WS Communities Will Receive Several Incentives, Including The Ability To Combine Affordable Housing Requirements From Different Projects Into A Single Location And Increased Allowable Parking In Their Developments.
The Santa Monica City Council voted unanimously to reintroduce 13 Builders Remedy projects back into the regular development process through incentives offered by WS Communities, the developer with whom the City settled.
As part of the agreement, WS Communities will receive several incentives, including the ability to combine affordable housing requirements from different projects into a single location and increased allowable parking in their developments.
These incentives will enable the developer to re-enter the normal development process while still maintaining State density bonuses that would be invalidated if affordable housing were combined otherwise.
In exchange for these incentives, the developer will withdraw all their Builders Remedy projects and have the right to file for new projects within the existing zoning rules. The City of Santa Monica failed to adopt a Housing Element mandated by the state, which allowed developers to file for Builders Remedy projects.
These projects were outside city control and could bypass zoning rules, provided they met minimum standards for affordability. However, the City argued that these applications were invalid and untested in court, but opted for a settlement with the developer to prevent more than 4,000 units from flooding the city outside the regular development rules.
During the public comment section of the meeting, one project, 3030 Nebraska Ave, was the subject of much discussion, particularly as it could potentially impact the New Roads School and the Little Dolphins By The Sea pre-school. Parents and officials from the school spoke passionately, alleging Brown Act violations. However, a representative for the developer stated that the settlement was actually beneficial for the concerned parents as it would terminate the large project looming over their schools.
