Email List

Crossroads School may soon be adding new classrooms as part of a proposed science learning center, but Planning Commissioners hoped the Development Agreement (DA) that would make the upgraded high school a reality would be part of an evolving standard requiring certain environmental concessions from developers who want to build in Santa Monica.

News, Crossroads, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

New Building At Crossroads School Gains Planning Commission Support

Posted May. 3, 2013, 9:22 am

Quite a unique event took place inside council chambers at Santa Monica City Hall on May Day: the governing body considered a development agreement (DA) that was not a multi-use development featuring apartment units and ground floor shops.

A rendering of the villa homes and penthouses to be built on Ocean Avenue. A Malibu developer acquired the project from Trammell Crow for $21 million.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Trammell Crow Sells Ocean Avenue Development Site For $21 Million

Posted Apr. 12, 2013, 8:54 am

Malibu-based Marquis Property Company Ltd has acquired the one-acre development site at the south corner of Ocean Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard in Santa Monica to build 20 “ultra-luxurious” villa homes and penthouses.

A rendering of the proposed four-story development that would include 28 studios, 19 one-bedroom, and six two-bedroom apartments.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Downtown, Development, Santa Monica

Second Street Development Agreement Moves Forward To Santa Monica City Council

Posted Apr. 5, 2013, 9:19 am

The Santa Monica Planning Commission recommended on Wednesday night a 53-unit development in the downtown core move forward and be considered by the City Council.

News, Planning Commission, Downtown, Development, Santa Monica

Second Street Development Proposes 53 Units For Downtown Santa Monica

Posted Mar. 29, 2013, 8:10 am

By one commissioner’s count, the Santa Monica Planning Commission has only considered three development agreements (DAs) this year. When commissioners met March 20, they considered their first DA in “weeks.” As if seeking to establish a trend of slowing down the DA approval process, commissioners last week took a time out from deliberating a mixed-use development at 1318 Second Street, tabling the remainder of their discussion until April 3.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Development Agreements To Be Deliberated For Longer

Posted Mar. 11, 2013, 9:08 am

Santa Monica’s planning commissioners will have an extra 60 days to deliberate development agreements (DAs), thanks to a modified ordinance that cleared both first and second readings at City Council in February.

One of the potential options for the Bergamot Station Arts Center that would be home to art galleries, eateries, hotels, and museum space.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Bergamot Area Plan Still On Santa Monica Planning Commission Docket

Posted Feb. 22, 2013, 9:15 am

One week after the Santa Monica Planning Commission discussed and analyzed the draft Bergamot Area Plan, the discussion continues.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Planning Commission Begins To Consider Bergamot Area Plan

Posted Feb. 1, 2013, 8:45 am

Santa Monica’s Planning Commission met Wednesday night at City Hall to discuss the Bergamot Area Plan and give direction on land use districts and regulations, design guidelines, and development standards.

News, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

Sue Himmelrich Named Santa Monica Planning Commissioner

Posted Jan. 24, 2013, 8:49 am

Attorney and 20-year Santa Monica resident Sue Himmelrich was appointed to fill the sole vacant seat on the Planning Commission at the City Council’s Jan. 22 meeting. She fills the seat left open by Ted Winterer, who was elected to the council last November and sworn in weeks later.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

City Council To Fill Vacant Santa Monica Planning Commission Seat Tonight

Posted Jan. 22, 2013, 9:02 am

The open seventh seat on the Santa Monica Planning Commission is expected to be filled tonight, Jan. 22, one day before the board holds a special meeting to consider the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP). Once selected by council members, the full panel is expected to converse about and provide direction for the DSP.

News, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

New Santa Monica Planning Commissioner To Be Appointed January 22

Posted Jan. 14, 2013, 8:52 am

Just one day remains for potential Santa Monica Planning Commissioners to submit applications to fill the seat vacated by recently installed Council member Ted Winterer.

A rendering of the 19-unit condominium complex proposed for 14th Street between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Planning Commission Recommends 19-Unit Condo Development

Posted Oct. 22, 2012, 2:12 am

A shorthanded Santa Monica Planning Commission unanimously recommended a 19-unit condominium project with a 41-space subterranean parking garage last Wednesday night, but not without weighing concerns voiced from neighbors living next to the proposed development.

Planning Commission, Development, Opinion, Santa Monica

City Planning Staff Have Led Developers Astray By Supporting Bloated Designs

Posted Sep. 20, 2012, 5:58 am

This is not an easy letter to write as I respect the planning department and their dedication to solving some very difficult planning and economic problems. There is constant pressure to densify cities now that suburban flight has run its course. However, that being said, I’m very familiar with two projects and somewhat less familiar with two others where the planning staff has led developers astray by supporting their bloated designs.

The City pays as much as $53,000 per subterranean parking space and more than $35,000 per above-grade parking space. Funding for future parking structures in downtown Santa Monica may come from developers.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Transportation, Santa Monica

Proposed Developer In-Lieu Parking Fee May Double Santa Monica's Revenue

Posted Sep. 6, 2012, 12:57 am

Within a span of 24 hours last week, a pair of study sessions was held at Santa Monica’s City Hall that would impose onto developers who want to build here a series of fees that, officials hope, would ultimately alleviate traffic congestion throughout the coastal municipality.

