July 26, 2007

Land Use and Circulation Elements Planning for the City's Industrial Areas

At the July 24, 2007 meeting of the City Council, staff presented a report outlining the challenges and opportunities for development in the industrial area to be considered with the Land Use and Circulation Elements. Staff also presented short-term strategies to address the high level of potential projects in these zones including: a moratorium on development, a moratorium with exception for projects undertaken pursuant to a development agreement, revised development standards or maintenance of the status quo. SMCLC in conjuction with other neighborhood groups sent a letter to the Council regarding the matter. See below.

Council directed staff to prepare an interim ordinance with revised development standards with a square-footage limit and a maximum number of units for a development agreement. The suggested limit was 7,500 square feet and 15 units in the Light Studio Manufacturing zone, and perhaps a lower limit in the Manufacturing zone. Staff was directed to analyze various potential lower options.


July 24, 2007

Mayor Bloom and Honorable Councilmembers,

Many thanks for agendizing a discussion of a possible moratorium or reduced development standards in the LMSD and M1 zones.(Council meeting of 7/24/07, agenda item 8B link to staff report)

As you are aware, SMCLC and all of the neighborhood groups have previously met with the city and expressed their strong desire to see a citywide moratorium adopted for large scale developments and other projects which would not otherwise be approved if our new general plan were in place.

Consequently, we support this significant step forward in preserving flexibility in the LUCE revisions so they may still implement the vision we all have for our city. We urge you to adopt staff's recommendation #3.

However, we are concerned that present development standards would still allow development projects to go forward which would be precluded once the land use and circulation elements of our General Plan are completed in 2009.

We are also concerned about the spillover development pressures on other districts, such as the commercial boulevards, and we encourage you to study these other areas and to likewise consider additional development restrictions to protect them in this interim period.

Sincerely,
The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC)
Friends of Sunset Park Board of Directors (FOSP)
North of Montana Association Board of Directors (NOMA)
Ocean Park Association Board of Directors (OPA)
Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA)
Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont)