The Santa Monica City Council has revised the review process and standards that regulate the conversion of restaurant uses to retail use or expanded use on the ground floor level of businesses located on the Third Street Promenade in an effort help ensure the Promenade’s continuing success.
In order to help meet this goal, the Council incorporated some of the recommendations made by the City’s Bayside District Corporation that conversion from food use to retail use should be made administratively by the City rather than having businesses obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). CUP’s must be approved by the City’s Planning Commission.
Other conversion modifications included having an existing restaurant retain at least half its frontage with a 16-foot minimum. It must also retain the same outdoor floor area but it can be recessed up to 20 feet, with a minimum restaurant depth of 75 feet from the property line, if the City’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) reviews it. The ARB review is to ensure the visibility of all outdoor dining on the Promenade.
The Council also conducted a study session on the future alternatives for the City’s Yard, which currently houses commercial refuse collection, a transfer facility and services for recycling and disposal. The City’s consultants recommended the following options for contract bids for transfer/recycling services.
1) Deliver City materials (refuse, recyclables, yard waste, food waste and bulk items) directly to non-City Yard site or sites.
2) Improve the City facility for the City only.
3) Improve the City Facility for the City and a private “partner.”
4) Improve the City Facility for the City and another city “partner.”
The Request For Proposals (RFP’s) are scheduled to be issued in January 2007 and the Council will make the final recommendations in a public hearing in June 2007.
At the July 12 special meeting, the Council approved the Santa Monica Watershed Management Plan and decided to hear the proposal for an increase in the stormwater parcel tax fee on July 25.
In other actions, the Council approved an extension of the City’s motor vehicle egress agreement to February 28, 2007 (and a possible extension to July 31, 2007) with Santa Monica College for their Bundy Campus as long as the College continues to work on obtaining a traffic signal at the Bundy Dr. entrance to the campus.
Also on July 12 the Council, in agreement with the Santa Monica Conservancy, asked City staff to have the City pursue purchasing the “Shotgun House.” This 1890’s home is currently being stored at the old Fisher Lumber site and was formerly located in Ocean Park. The City hopes to eventually move it back to Ocean Park and lease it for public benefit.
The Council made the following appointments to the City’s Boards and Commissions:
Airport Commission – Ofer Grossman
Architectural Review Board – Rudolfo Alvarez, William Adams
Arts Commission – Hara Beck, Jacob Samuel
Bayside District Corporation – Patricia Hoffman, David Martin, Rob Rader
Commission for the Senior Community – Marilyn Korade-Wilson, Melva Heinsohn (emeritus)
Commission on the Status of Women – Tia Skulski, Darline Evans (emeritus)
Convention & Visitors Bureau – Nancy Desser, West Hooker
Disabilities Commission – Carol Agate, Elizabeth Bogen, Patricia Alison Richardson
Housing Commission – Jason Parry, Richard Gerwitz
Landmarks Commission – Roger Genser, Ruthann Lehrer, Deborah Levin
Library Board – Kenneth Breisch, Gene Oppenheim
Personnel Board – Robert Sullivan
Planning Commission – Jay Johnson
Recreation & Parks Commission – Susan Cloke
Social Services Commission – Karen Gunn
