PCD:AS:JL: F:\CityPlanning\Share\PC\STRPT\05\PC Rpt  Alternatives (12 07 05).doc

Planning Commission Meeting:     December 7, 2005                      Santa Monica, California

 

 

TO:                  Honorable Planning Commission

                                          

FROM:            Planning Staff

 

SUBJECT:     Draft Alternatives, Common Elements, Performance Indicators and Measures to be Studied and Analyzed as part of the Land Use and Circulation Element Project, and Proposed Public Outreach Program

 

 

INTRODUCTION

This report recommends that the Planning Commission review proposed draft alternatives related to the Land Use and Circulation Element project and choose three concepts for further study.  Having completed initial public outreach, developed emerging themes and opportunities and challenges analyses, the next step in the Land Use and Circulation Element project is to conduct an analysis of land use alternatives that will assist the community in deciding upon a preferred land use and circulation plan.  Presented for Planning Commission review are: 1) proposed draft alternatives; 2) a set of common elements that will hold for all alternatives; 3) performance indicators and measures that will used to assess the alternatives; and, 4) a proposed approach to public outreach during this phase.

 

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this phase of the Land Use and Circulation Element process is to consider possible land use outcomes and the relationships and tradeoffs between the possibilities.  Four alternative land use distributions are the means to develop community understanding and are presented for purposes of study only – not as proposed policy.  Through analysis of the alternatives, the community will select the combination of land uses that is the preferred plan.

 

Draft Alternative Concepts

The project calls for an analysis of up to three alternatives that can be used to help identify a preferred plan. Four alternatives are being presented with the idea that one of the Alternatives will be eliminated and, therefore, not studied. Except as noted, these alternatives are further detailed in Attachment A. The draft alternatives are not complete and not fully refined. The descriptions represent a starting point to stimulate a focused discussion that will help identify a path to further develop these concepts that will ultimately be reviewed by the community. The Alternatives build upon the Emerging Themes and address the Policy Questions identified in the two milestone work products, the Emerging Themes and Opportunities and Challenges Reports. The Themes and Questions are reprinted as Attachments E and F, respectively, in this report.

 

Following the Planning Commission and Council’s discussion, which is tentatively scheduled for January 10, staff and consultant will direct efforts toward the preparation of an Alternatives Workbook. This workbook will clearly detail and analyze each of the alternatives. It will also include an analysis of a “no growth” scenario and explain how that policy position might affect the community, legally and culturally. This scenario is presented in response to comments expressed during the public outreach effort and at the Planning Commission’s request to better understand the implications of this policy perspective. This scenario analysis will not be as exhaustive as the alternatives study. A snapshot of the draft alternatives are presented below:

 

“Status Quo”. This alternative analyzes how the City’s land uses and circulation might evolve if no changes are made to existing policies and development activity continues at its current pace. Because this will not significantly change the existing environment compared to today, this alternative is not further detailed in Attachment A.

 

“Neighborhood Centers”. This alternative focuses small scale growth at strategic locations along the commercial boulevards that will serve existing residential and commercial neighborhoods; it also establishes a new mixed use neighborhood near Bergamot Station. Non-motorized transportation alternatives are explored as are parking strategies that support surrounding land uses and walkability. Light rail with stops Downtown and at Bergamot Station are planned for and incorporated within this alternative.

 

“Uptown / Downtown”. This alternative creates a new Uptown District centered around Bergamot Station. The mixed use district will provide live work studios, support cultural resources in the area and support opportunities to expand for medical-related uses in the area. While this district will be a high activity area, Downtown will remain the City’s focus. Light rail connections between these districts and the region are a key circulation priority under this alternative, as well as expanding parking districts Downtown.

 

“Grand Boulevards”. This alternative focuses development along the commercial boulevards to create a consistent scale and distinctive character that is unique to Santa Monica. Additional housing resources are planned around transit stops. Commercial corridor transit, improved pedestrian orientation, walkability and bicycle use will be the circulation focus; light rail opportunities will also be explored. 

 

Common Elements and Options

The Planning Commission previously reviewed a list of reoccurring ideas that have consistently been raised and supported by the community. These ideas are presented as “Common Elements” and have been updated to reflect the Commission’s earlier comments. The Common Elements, included with this report as Attachment B, will be a part of each Alternative and ultimately the preferred plan. This list is not static and can still be updated. In fact, it would be appropriate to review this list again to make sure it reflects the Commission’s perspective. The Common Elements are not specifically detailed in the discussion of the Alternatives (Attachment A).

