title
CC - Approval of an Amended and Restated Design For Development for the Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Boulevard.
body
Meeting Date: August 22, 2016
Contact Person/Dept: Todd Tipton/CDD
Phone Number: (310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/02/16 and 08/16/16); (E-Mail) Culver Studios (08/15/16); (Mail) Residents within 500 foot radius including the end of the block (08/03/16)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld (07/29/16)
______________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve an Amended and Restated Design for Development for the Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Boulevard (Property).
BACKGROUND
On December 1, 1986, the former Culver City Redevelopment Agency (CCRA) adopted a Design For Development (DFD) in connection with the Culver Studios. A DFD is a unique tool which allowed redevelopment agencies to overlay additional design and use criteria to one or more properties. The additional design criteria could be more restrictive than the underlying zoning code restrictions. The DFD guides the redevelopment of a property by describing the type of development and uses which are acceptable to the City considering the area planning constraints and environmental review considerations. This tool enabled redevelopment agencies to satisfy specific redevelopment goals. Over the years, the DFD for the Culver Studios was amended several times.
On August 21, 2006, the Agency amended the DFD (the 2006 Amendment), concurrent with Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 5. The various amendments to the DFD allowed the Culver Studios to modify its physical plant in response to changing industry needs, in order to keep the Culver Studios a viable, economically healthy center of employment. In addition, among the modified provisions in the 2006 Amendment, was an expansion of the DFD to include properties located at 9000 and 9050 Washington Boulevard.
The state legislation which dissolved Redevelopment agencies, effective February 1, 2012 left in place much of the California Health and Safety Code statutes concerning redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects, and the former redevelopment agencies’ police powers to control, direct and implement development within a redevelopment project. In 2012, the authority to continue administering the former CCRA’s land use functions was transferred to the City Council.
On August 4, 2015, the Planning Division received an application for Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 6 from the Culver Studios. The item was considered by the Planning Commission on November 18, 2015 and the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the plan with conditions of approval, and adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project. Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 6 was approved by the City Council on December 14, 2015, as recommended by staff and the Planning Commission.
DISCUSSION
The Amended and Restated DFD (the Amended DFD), amends certain development standards and restates others for purposes of consolidation. As a result, all prior versions and amendments of the DFD, applicable to 9336 Washington Boulevard will be replaced. Staff believes the Amended DFD will simplify and codify the development and use restrictions related to the Property in one document. The Amended DFD is expected to remain a relevant, easy to interpret land use document consistent with existing project entitlements, while allowing the Studio flexibility in meeting future development needs. The Amended DFD provides that the Property shall be used in accordance with applicable development standards, codes and use restrictions.
This Amended DFD is applicable only to the location commonly known as 9336 Washington Boulevard (the Site). Other areas added to the DFD in the 2006 Amendment (i.e. 9000 and 9050 Washington Boulevard) are not subject to the proposed Amended DFD, and those locations continue to be governed by the 2006 Amendment.
Environmental Review
The proposed Design for Development is in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA, on November 2, 1998, the Culver City Redevelopment Agency adopted Resolution No. 98-A015, and on November 16, 1998, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 98-R107. Said resolutions certified the Final Program Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for the Merged Culver City Redevelopment Project (the “Final SEIR), adopted a Statement of Overriding Considerations and adopted a Mitigation Monitoring Program. The Final SEIR considered future build out of the Project Area at the maximum levels permitted under the City’s General Plan. Moreover, a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was adopted by the Planning Commission on November 18, 2015 in connection with Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 6, which determined that the project will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. The Final SEIR and the MND satisfy the requirements under CEQA, the circumstances under which the FSEIR and MND were prepared and certified have not significantly changed, and no new significant information has been found that would impact the FSEIR or MND; therefore, no additional environmental analysis is required.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no direct fiscal impact as a result of this action.
ATTACHMENT
1. Draft Amended and Restated Design For Development for the Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Boulevard
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve and Adopt the Amended and Restated Design For Development for the Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Boulevard.