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PC: Public Hearing - Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit to Allow a Vehicle Service Facility Within an Existing 42,333 square-foot Industrial Building Located at 10150-10200 Jefferson Boulevard in the Mixed-Use Corridor 2 (MU-2) Zone
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Meeting Date: September 24, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Gabriel Barreras/Senior Planner
Emily Stadnicki/Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5776 / (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
City Council Action Required: Yes [ ] No [X] Date: N/A
Public Notification: (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 500-foot radius (09/02/2025); (Sign Posted) On-site (09/03/2025); (Posted) City website (9/02/2025), Meetings and Agendas - Planning Commission (09/18/2025)
Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (09/16/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission 1. Adopt a Class 1 Categorical Exemption for this project, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act Section 15301 Existing Facilities; 2. Approve Conditional Use Permit, P2025-0174-CUP-CE, subject to the Conditions of Approval as stated in the proposed Resolution No. 2025-P011; and 3. Permit the continuation of the uses and all conditions of Temporary Use Permit, P2025-0141-TUP, until the Applicant is issued final building permits.
PROCEDURES
1. Chair calls on staff for a brief staff report and Planning Commission poses questions to staff.
2. Chair opens the public hearing, providing the applicant the first opportunity to speak, followed by the general public.
3. Chair seeks a motion to close the public hearing after all testimony has been presented.
4. Planning Commission discusses the matter and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
On July 24, 2025, Cadillac of Beverly Hills, (Applicant), filed an application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow a new vehicle service-maintenance and repair facility within an existing 42,333 square-foot (sq. ft.) industrial building located at 10150-10200 Jefferson Boulevard (Project).
Project Site/Existing Conditions
The Project site consists of a single 1.82-acre (79,133 sq. ft.) parcel on the east side of Jefferson Boulevard between College Boulevard and Raintree Circle. The existing site is improved with a one-story, 42,333 sq. ft. industrial building, built in 1966, and 76 parking spaces. The building has frontage on Jefferson Boulevard and is accessed by two driveways on the southerly (ingress) and northerly (egress) corners of the site.
Surrounding Area/Zoning/General Plan
As shown on Attachment 2 - Vicinity Map, and listed below, the Project site is surrounded by a variety of office, industrial, planned development, and residential uses including a one-story maintenance building for the Los Angeles Community College District, a vacant property used to host temporary outdoor events and festivals, and the Raintree Condominium community.
The Project site is designated Mixed Use Corridor 2 in the General Plan 2045 and is located in the MU-2 Zone, which permits vehicle services for maintenance and repair with the approval of a CUP, pursuant to Culver City Municipal Section 17.220.015. The Project site is not listed in the Housing Element Sites Inventory. The General Plan 2045 Mobility Element designates the segment of Jefferson Boulevard abutting the Project site as a Transit Priority Corridor, with a designated Truck Route and a proposed Class IV Separated Bikeway.
Current Temporary Use Permit
On June 19, 2025, the Planning and Development Director approved Temporary Use Permit (TUP) No. P2025-0141, allowing temporary occupancy to perform limited vehicle services, minor accessories installation, and car washes to prepare vehicles for delivery to local dealerships. The TUP required that the Applicant maintain a current business license with the City, complete an updated electrical permit, and receive clearance and regular oversight from the Fire Department. The Applicant is requesting an extension of the TUP until final building permits are issued (estimated 2nd Quarter 2026) and staff has prepared a motion for Planning Commission consideration.
Project Description
The Project proposes to convert an existing building into a vehicle service center providing maintenance and repair for both electric vehicle (EV) and internal combustion (IC) engine vehicles. As illustrated in the Preliminary Development Plans (Attachment 4), the Project entails no changes to the building height, footprint, or existing floor area. Construction will be limited to tenant improvements, parking lot restriping, façade upgrades, the removal of 13 windows along the north and south elevations, and the addition of 8 roll-up utility doors along the north and west elevations.
Interior tenant improvements include the installation of 39 service bays with automotive hoists, divided roughly half for EV servicing and half for IC engine servicing. The EV service bays will be in the southern half of the building to reduce noise for adjacent residences as EVs operate quietly and produce zero greenhouse gas emissions; IC service bays will be placed in the northern half of the building, separated by a demising wall to reduce noise transfer. The IC service areas will also be equipped with a South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) compliant air filtration and exhaust venting system.
