July 18, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Where Oh Where Is Our City Council?

OUR STATE

No city can afford a 20-25% increase in population.  But Sacramento lawmakers are currently voting on a package of land-use and housing bills that will alter Santa Monica’s character and future forever.  This has been referred to as “the great California land grab.”  And while the state is selling us down the river, where’s the resistance?  These nine bills, simply stated, void all land-use constraints!

At Issue

Santa Monica has been assigned 8,874 units to be built over the next eight years with 69% affordable, and possibly more when you consider the likely demolition of older and smaller one and two story buildings probably housing affordable units that are so much in need.  And yet, Santa Monica’s population has not recently increased, or at most 1-2% over the last several years.

Density on Steroids

This package of nine bills will effectively end single family zoning and neighborhoods throughout California.  Four homes will be allowed where one currently exists.  Or instead, a 10 unit building can be built with a modest fee paid to avoid including affordable units.  And another bill does not require garages or yards.  Or replacing one-story corner stores with tall apartments with no provision for affordable housing or even parking!  Another bill “fast tracks” permits while prohibiting environmental or local review!  And yet another allows the city council to rezone any parcel in the city to build 10 units, and on and on.  Still another highly controversial bill with irreversible effects authored by our own state assemblyman Richard Bloom in collusion with developers will allow building heights to be randomly determined by the highest commercial building within a half mile!!  All this in a city that currently builds an average 200 units a year with about 40-45 affordable units.

Dishonesty During Covid-19 Chaos

In this development frenzy, the bills are being pushed through while the public is focused on civic protests and a resurgent pandemic!  Hearings will be limited to review by only one committee – reducing the ability to vet these important bills.  The public will not be involved – sound familiar?  These bills are not only totally unnecessary, but highly detrimental – providing no relief to the affordability crisis but will succeed in dramatically reducing local control by fast tracking projects, voiding public hearings and environmental reviews, height restrictions and single family zoning.  What’s not to like?

OUR CITY

Each of these bills promotes substantial development, and local land use control will be history if these bills ae approved.  We are already substantially more density than all other coastal cities with the exception of San Francisco and San Diego – but will now catch up fast.  Historically, 200 units built per year will increase to 1,250 – an enormous change, but removing the public from the process will help.  And the state is offering all communities $200 million to rework their codes to enable this change.  Even though our city’s zoning capacity is capable of handling the 8,874 or more additional units without increasing height and density limits, there are substantial economic penalties if Santa Monica doesn’t meet these assigned goals.  And moreover, the state is exempt from helping local governments pay for the 25% increase in infrastructure that will be required.

Your Neighborhoods

To put 8,874 or more units in visual and physical perspective, this will add 1,250 units in each of the seven council districts or 25 massive six-story buildings covering two lots along with resulting traffic jams from the first day of construction – a wonderful prospect to look forward to!  And with no planning commission review process, how do you feel about these 175 six-story buildings all looking similar – like big building blocks with small protruding balconies reminiscent of computer punch cards – thanks yet again Richard Bloom for selling his constituents down the river.  The entire city is being up-zoned – truly growth on steroids and the public is not even involved!

“Forever Construction”

Plus or minus 9,000 units in eight years is a colossal amount of housing – just picture a six-story block building on every downtown block and every block of the 10 boulevards and primary arteries throughout the city – replacing one-story commercial buildings which represent well over 50% of the development on those blocks.  And the neighborhood’s first sign of these projects will be a posted demolition sign – i.e. no opportunity to know about the project and no opportunity for community input!  “But it won’t matter if the public doesn’t like the project as they have absolutely no recourse anyway” – quoting the Chair of the Planning Commission.

More Tax?!

With our city’s existing infrastructure and future lack of financial resources, these policies and numbers cannot meet our sustainable goals.  Water independence, trash recycling and energy generation will be relics of the past while the decline of tourism, the loss of small retail, affordable housing, pension funding, school education and cutting our library funding 43% will continue to plague our city.  And Santa Monica already ranks at the bottom of the list for park space per resident.  With the expansion of infrastructure and other city services, everyone’s taxes will also expand!  These housing bills will only increase Santa Monica’s affordability crisis.

It’s Time to Act

With increased density, we’re choosing a city of hand sanitizers instead of sunlight and blue skies.  This nine-bill, knee-jerk reaction by Richard Bloom in collusion with developers and others will provide homeowners and the developers who buy their homes with substantial profits while 70% of the residents will be further deprived.  What is important is Santa Monica’s overall “quality of life,” or as my colleague, Thane Roberts says, “this is a battle for our city’s soul.”

Where Did We Go Astray?

In 2010, with substantial resident input, Santa Monica completed a seven year process creating the city’s general plan, the LUCE.   This established the “intent of the city to be generally a low scale community” including three and four story buildings with 30 and 45 foot height limits, while recognizing the “loss of significant character defining buildings.”  however, it wasn’t long after the adoption of the LUCE that the City Council and administration started to think of it as “LOOSE” and started supporting projects that significantly exceed height and density limits.  And now we have these proposed state laws.

What Can You/We Do?

Stay tuned next week as we will continue the story with realistic alternatives to this very real dilemma and of our City Council’s complete lack of standing up on residents’ behalf – so what else is new!  Until then,

By Ron Goldman for SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) 

Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect, Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, Planning Commissioner, Phil Brock, Santa Monica Arts Commission.

For previous articles see www.santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing

in News
<>Related Posts

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Film Review: Superman

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

“This movie is packed with storyline, Superman lore, meaningful objects, and action.” writes Kathryn Whitney Boole Rated PG-13129 MinutesReleased July...

Multiple Drug Arrests Reported in Palisades Park in Recent Weeks

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

SMPD Reported Several of the Arrests Between June 29 and July 5 The Santa Monica Police Department reported several drug-related...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

SMPD to Conduct Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation on Friday

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The focus will be on speeding, illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to cyclists or walkers,...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

LAPD Seeks Missing 63-Year-Old Man Known to Frequent Playa Vista

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

His family last heard from him via a group text on June 22 The Los Angeles Police Department’s Missing Persons...

Santa Monica Offers City-Owned Properties for Affordable Housing Development

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The move aims to address the city’s Regional Housing Need Assessment of 8,895 units, with a goal of producing at...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...

Venice Beach to Host First Medal at 2028 Olympics

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Venice Beach, known for its vibrant boardwalk, will kick off the 844 ticketed events, hosting the triathlon along its coastline...