 

Another list is also included in Attachment B. This represents concepts that have been mentioned during the project, but without the same level of consistency as the Common Elements. This list, called “Options”, identifies topics that need to be further studied and may or may not be incorporated into every alternative or even the preferred plan; if incorporated, the degree of implementation is uncertain. It is anticipated that more concepts will be added to this list as the project progresses. It is presented to the Commission to highlight an awareness of these issues, but no further action is required at this time.

 

Performance Indicators and Measures

While there is no comprehensive or definitive standard or criteria that can be used to evaluate the appropriateness or future success of any of the alternatives, staff and consultant have explored the idea of using indicators as one way to further explain and understand the alternatives. Using the Sustainable City Plan as a model, several indicators have been identified that may assist in understanding the implications of each alternative. The challenge using indicators is the availability of certain data and the subjectivity of the criteria. Many indicators are quantitative and can be mapped, while others rely on a qualitative analysis. An initial list of indicators is presented to the Commission in Attachment C. While the map based indicators can easily be measured, some of the other indicators may fall off the list if reasonable thresholds for evaluation cannot be established. Some of these indicators may in fact become performance measures that can be used to assess or analyze the adopted plan’s performance over time. Examples of performance measures that are beginning to be identified are presented in Attachment D. These measures, or goals, relate primarily to the Circulation Element and are presented to the Commission for its review and comment.

 

Proposed Public Outreach Effort

The public outreach component for this phase of the project will consist of a series of focused meetings or forums to familiarize the community with the alternative concepts. The public’s comments will be used to formulate a preferred plan that will be basis of future policy objectives and goals. Aspects of the outreach effort include:

 

·                    Focused meetings related to specific topics and/or geographic areas identified in the Alternatives Workbook

·                    Variable meeting formats may be used depending on needed feedback or meeting topic

·                    Participation that represents a cross section of the community will be sought

·                    A city-wide workshop will be held toward the end of this effort to present the information received and attempt to narrow or select a preferred alternative

·                    A booth at the Santa Monica Festival will be established to update the community and maintain project awareness

·                    A report summarizing the comments and recommending to the decision makers a preferred plan will be released following the city-wide workshop.

 

The Alternatives Workbook will be released in Winter 2006. Focused workshops will be initiated shortly thereafter and continue through Spring. The length of the outreach period necessitates holding no more than five community-wide meetings, rather than attending a large number of pre-existing community meetings. The report will be released and hearings held before the Planning Commission and City Council in Summer.

 

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

A notice of the City Council meeting was mailed to persons on the project mailing list, interested WIN subscribers, and published in the California Section of The Los Angeles Times.  A copy of the hearing notice is contained in Attachment G.

 

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council review and comment upon the direction of the draft Alternatives, common themes, performance indicators and measures, and public outreach effort.            

 

 

Prepared by:              Andy Agle, Interim Director

                                    Ellen Gelbard, Assistant Director

                                    Gay Forbes, Development Services Officer

                                    Amanda Schachter, Planning Manager

                                    Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager

                                    Jonathan Lait, AICP, Principal Planner

                                    Beth Rolandson, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner

                                    Liz Bar-El, AICP, Senior Planner

                                    Michelle Glickert, Transportation Planning Associate

                                    Tony Kim, Associate Planner

                                    Betsy Wheeler Kollgaard, Administrative Analyst

                                    Planning and Community Development Department

 

 

 

Attachments:

A.                 Draft Alternatives w/Conceptual Distribution Maps

B.                 Common Elements and Options

C.                Land Use and Circulation Element Draft Indicators

D.                Circulation Element Working Goals and On-Going Performance Measures

E.                 Emerging Themes (Excerpted from the Emerging Themes Report)

F.                 Policy Questions (Excerpted from the Opportunities & Challenges Report)

G.                Public Notice

ATTACHMENT   A

 

Draft Alternatives w/Conceptual Distribution Maps

 

Alternative A - Neighborhood Centers (see conceptual map)

Overall Concept

This alternative reinforces town-scaled neighborhood centers and enhances community members’ ability to access local services through non-motorized forms of transportation. The Neighborhood Centers are modest: supporting housing at upper levels and local serving, pedestrian-oriented commercial spaces at the first floor. Activity centers are spread throughout the city at specific nodes along some commercial boulevards, downtown and near Bergamot Station. Residential neighborhoods are preserved while opportunities for affordable housing, small grocery stores and improved linkages between neighborhoods are explored.