Additional interior tenant improvements will include a pedestrian entrance lobby and lounge, vehicle drop-off area, separate men and women’s locker rooms with shower facilities for employees, offices, a records room, a re-circulating automated car wash, and ancillary storage for auto parts and supplies. All interior tenant improvements will require the review and approval from the Building Safety Division.
The proposed Project includes 67 off-street parking spaces including: 3 ADA-accessible spaces, 7 full EV charger/charging stations, 7 EV ready spaces, and 14 EV capable spaces. The Project will also provide an outdoor EV battery storage rack located at the northeast corner of the parcel. Two existing short-term bicycle parking spaces at the southeast corner of the building will be maintained.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The Applicant is requesting CUP approval of the Preliminary Development Plans. The subsections below summarize how the project complies with existing standards.
Land Use and Development Standards
Pursuant to CCMC Section 17.220.015, “Vehicle services - Maintenance/repair” are permitted in the MU-2 zone with the approval of CUP. Additionally, the MU-2 zone permits “Accessories installation,” “Car washes,” and “Electric vehicle charging stations.” There is no body work, painting, or gas or diesel fueling proposed.
All proposed uses and ancillary uses are consistent with the MU-2 zone permitted uses and current development standards related to building form, height, ground-floor height, and setbacks. The Project, as conditioned, also complies with all operational standards listed in CCMC Section 17.400.125 - Vehicle Repair Shops.
Landscaping
The Applicant proposes to maintain all existing landscaping. Any new landscaping will be subject to the standards in CCMC Section 17.310.
Trash / Recycling
The existing enclosure located at the southwest corner of the building will be maintained and reused for this project.
Traffic
On July 2, 2025, the Applicant submitted a Traffic and Transportation Study Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), prepared by Fehr and Peers (Attachment 5). The Project site is located along Jefferson Boulevard, a Transit Priority Corridor and designated Truck Route. The MOU calculated the Project would result in a net increase of 159 daily trips, a less than significant impact in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT); pursuant to the City’s Transportation Study Criteria and Guidelines, it is exempt from conducting a further VMT analysis, and no mitigation measures are required.
Site Access and Circulation
The Project site has frontage on Jefferson Boulevard and is accessed by driveways on the northerly and southerly corners of the site. All inbound traffic will enter via the southerly driveway and circulate to the rear (east) side of the site where all access to the building interior is concentrated, away from the adjoining residential uses; all vehicles will exit from the northerly driveway. The Applicant will install directional signage to direct users from the Jefferson Boulevard entrance to the customer service drop-off spaces at rear of property, and then direct customers leaving to the exiting driveway onto Jefferson Boulevard.
Parking
The Applicant proposes to restripe and reduce parking to 67 spaces for approximately 50 employees, customers, and serviced vehicles. The parking reduction will allow the Applicant to comply with distancing and EV clustering conditions issued by the Fire Department. In the interior of the building, the site will be able to accommodate up to 110 off-street spaces.
Bicycle Parking
The Project proposes to maintain 2 existing short-term bicycle parking spaces at the southeast corner of the building. Pursuant to CCMC Section 17.320.045, the Applicant must provide an additional 4 long-term bicycle parking spaces (1 space required per 10,000 sq. ft.) to be compliant with the Zoning Code.
Site Operations and Design Features
Hours of Operation: All uses will be performed in the interior of the building between the hours of 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, and 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturday.
Design Features: The Project proposes the following design and operation features to increase compatibility with the surrounding community:
• There will be no long-term storage of EV batteries on the property. Batteries are only delivered to the site when there is a replacement required for a vehicle. EV batteries will be stored for a maximum of two days in the designated storage racks at the northern edge of the property, away from residential uses. Additionally, if a battery is not in a car and operating it is inert and not charged.
• No exterior speakers/intercoms will be used.
• Customers and employee smoking will be limited onsite to designated smoking areas, pursuant to all location, distancing, size limitations per CCMC 9.11.
• All exterior lighting is shielded to avoid spillover onto adjacent properties.
• Security gates and building-mounted security cameras will be installed to enhance public safety on the Project site and the surrounding area.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Two hybrid community meetings were scheduled as part of the project review process.
