10/27/12

Development Agreements (DAs) allow developers to build projects that exceed our city’s zoning, usually in exchange for some promised “public benefit”.

Originally intended to be used rarely and for projects so special they should be approved in spite of violating city zoning, Development Agreements are now granted regularly as a way to circumvent city planning. As history and current events illustrate, developer money is the major source of campaign funding in Santa Monica.

In 35 years, from 1975 to 2010, Santa Monica granted less than 20 Development Agreements. Currently, the city has 23 Development Agreements in the pipeline. And the numbers are growing.

Click here to see a list of DAs approved since the 2010 election.