercial tenants of property located within a
500 foot radius of the project at least ten consecutive calendar
days prior to the hearing. A copy of the notice is contained in
Attachment B.
The applicant held a neighborhood meeting on January 24, 1995.
Per the applicant, the comments received from the public were
that the existing public parking service at the hotel has been
inconsistent, and that comments generally approved the proposed
modification.
ANALYSIS
Background
The Shutters Hotel project was approved on appeal by the City
Council on December 1, 1987 under Development Review Permit 325,
Environmental Impact Assessment 814, Conditional Use Permit 417
and Variance ZA-5169-Y. The approved project included a 196 room
hotel with meeting rooms, restaurants, health club and a total of
210 required on-site parking spaces. As proposed by the
original applicant and approved by City Council, the on-site
parking spaces included 21 metered public parking spaces to
replace removed City parking meters. Metered parking spaces were
not provided in the development, which was the subject of a
complaint to City staff and which resulted in this application by
the new owner.
The applicant has requested to amend Development Review Permit
325 to allow a valet-assisted service for the 21 meter public
parking spaces. The amendment would not reduce the number of
required public parking spaces.
Parking and Circulation
The existing parking spaces are provided in a multi-level
subterranean parking area accessed from Appian Way. The parking
area design does not include interior walkways, stairwells,
elevators or exterior sidewalks to off-site public areas. The
existing stairwells and elevators only provide access to interior
locations within the hotel. The lack of pedestrian pathways to
off-site public areas makes public access in and out of the
parking garage difficult and decreases public safety. The
ingress and egress of the subterranean parking area is located at
one entrance on Appian Way. The availability of the public
parking spaces may only be determined by driving through the
parking area, which increases the number of vehicular trips into
the parking area and the traffic impacts on Appian Way. In
addition, the circulation layout includes narrow driveways and
steep ramps to each level of the parking area. The narrow
driveways and steep ramps decreases vehicular maneuverability and
would not allow the addition of pedestrian pathways to the
entrance. The parking design and circulation of the existing
parking area does not provide safe pedestrian access to off-site
public areas and increases the traffic impacts on Appian Way.
Meter Revenue
The rate for City public parking meters in the project site area
is fifty cents per hour from the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
daily. According to the City Finance Department, the annual
average revenue per meter in the beachfront area is approximately
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000). Currently, the applicant collects
the revenue for the required meter parking and makes monthly
payments to the City Treasury department.
The applicant has proposed to provide valet service to the public
for the 21 public parking spaces. The valet service would
collect payment for the public parking spaces consistent with
City meter rates and hours. The public parking spaces will be
available 24 hours each day. In addition, no tipping would be
permitted for public parking valet service. Staff believes the
proposed valet assisted program at the hotel is an appropriate
solution to the public access problem. As proposed by staff, the
spaces would be subject to an annual payment schedule of One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000) per meter, for a total of Twenty One
Thousand Dollars ($21,000), with the provision that the annual
meter fee may be adjusted to reflect future changes to City
public meter parking rates. Condition #6 specifies this
requirement.
Signage
Public signage noting the availability of public spaces is
currently provided at the project site parking entrance.
Although there is existing public space signage, staff believes
that additional signage should be provided at the Pico Boulevard
median areas and at the entrance of the valet service area. The
signage should state the following: hourly rates based on City
meter rates and hours; 24 hour availability of public spaces;
and no valet tipping permitted. In addition, the valet parking
ticket should state that no valet tipping is permitted. These
items are included in Condition #7.
Conclusion
The proposed valet assisted service for twenty one on-site public
parking spaces would improve pedestrian safety and access to
subterranean garage public spaces and should be approved with an
annual meter payment schedule equivalent to City meter rates and
signage conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Planning Commission approve DR 94-005,
amending DR 325, to permit the valet assisted service for the
existing twenty one public parking spaces with the following
findings and conditions:
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FINDINGS
1. The physical location, size, massing, and placement of
proposed structures on the site and the location of
proposed uses within the project are compatible with and
relate harmoniously to surrounding sites and neighborhoods,
in that the proposed valet service for twenty one public
parking spaces are provided in an existing parking facility
and the use of a valet service rather than allowing direct
public ingress and egress will reduce traffic congestion
and safety impacts on Appian Way.
2. The rights-of-way can accommodate autos and pedestrians,
including parking and access, in that the public parking
spaces are provided in an existing parking area accessible
from Appian Way and, due to the valet operation of these
public spaces, the public will not be entering and exiting
the garage searching for available parking, thereby
reducing traffic related impacts on Appian Way.
3. The health and safety services (police, fire, etc.) and
public infrastructure (e.g. utilities) are sufficient to
accommodate the new development, in that the proposed valet
service will be provided for public parking spaces in an
existing parking area on a developed site.
4. Any on-site provision of housing or parks and public open
space, which are part of the required project mitigation
measures required in Subchapter 5G of the City of Santa
Monica Comprehensive Land Use and Zoning Ordinance,
satisfactorily meet the goals of the mitigation program, in
that the proposed valet assisted service will be provided
at existing parking spaces of a developed site which does
not require mitigation measures.
5. The project is generally consistent with the Municipal Code
and General Plan, in that proposed amendment to provide
valet assisted public parking is consistent with the
approved Development Review Permit 325 which permitted a
hotel in the R4 and R4A district at the time of City
Council approval with the provision that 21 metered parking
spaces be incorporated into the project.
6. Reasonable mitigation measures have been included for all
adverse impacts identified in the Initial Study or
Environmental Impact Report, in that the amendment to
provide valet assisted parking spaces for existing parking
spaces is categorically exempt and does not require an
Initial Study or Environmental Impact Report.
CONDITIONS
Plans
1. This approval is for those plans dated 12/16/88, a copy of
which shall be maintained in the files of the Planning and
Zoning Division. Project development shall be consistent
with such plans, except as otherwise specified in these
conditions of approval.
Architectural Review Board
2. Plans for final design, landscaping, screening, trash
enclosures, and signage shall be subject to review and
approval by the Architectural Review Board.
Validity of Permits
3. In the event permittee violates or fails to comply with any
conditions of approval of this permit, no further permits,
licenses, approvals or certificates of occupancy shall be
issued until such violation has been fully remedied.
4. Within ten days of Planning Division transmittal of the
Statement of Official Action, project applicant shall sign
and return a copy of the Statement of Official Action
prepared by the Planning Division, agreeing to the
Conditions of approval and acknowledging that failure to
comply with such conditions shall constitute grounds for
potential revocation of the permit approval. By signing
same, applicant shall not thereby waive any legal rights
applicant may possess regarding said conditions. The
signed Statement shall be returned to the Planning and
Zoning Division. Failure to comply with this condition
shall constitute grounds for potential permit revocation.
5. This determination shall not become effective for a period
of fourteen days from the date of determination or, if
appealed, until a final determination is made on the
appeal. Any appeal must be made in the form required by
the Zoning Administrator. The approval of this permit
shall expire one year from the permit's effective date,
unless, in the case of new development, a building permit
has been obtained, or in the case of a change of use, a
business license has been issued and the use is in
operation prior to the permit expiration date. One three-
month extension of the one year period may be permitted if
approved by the Director of Planning. Applicant is on
notice that time extensions may not be granted if
development standards relevant to the project have become
more restrictive since project approval.
Special Conditions
6. The developer shall maintain the twenty one (21) on-site
public parking spaces to provide a valet assisted service
for such public spaces and shall submit an annual payment
to the City of Santa Monica of $1,000 for each public
parking space. The first such payment shall be made within
thirty (30) days of the effective date of this approval,
and thereafter shall be made each year on the anniversary
date of the effective date of this approval. The annual
payment per meter may be adjusted if City parking meter
rates are changed. The valet assisted service shall be
operated in the following manner: Fees collected for the
public parking spaces shall be equivalent to City meter
rates and hours; Public parking spaces shall be available
twenty four (24) hours; and Valet tipping shall not be
permitted.
7. Signage shall be provided at the Pico Boulevard median
areas and at the entrance of the valet service area. The
signage shall include the public parking rates based on
City meter rates and hours, that public parking is
available 24 hours a day, and that no valet tipping is
permitted. The valet parking ticket shall also include a
statement that tipping is not permitted. Signage provided
shall be subject to approval of the Architectural Review
Board and the City Parking and Traffic Engineer.
Prepared by: Patrice McCartney, Associate Planner
Attachments:
A. Municipal Code and General Plan Conformance
B. Notice of Public Hearing
C. Radius and Location Map
D. Photographs of Site and Surrounding Properties
E. Parking Plan