The first community meeting was held on April 10, 2025, at the Raintree Condominiums’ clubhouse. There were 26 in-person and 14 online attendees. Community members shared questions and concerns related to the potential fire risk of storing EV batteries on site, ensuring adequate off-street parking for employees and customers, increased traffic and vehicular trips and loading along Jefferson Boulevard, site security, noise, and air quality.
The second community meeting was held on July 17, 2025, at the Project Site inside the existing building. There were 17 in-person and 20 online attendees. Members of the public were supportive of the project but expressed concerns about the on-site storage of EV batteries, potential increases in noise and odor from the proposed use, parking and loading for the site, increased traffic on Jefferson Boulevard, and site security.
In response to community concerns regarding EV battery storage and fire safety, the Applicant coordinated with the Culver City Fire Department and will implement several precautionary measures. These include maintaining minimal fuel levels in all IC vehicles, EVs remaining below a 50% charge, limiting on-site EV battery storage and locating it in the northeast corner of the site away from residential uses, and arranging vehicles in small clusters to create fire breaks.
To address noise and odor concerns for nearby residences, the Applicant will locate all EV service bays in the southern half of the building, since EVs operate quietly and produce no greenhouse gas emissions. Service bays for IC vehicles will be placed in the northern half of the building, separated by a demising wall to reduce noise transfer to the Raintree Condominiums and nearby residences. In addition, exhaust air filtering system for the IC portion of the building will be SCAQMD-compliant AQMD emission and odor standards, further reducing noise and odor from the Project.
In response to parking and loading concerns, the Applicant will provide 67 off-street parking spaces for employees, customers, and serviced vehicles. Additionally, the Applicant is providing a customer drop off area at the rear of the building accommodating up to 12 vehicles. Including the 39 service bays, the site will be able to accommodate up to 110 off-street spaces. The Applicant expressed that loading and deliveries from vehicle transport trucks will not disrupt Jefferson Boulevard, and they will coordinate with the Public Works Department to provide a circulation plan for loading and delivery.
For site security, the Applicant is proposing to install locked gates, repaired fencing, improved lighting, CCTV cameras, and utilizing vehicle anti-theft technology.
Public Notification
As part of the public notification process, notices were mailed to owners and occupants within 500 feet of the subject site on 09/02/2025. In addition, the notice was distributed through the GovDelivery system, Nextdoor website, and posted on the City website on 09/02/2025. An on-site notice was posted on 09/03/2025. As of the writing of this report, staff has received one public comment in response to the public notification of the public hearing for this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, initial review of the Project established there are no potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment and the Project has been determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1 - Existing Facilities. The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan policies and Zoning Code regulations; it is on an existing parcel and industrial building that is a conversion from one use to another with minor alterations and no expansions in floor area or height. The site is not located in an environmentally sensitive area, and it is served by all electrical power, water, sewage, and other public utilities. Therefore, the Project is categorically exempt pursuant to the above noted CEQA section.
CONCLUSION
Based on the proposed preliminary development plans, operations description, and recommended conditions of approval, staff considers the Project to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, consistent with the Culver City General Plan and the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Staff asserts the findings for Conditional Use Permit, P2025-0174-CUP, can be made as outlined in Resolution No. 2025-P011 (Attachment 1).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
This Project will generate new City revenues.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Resolution No. 2025-P001 with Exhibit A: Conditions of Approval and
Exhibit B Code Requirements
2. Vicinity Map
3. Project Summary
4. Preliminary Development Plans
5. Traffic and Transportation Study Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
6. Preliminary Construction Management Plan
7. Parking Management Plan
8. Community Meeting Notes
9. Public Comments received to date
10. Approved Temporary Use Permit (P2025-0141-TUP)
MOTION
That the Planning Commission:
1. Adopt a Class 1 Categorical Exemption for this project, pursuant to CEQA Section 15301- Existing Facilities, finding there are no potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment;
2. Approve Conditional Use Permit, P2025-0174-CUP, subject to the Conditions of Approval as stated in proposed Resolution No. 25-P011; and,
3. Extend Temporary Use Permit, P2025-0141-TUP, for the continuation of temporary uses and all conditions therein until the Applicant is issued final building permits.