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PC - PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a Site Plan Review and Density and Other Bonus Incentive (P2024-0313-SPR/DOBI) to allow the construction of a dual-jurisdiction mixed use building, with 15-units and an 1,898 square foot commercial space located at 13474-76 Washington Boulevard in Culver City (with the remainder of the project in the City of Los Angeles)
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Meeting Date: March 26, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: William Kavadas, Assistant Planner
Emily Stadnicki, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: 310-253-5706 / 310-253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [ ] Attachments: [X]
City Council Action Required: Yes [ ] No [ X ] Date: [N/A]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - Planning Commission (03/20/25); (Posted) City Website (03/05/25); (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 500 ft radius (03/05/25); (Posted) on-site sign facing Washington Boulevard (03/05/25).
Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (03/14/25)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Planning Commission adopt a resolution approving a Site Plan Review and a Density and Other Bonus Incentives request (P2024-0313-SPR/DOBI), subject to conditions of approval, to allow the construction of a new dual-jurisdiction mixed-use building, with 15 units and 1,898 square feet of commercial square footage in Culver City and the remainder of the project in the City of Los Angeles, and adopting a Categorical Exemption, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
PROCEDURES
1. Chair calls on staff for a staff report and the Planning Commission poses questions to staff.
2. Chair opens the public hearing, providing the applicant and public the opportunity to speak.
3. Chair seeks a motion to close the public hearing after all testimony has been presented.
4. Commission discusses the matter and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
Existing Conditions/Project Site
The project site is a half-acre in area and consists of several parcels in both Culver City and Los Angeles. Only 3,940 square feet of the proposed site (fronting Washington Boulevard) falls within Culver City limits. The site’s other frontages are located along Del Rey and Beach Avenues in Los Angeles. The property is currently developed with an approximately 4,500 square foot vacant commercial building that spans Culver City and Los Angeles.
Surrounding Area/Zoning/General Plan
The site is located at the western border of Culver City along Washington Boulevard, and is in proximity to Lincoln Boulevard, both major commercial corridors. The Del Rey neighborhood is located to the south of the project site in Los Angeles and includes a mix of commercial offices and light industrial uses, though the neighborhood has seen an influx of high-density residential development in recent years. An office building borders the site to the east and a restaurant use borders the site to the west; a commercial shopping center is located across Washington Boulevard.
The applicant applied for the project using SB 330, which locked in development standards at the time of submittal. Therefore, the project is being reviewed under the regulations of the previous Zoning Code and General Plan, which identified the site as Commercial General (CG) and General Corridor, respectively. Mixed use structures are permitted at the subject location with a Site Plan Review.
Project Description
The applicant proposes to demolish all existing on-site improvements and construct a seven-story, 79-unit mixed use project with 2 levels of parking. Of the 15 proposed units in Culver City, one will be very-low income, one will be moderate income, and three will be workforce units. The proposed mixed use structure is designed as one building crossing over the two city limits.
The Density and Other Bonus Incentives (DOBI) request includes a reduction in upper floor front yard setbacks along Washington Boulevard and 20’-6” of additional building height. Project details and plan layout are provided in the Project Summary (Attachment 2) and the Preliminary Development Plans (Attachment 4).
City of Los Angeles Review
Los Angeles zoning allows for the construction of the multi-family use by-right, but the applicant’s request for density bonus requires LA Planning Commission approval. At a Hearing Officer meeting earlier this month, no public comment was received, and the project will be recommended for approval to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission on May 8, 2025. Culver City will relinquish building plan check approval to Los Angeles for construction of the building, though retaining permit jurisdiction over future tenant improvement work in the Washington Boulevard commercial space.
ANALYSIS
Density and Other Bonus Incentives
Under State Density Bonus law, the City is required to grant up to a 50% density bonus increase, provided the project meets the required affordable set-aside units on a scale associated with the affordable level of the units. In addition, specified developer concessions for affordable units must be granted by the City, unless it can demonstrate that the proposed concession is not required to make the project financially feasible.
Further, a developer of a qualified affordable project may also request waivers or reductions in the development standards that would otherwise preclude the construction of the project with the density bonus or with the concessions/incentives requested. The City may not apply any development standard which physically precludes the construction of the Project at its permitted density with the granted concessions.
In accordance with State law and Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Chapter 17.580, the Project proposes a total of 15 dwelling units in Culver City. The breakdown of units permitted per various density bonuses are:
|
Base Density (65 du/acre) |
Micro Unit Density Bonus (14%) |
Very-Low Income Density Bonus (46.25%) |
Moderate-Income Density Bonus (46.25%) |
Total |
|
6 Units |
1 Unit |
4 Units |
4 Units |
15 Units |
The Project may seek up to three concessions and is not limited as to the number of development standard waivers. The applicant is requesting two concessions noted below:
Front Setback Reduction and Dedication Encroachment
As a mixed use project in the CG Zone, the minimum required ground-floor front setback is 15’ with 5’ for upper floors but allows for reductions when providing pedestrian improvements; the Project utilizes these exceptions, proposing a ground floor front setback of 5’-6” with zero front setback on the floors above. The reduced ground-floor setback will allow for adequately sized commercial frontage along Washington Boulevard, pedestrian amenities/bicycle parking for retail tenants, and pedestrian access for residents. Although the upper floors will generally have a zero front setback from property line, the inclusion of balcony insets provide the desired architectural variation to the building.
Height Increase
While building height is limited to 56’ in the CG Zone, the project utilizes this concession to incorporate two additional stories for a proposed building height of 76’-6”. The applicant also proposes the following allowable height projections: 6’ of screening height, and 3’-6” of parapet height, meeting Code standards of 13’-6” and 5’, respectively.
Architectural Design and Open Space
The project is designed in a modern architectural style and will be built as one structure over city limit lines with no change in design between the two jurisdictions. As mentioned, the upper floors facing Washington Boulevard have offset balconies which provide variation to the façade, reducing the bulk and mass of the structure; and numerous windows keep the structure from appearing too large. The ground floor commercial area has a small setback for commercial units that will include landscape planters and meets the pedestrian-oriented goals for mixed use structures along the City’s major boulevards.
Each unit will have a private balcony accessible from the primary living area; the Code requires a minimum 75 square feet of open space per unit with no dimension less than five feet. Micro-units are not required to have any private open space but must have 100 square feet of common open space per unit provided elsewhere on site. Most units meet the minimum open space requirements through private balconies, with some providing it through the amenity decks on the second floor and rooftop level, as allowed by CCMC.
Traffic, Parking, Mobility, Circulation
Pedestrian and vehicular access is provided primarily from Del Rey Avenue and Beach Avenue in Los Angeles. Secondary pedestrian access for residents is provided along Washington Boulevard. For portions within Culver City, adequate sidewalks and paved public streets provide pedestrian access to public transit services along Washington Boulevard (Culver City Bus No. 1) and along nearby Lincoln Blvd (Big Blue Bus No. 3).
Although Culver City no longer has minimum parking requirements, the applicant has proposed 58 parking spaces, nine of which will be located in Culver City. The applicant meets Code standard for EV parking by providing seven EV charging spaces, 13 EV ready spaces, and 16 EV capable spaces. All driveways into the project would be located within Los Angeles city limits.
The applicant has provided 94 bike parking spaces across the project, 10 of which will be located in Culver City. The total number of bike parking spaces located across the project otherwise meets minimum standards for bike parking per CCMC. The project is exempt from producing a transportation study as it is located within a transit priority area and will generate less than 250 daily trips.
Development Fees
The Project is subject to development fees that are collected prior to Certificate of Occupancy. The estimated fees for this Project:
• Mobility Fee based on commercial square footage and market-rate unit count: $44,840.56
• Parkland In-Lieu Fee: $109,452.79
• Art in Public Places fee is currently under review. Final Building Permit valuation is needed, and the Applicant may wish to install art instead of paying the fee-based permit valuation.
As noted, these are estimates and fees may change after final Building Permit plans are submitted that include final permit valuation figures, gross area, and gross leasable area.
Trash Removal and Loading
The applicant’s Waste Management Plan was approved by the Environmental Programs and Operation (EPO) Division in January 2025. The proposed trash enclosure is adjacent to the commercial tenants at grade level. The trash enclosure will be accessed by EPO using the Del Rey Avenue entrance.
Neighborhood Compatibility
The Project will enhance the surrounding neighborhood by replacing an existing vacant commercial building at the City’s western boundary with a modern mixed use building that will enhance the pedestrian environment along Washington Boulevard and bring new residents to a growing part of the City. Improvements in landscaping will increase the walkability of the corridor for pedestrians and the visual appeal for drivers entering Culver City from the west.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, initial review of the Project established there are no potentially significant adverse impacts upon the environment, and the Project has been determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Section 15332, Class 32 - In-Fill Developments, because the proposed Project is consistent with the General Corridor Land Use designation and the CG Zoning standards.
The Project Site is on a 3,940 square foot site surrounded by urban uses that is substantially urban in character, developed with buildings and surface parking, and has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species. The Project will not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality because it is within the anticipated development threshold for this area. Project specific studies did not identify significant impacts and required utilities, and public services are provided as determined by the City.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Pursuant to the City’s Community Outreach Guidelines, the applicant held two community meetings; consistent with CCMC Chapter 17.630, and a notice of community meeting was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 500’ of the Project’s boundaries. At the meetings, the applicant gave a brief overview of the proposed project and provided opportunity for discussion with meeting attendees.
1st Community Meeting - June 17, 2024:
One member of the public attended the meeting in person and expressed no concerns stating that the existing conditions were unattractive. No members attended virtually.
2nd Community Meeting (virtual) - November 21, 2024:
Three members of the public attended the meeting. Key issues and questions raised at the meeting included:
• Parking supply compared to the number of units and commercial space;
• Resident amenities and pet friendliness; and
• Construction timelines and construction management procedures.
Comments Received During Public Comment Period
A public notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within a 500-foot radius of the Project Site on March 5, 2025, advising the public of a hearing at the regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting of March 26, 2025. As of the writing of this report, staff has received no comments from the public.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact from this project to the City.
CONCLUSION
Based on the proposed development plans and recommended conditions of approval, the Project is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, adequately served by public facilities and, consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Code, and all CCMC requirements. The findings for Site Plan Review and Density and Other Bonus Incentives P2024-0313-SPR/DOBI are made as outlined in proposed Planning Commission Resolution No. 2025-P007 (Attachment 1). Staff recommends approval.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Planning Commission Resolution No. 2025-P007 with Exhibit A, Conditions of Approval and Exhibit B, Code Requirements
2. Project Summary
3. Vicinity Map
4. Preliminary Development Plans dated April 2024
5. CEQA Class 32 Exemption Report dated January 29, 2025
(associated technical studies A-G are available upon request)
MOTION
That the Planning Commission:
Adopt a Class 32 CEQA Categorical Exemption and approve a Site Plan Review and Density and Other Bonus Incentives request for a new dual-jurisdiction mixed-use project with 15-units in Culver City and the remainder in Los Angeles, subject to the Conditions of Approval per the proposed Resolution.