Off-street food truck lots could become more common around Santa Monica.

News, Planning Commission, Santa Monica, Food

Santa Monica Planning Commissioners Recommend Four Off-Street Food Truck Locations

Posted Aug. 31, 2012, 1:52 am

It has been the year of altering zoning codes to allow food trucks greater range to operate within Santa Monica. Only weeks after the City Council discussed food trucks operating on a lot near Santa Monica Boulevard and 14th Street, Planning Commissioners voted last week to recommended as many as four more other locations primed to house mobile eateries.

A rendering of the rooftop dining deck proposed for the Santa Monica Pier.

News, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

Rooftop Dining Deck Gets Planning Commission Support

Posted Aug. 20, 2012, 1:59 am

Diners seeking a nice meal out at the Santa Monica Pier may soon have the option to enjoy their food on a rooftop deck while taking in an elevated view of the Pacific Ocean, as Planning Commissioners discussed Wednesday night the merits of allowing a new restaurant to include rooftop dining.

The owners of a new restaurant coming to the Santa Monica Pier have asked for an amendment to the Municipal Code to allow for a third story roof dining deck.

News, Planning Commission, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Planning Commission To Ponder Rooftop Dining Level On Pier

Posted Aug. 13, 2012, 2:18 am

It seems the only way to expand in Santa Monica nowadays is not out, but up. At no other place in the city is there a higher premium for space than the Santa Monica Pier, where a restaurant hopes to be allowed to expand upwards so it can offer its customers rooftop dining.

An aerial shot of the mixed-use development site at 3402 Pico Boulevard, which calls for 300 residential units and about 5,000 square feet of commercial area.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Pico-Centinela Development Project Sparks Public Debate

Posted Jul. 20, 2012, 1:14 am

Preliminary plans for a mixed-use project in Santa Monica at the eastern border of the city were met with apprehension from residents at the Planning Commission on Wednesday night. The project calls for 300 residential units, more than 500 parking spaces, and about 5,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial area.

Santa Monica Planning Commissioners voted to recommend the "East Village" Development Agreement to City Council on Wednesday night after four hours of deliberations.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Village Trailer Park Redevelopment Moves One Step Closer To Reality

Posted Jun. 20, 2012, 9:20 pm

The Village Trailer Park’s mixed-use redevelopment will head to Santa Monica City Council on July 24 after the Planning Commission recommended the Development Agreement (DA) move forward on Wednesday night, but with a raft of amendments to the project’s tenant relocation plan, design elements, and community benefits.

The Colorado Esplanade redevelopment project will be scaled down, as the project budget needs to be reduced following the revocation of the Redevelopment Agency earlier this year.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Colorado Esplanade Redevelopment Project To Scale Back

Posted Jun. 11, 2012, 1:48 am

One of Santa Monica’s most ambitious redevelopment projects may have to be a little less ambitious, as the Planning Commission considered an altered Colorado Esplanade on Wednesday night that could save City Hall millions of dollars.

Santa Monica Planning Commissioners will meet on June 20 to discuss the future of the Village Trailer Park at 2930 Colorado Ave after no decision was made for the second Wednesday in a row about the proposed mixed-use development for the site.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Planning Commission Balks At Village Trailer Park Again

Posted Jun. 1, 2012, 1:51 am

Another meeting. Another indecision. The future of Village Trailer Park (VTP) still remains in the balance. For the second consecutive week, the Sa...

Developer Marc Luzzatto presented his latest project plans for the Village Trailer Park redevelopment to Santa Monica’s Planning Commission on Wednesday night. The fate of the project will be continued next week as the meeting was adjourned.

News, Planning Commission, Development, Business, Santa Monica

Revised Village Trailer Park Redevelopment Plans Head Back To Planning Commission

Posted May. 25, 2012, 1:43 am

Santa Monica developer Marc Luzzatto presented his latest project plans for the Village Trailer Park (VTP) site called “East Village” to the Planning Commission on Wednesday night, but not without criticism from residents and community members who oppose the project.

News, Planning Commission, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica

Santa Monica Planning Commission Considers Bergamot Area Plan Concepts

Posted May. 23, 2012, 2:06 am

Revitalizing old sites with newer projects has appeared to be a theme at City Hall in recent years, and the old Papermate site and current home to ...

A rendering of the proposed changes to the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. In terms of square feet, the Miramar would be expanded from its current 262,000-plus square feet to more than 550,000 square feet.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Downtown, Development, Business, Santa Monica, Tourism

Miramar Expansion Plans Get Off To A Raucous Start

Posted Feb. 10, 2012, 1:00 am

Not all change is good was the message from an emphatic overflow crowd to planning commissioners at Santa Monica City Hall on Wednesday night about...

The 12 projects deemed in compliance include Saint John’s Health Center.

News, City Council, Planning Commission, Development, Santa Monica

Santa Monica City Hall Reports On Progress Of Development Agreements

Posted Feb. 2, 2012, 12:18 am

Council members were presented with a status update of 20 past, present, and future projects last Tuesday night, with staff members assuring the da...

Advertise With Us

For the best in Santa Monica advertising opportunities, click here!