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Santa Monica City Council to Discuss Potential Zoning Changes on Main Street, Montana Avenue and parts of Ocean Park and Pico Boulevards

Tonight at 6pm the Santa Monica City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss the new Housing Element including potential zoning changes on Main Street, Montana Avenue and parts of Ocean Parkand PicoBoulevards.

Here at the Conservancy, we salute the diligent efforts being made to meet the need for housing, particularly affordable housing. We also have deep concerns aboutrecommendations in the current zoning proposal that would allow for buildings at effectively double the height and across multiple lots in the neighborhood commercial districts of Main Street, Montana Avenue and parts of Ocean Parkand PicoBoulevards.

Specifically, the proposal to allow 55 ft. high heights and lot consolidation in these areas threatens to undermine the character of our City’s most pedestrian-oriented commercial areas which are home to many of the City’s historic resources and small local businesses. Allowing new construction at this scale would also create large floor-plate retail spaces only affordable to corporate tenants, likely wiping out many existing local small businesses all together.

We think there are other parts of the City with underutilized potential for new housing opportunities, including our major commercial corridors. It is our position that these smaller neighborhoods are not the right place to build necessary housing.

Click here to read the Conservancy’s official letter, sent as public comment for tonight’s meeting. Click here for the meeting agenda. Public comment is now closed, but the public can attend the meeting in person at City Hall Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Room 250, or watch live here. A recording of the meeting will be posted here.

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