City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council receive and file the report on community input on
discretionary development projects and direct staff as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
At its August 13, 2008 Council meeting the Council requested information about the
process for obtaining community input on discretionary development projects.
Typical development projects which are reviewed by the Planning Commission and
the City Council include site plan reviews, conditional use permits, tentative tract
maps (subdivisions), variances, and general plan and zoning code amendments also
referred to as “entitlements”. The Planning Commission and the City Council have
discretionary authority to approve or deny these entitlements based on required
findings.
The typical path for a discretionary project starts with the applicant meeting with
Planning Division staff to discuss their proposed project at a preliminary stage. At
this time staff goes over the development standards the project will be subject to as
well as the entitlements (i.e. site plan review, conditional use permit, tentative tract
map, etc.) the project will need, and the review process through which the project
must proceed. At this preliminary stage staff encourages the applicant to meet with
the community or neighborhood adjacent to the project to obtain early input on the
proposed project prior to submitting an application. Staff provides the applicant with
the name and contact information for any Homeowners Association (HOA) or other
citizen group and any businesses in the vicinity of the proposed project.
Meeting Date: 09/22/2008 Item Number: A-3
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion of Community Input on Discretionary Development
Projects
Contact Person/Dept.: Thomas Gorham,
Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [ ] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Public Notification: Master E-Mail Notification List (09/17/08)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (09/11/08)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker)(09/16/08)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (09/17/08)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (09/17/08) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
The first step in the application process is Preliminary Project Review (PPR). At this
stage preliminary plans (typically a site plan and elevations) are submitted by the
applicant. The plans are routed to the various City departments for internal review
and comment. Approximately two weeks following PPR submittal, the applicant
meets with the City’s Project Review Committee (PRC) which is made up of
representatives of the various City departments (Public Works/Engineering, Building
Safety, Fire, Transportation, Police, City Attorney, and Redevelopment) that review
the plans and provide comments and direction to the applicant. This is a staff only
meeting where the various departments go over their comments on the proposed
project with the applicant. The PPR process is intended to help streamline the
application process by providing the applicant with early input on entitlement and
code requirements, design recommendations, environmental issues, neighborhood
issues, noticing requirements, fees, and identification of any necessary technical
studies to which the project may be subject. The applicant can then decide if they
want to continue in the application process and, if so, proceed to prepare refined
plans and any necessary technical studies (i.e. traffic study, noise study,
geotechnical study, etc) that may be required for the project prior to formal
application submittal.
Following the PPR stage, an applicant then submits a formal application which
includes a formal written project description, detailed project plans addressing any
issues identified at the PPR stage, any necessary technical studies and reports, and
payment of all applicable fees. Submittal of the formal application can take up to six
months following the initial PPR review. Once a formal application is submitted, a
Project First Notice Letter is sent to all properties owners and occupants within a 500
foot radius (extended to the end of the block if mid block) of the subject site and to
all HOA’s within the vicinity of the project. The First Notice Letter describes the
proposed project, provides the applicant information, and contains information on the
availability of the plans for review. The letter also notes that once a hearing date for
the proposed project is determined, an official public hearing notice will be mailed
out at least 21 days in advance of the hearing. At the formal application stage, staff
again encourages the applicant to meet with the community for comment and input
on the proposed project prior to the public hearing.
Following submittal of the formal application, the project plans are routed again to
the various City departments and a second PRC meeting is held where staff
provides the applicant with final comments and recommended conditions for the
project. Following the PRC meeting, the planning staff makes a determination on
whether or not the application can be deemed complete. If deemed complete, the
project is then scheduled for a public hearing which typically occurs within 60 days.
If staff cannot deem the application complete, the applicant is informed of what
additional information is required before the application can be deemed complete
and scheduled for public hearing. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Once a public hearing date is established, a formal public hearing notice is mailed to
all owners and occupants of property within a 500 foot radius (extended to the end of
the block if mid block), all HOA’s within the vicinity of the project, any interested
party, and the master e-mail notification list at least 21 days prior to the public
hearing. In addition, a sign is posted along each project street frontage with
information about the project and the date of the public hearing.
DISCUSSION:
As outlined above, the pubic input and participation occurs at various stages of the
application process. First, the applicant is encouraged to meet with the community
prior to fully developing project plans and formal application submittal to identify and
address any neighborhood concerns early on. Second, once a formal application
has been submitted, a project First Notice Letter is sent out and the applicant is
again encouraged by staff to meet with the community. Finally, once a public hearing
date has been set, an official public hearing notice is mailed and the project site is
posted with a sign at least 21 days in advance of the hearing date inviting the public
to participate in the hearing process.
The City Council has made it clear that public participation in the development
process is important to the Council and to the community. In recognition of the
importance of community involvement throughout the application process, staff
recently commenced with requirements for applicants to submit a plan for
community involvement outlining proposed outreach, meetings, and any other
methods they intend to use or have used to adequately present the project to the
community and to solicit community input outside of the public hearing process.
This Public Participation Plan must be submitted as part of their formal application
submittal. The applicant is also required to submit a summary of the results of any
community meetings and outreach and how the applicant addressed the public
concerns and what if any changes to the project were a result of community input.
The following summarizes the development application process and opportunities for
community input:
1. Initial meeting with Planning Division staff to discuss proposed
project at a preliminary stage
2. Applicant solicits community input
3. Preliminary Project Review (PPR) submittal
4. Applicant meets with community
5. Formal Application submittal
6. Project First Notice Letter sent
7. Applicant meets with community City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
8. Public Hearing Notice sent
9. Public Hearing
10. Project Decision
Based upon the City Council’s direction, staff has prepared this report to both
provide the City Council with information on the City’s current process and allow the
City Council an opportunity to provide comment and direction on this subject. The
City Council may determine that the current process meets the City Council’s goals
or the Council may determine to provide additional measures related to public
participation in the development process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Discussion of this topic does not create a fiscal impact. However, based upon any
modifications the City Council may deem necessary, additional notification efforts
would have an associated cost.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Receive and file this report and direct staff as deemed appropriate.