 

Objectives

Development activity is concentrated at strategic locations along commercial corridors to create mixed use Neighborhood Centers. Locations will be determined based on existing and surrounding land uses, previously identified opportunity sites, and the likelihood of success given the proximity to residential and commercial areas.

 

The Neighborhood Centers will primarily serve and support surrounding land uses and encourage walkability through pedestrian-oriented design and parking strategies that support this objective. Each center will reflect the character of the area in which it is located, for example, allowing centers on Ocean Park and Wilshire Boulevards to reflect unique differences. Mixed use buildings will be encouraged allowing for small neighborhood-serving and locally owned businesses to occupy the first floor with housing opportunities above. The remainder of the commercial land area along the boulevards, outside of the centers, will continue to support local and regional serving uses with little change to the scale or intensity that exists today.

 

The eastern portion of the City’s light manufacturing and studio district will transition into a new mixed use neighborhood centered around the planned light rail stop at Bergamot Station. Parcel sizes in this area will be reduced and multi-modal streets created that reflect Santa Monica’s existing circulation grid. Its proximity to a light rail station supports new housing resources and reduces the demand for traditional parking, which will serve to reduce construction costs and improve opportunities to housing affordability. This neighborhood will also support recreational opportunities. Linkages between area parks and the Exposition bikeway planned along the MTA right of way will be established. Industrial uses will likely remain in the area east of the new mixed use neighborhood. The remainder of the industrial conservation district, west of 20th Street and east of Lincoln Boulevard will continue to support industrial uses and housing opportunities similar to today’s mix of land uses, except that around 17th Street and Olympic Boulevard a light rail platform will be planned for, allowing for increased transit access to Santa Monica College and the surrounding residential area.

 

Downtown will similarly be connected by the planned light rail station and will continue to serve as the community’s most vibrant and dense activity hub. The combination of the light rail, transit mall, excellent bus network, and parking districts supports existing and future housing opportunities comparable to existing densities. A complementary mixture of commercial retail, food serving uses, entertainment, hospitality, and office uses will continue to support local residents, regional and international visitors. Connections to the Civic Center will also be reinforced.

 

Specialty commercial areas such as Main and 26th Streets, and Montana Avenue will continue to support local needs, but also serve regional visitors much in the same way these areas function today. However, building heights and the intensity of land uses will be evaluated to ensure new development is consistent with the existing profile and pedestrian oriented character of these streets.

 

The Oceanfront district will be evaluated to ensure a continued mix of housing opportunities and land uses that support local residents, businesses and visitors.

 

The single and multi-family neighborhoods will remain largely unchanged except for possible design or development modifications that seek to preserve neighborhood character, promote good urban design and pedestrian orientation and preserve affordable housing.

 

Alternative B –Uptown/Downtown (Bergamot Station and Downtown District Plan) – (see conceptual map)

Overall Concept

This alternative focuses future growth and activity within two primary districts; Downtown, and a newly created Bergamot Station district. Bergamot Station will serve as a vibrant mixed use center with an eclectic mix of cultural and industrial land uses, local serving commercial uses and a variety of housing opportunities. Light rail connections between this activity center, the more intense downtown district and the regional transit system will be provided. Development on other commercial corridors and residential districts remain relatively unchanged except for the modest evolution and redevelopment of existing structures and land uses.

 

Objectives

A new mixed use neighborhood is established around the planned Bergamot Station light rail stop to support and balance galleries, offices, retailers, including grocery and discount retail stores, as well as other commercial uses, with artist live/work studios, affordable and market rate housing. The amount of activity and intensity of this area would be second only to Downtown. Building heights would taper down toward the edges of the district and be greatest near the rail station. The street grid in this area is extended reducing block size and creating a more pedestrian oriented environment with easy access to local goods and services and linkages to area parks, employment centers, existing residential areas, schools and the Exposition bike path. The addition of this new center will necessitate a reconsideration of the bus transit to this location including Big Blue Bus service and community transit. The proximity of housing to existing and future job opportunities will reduce some vehicle trips; ways to encourage work force housing will also be explored.

 

This new district will extend northwest toward St. John’s Hospital providing increased opportunities to support medical-related uses. Lower scale development will occur west of this district toward Memorial Park, where the feasibility of a 17th Street rail station will be studied along with supporting housing and commercial opportunities and connections to Santa Monica College. The remainder of the industrial core will permit light industry with limited residential development.

 

Downtown will continue to serve as the City’s focal point for housing, local and regional goods and services, visitor accommodations, recreation, entertainment and nightlife. Opportunities to expand the Downtown parking district will be explored to encourage more pedestrian orientation and better architectural design. This alternative will reinforce the linkages set forth in the Civic Center Specific Plan to establish greater connections and access to parks, institutional buildings, commercial uses and housing in this area. Downtown will continue to be served by the City’s bus network, a planned light rail station and potentially community transit. The Oceanfront district will be evaluated to ensure a continued mix of housing opportunities and land uses that support local residents, businesses and visitors.

 

Activity on commercial corridors, including those supported by the enhanced bus line, will remain largely unchanged from today. Along Main Street and Montana Avenue building heights and the intensity of land uses will be evaluated to ensure new development is consistent with the existing profile and pedestrian oriented character of these streets.

 

The single and multi-family neighborhoods will remain largely unchanged except for possible design or development modifications that seek to preserve neighborhood character, promote good urban design and pedestrian orientation, and preservation of affordable housing.

 

Alternative C – Grand Boulevards (see conceptual map)

Overall Concept

This alternative builds upon Santa Monica’s existing commercial boulevards focusing future activity in these areas while protecting adjacent residential neighborhoods. Boulevards that support enhanced bus lines will have greater intensity allowing for a variety of land uses that support local residents and businesses and promote housing near transit. To encourage a pedestrian environment along the corridors, some travel lanes may be narrowed to accommodate transit and broader sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities. The remainder of the community will reflect existing conditions.

 

Objectives

Using design standards and capital improvements, the well traveled commercial boulevards will serve as distinct entries into the City to further reinforce Santa Monica’s uniqueness. The boulevards will continue to provide for local residents and businesses while supporting housing needs. Unlike Alternative A, development will be concentrated along the entire corridor rather than clustered at strategic locations. Improving pedestrian safety will be a priority along the boulevards. Allowing better, more functional use of the public right-of-way with integrated design and useable outdoor land area will further enhance the pedestrian environment along these streets. Parking strategies will be explored to accommodate workers and visitors with emphases toward transit, bicycling and walking.

 

Protecting residential neighborhoods near the corridors is a necessary component of this alternative. Transitions that connect and do not isolate adjacent neighborhoods will be explored. To achieve this protection landscape buffers, building design solutions, noise mitigation, and loading activities will be examined. Parking will be evaluated to respect adjacent neighborhoods with consideration of establishing parking districts.

 

Wilshire, Santa Monica, Pico, and Lincoln Boulevards will see the greatest degree activity and support transit use. Bicycles will be a transportation priority on streets parallel to the boulevards and better north / south cross town bicycle routes will be considered.

 

Main and Twenty Sixth Streets, Ocean Park Boulevard, and Montana Avenue will continue to support local needs, but also serve regional visitors much in the same way these areas function today. However, building heights and the intensity of land uses will be evaluated to ensure new development is consistent with the existing profile and pedestrian oriented character of these streets.

 

The industrial area east of Twentieth Street will continue to serve light industrial, production and artist studios; residential housing will not be established as a permitted use. However, housing will continue to be allowed in the Industrial Conservation area west of Twentieth Street as well as light industrial uses.

 

Downtown will continue to serve as the City’s focal point for housing, local and regional goods and services, visitor accommodations, recreation, entertainment and nightlife. Opportunities to expand the Downtown parking district will be explored to encourage more pedestrian orientation and better architectural design. This alternative will respect the linkages set forth in the Civic Center Specific Plan to establish greater connections and access to parks, institutional buildings, commercial uses and housing in this area. Downtown will continue to be served by the City’s excellent bus network, a planned light rail station and shuttles. The Oceanfront district will be evaluated to ensure a continued mix of housing opportunities and land uses that support local residents, businesses and visitors.

 

 

Alternative D – Status Quo (no map illustration)

This alternative is explained in the Council Staff Report, page 2.

 

ATTACHMENT   B

 

Common Elements and Options

           

 

 

Common Elements: Elements that will be included in the preferred alternative regardless of elements chosen from alternative choices

 

·         Integrated Land Use and Transportation: including connections between existing activities

·         Historic Preservation: integrate the community’s historic qualities to maintain its scale and character; seek to preserve structures and neighborhoods that contribute and honor Santa Monica past, and structures that have significant architectural, historic and cultural significance

·         Sustainability: incorporate land use and transportation policy that promotes environmental and economic sustainability

·         Building Reuse: maximize opportunities to reuse existing structures

·         Housing: preserve existing housing while pursuing objectives for diversity

·         Neighborhoods: Preserve the scale and character of existing residential neighborhoods

·         Education: support educational opportunities for all Santa Monicans including the needs of schools and students

·         Open Space: support goals of the Open Space element, including the concept of all public property as open space opportunities

·         Public Safety: reinforce sense of community through neighborhood safety

·         Childcare: continue to prioritize quality early education for children and their families

·         Active Living: promote healthy communities through design and programs

·         Arts and Culture: including support for a growing creative community

·         Economic Vitality: including opportunities for local and community retail

·         Partnerships: meet community goals through strong relationships with organizations, including medical and educational institutions

·         Existing Plans: accommodate Santa Monica plans for a provision of city services, such as fire stations, libraries, solid waste, etc.

·         Regional Context: acknowledge influence on housing market, economy and travel demand and participate in greater regional solutions

·         Quality Design: enhance streetscapes, commercial and residential areas through quality urban design, including private property design standards

 

 

 

Options: Options that must be resolved regardless of Common Elements or Plan Alternative

 

·         Incentives for sustainable business practices

·         Incentives for preservation of residential neighborhoods

·         Incentives for preservation of rent-controlled housing

·         Incentives to support preservation of historic resources

·         Incentives to support preservation and expansion of open space

·         Incentives for preservation and expansion of childhood education facilities

·         Incentives for preservation and expansion of local and local-serving businesses

·         Incubator districts for sustainable industry and/or small business

·         Incentives for adaptive reuse of existing buildings

·         Degree of integration to strengthen other General Plan policies and city goals / objectives

·         Annual growth caps

·         Local shuttle system

·         Shared parking districts

·         Feasibility of an additional Exposition light rail stop near 14th or 17th Streets

·         Transition of areas around proposed light stops/stations prior to the construction of light rail

·         Conversion of existing rights-of-way to bike lanes, widened sidewalks, transit lanes

·         Woonerf style mixed-use streets

·         Parking pricing strategies to maximize parking efficiency and encourage alternatives

·         Parking requirement modifications to reflect use and encourage alternatives

·         Second dwelling units in R1 zones

·         Transfer of Development Rights to preserve historic or existing buildings

·         Rate and type of change of units in multifamily districts

·         Diversity of housing

·         Accommodations for single-occupancy vehicles

·         Small neighborhood markets in multi-family residential districts

 

ATTACHMENT   C

 

Land Use and Circulation Element Draft Indicators

Alternatives Indicators:

The alternatives workbook will analyze both how the different locations and intensity of proposed land uses will meet sustainability, economic and quality of life goals and affect travel demand, and how effectively travel demand might be met by different travel modes.

 

Issue Area

Analytic Approach 

Diversity of Jobs

Consider whether the anticipated mix of land uses will provide the type of jobs residents will want and qualify for

·            Compare the estimated number of jobs to the estimated number of households

·            Estimate the categories of jobs and compare their typical pay rates to housing costs

·            Estimate how well the jobs may complement the skills of the existing and anticipated population

Housing Adequacy

Consider whether there is an appropriate number of housing units, and whether they are well-placed to meet needs

·            Estimate the number of housing units

·            Compare the number of housing units to regional housing needs, housing element production goals and state production requirements

·            Estimate how many units would be in locations and types suitable to provide units for groups with the greatest needs, such as seniors, people with low and moderate incomes, workers, families