REGULAR MEETING OF THE February 8, 2023
CULVER CITY 7:00 p.m.
PLANNING COMMISSION
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
Chair Barba called the regular meeting of the Culver City Planning Commission to order at 7:05 p.m. in Council Chambers and via Webex.
Present: Nancy Barba, Chair
Ed Ogosta, Vice Chair
Jennifer Carter, Commissioner
Stephen Jones, Commissioner
Andrew Reilman, Commissioner
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Pledge of Allegiance
Chair Barba led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Public Comment - Items NOT on the Agenda
Chair Barba invited public comment.
Ruth Martin del Campo, Administrative Clerk, indicated that a request to speak had been received from Patricia Bijvoet, but she was not present or online.
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Receipt of Correspondence
Ruth Martin del Campo, Administrative Clerk, reported that one email for Item PH-1 had been distributed to Commissioners and staff.
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February 8, 2023
Chair Barba confirmed that Commissioners had received the distributed correspondence.
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Consent Calendar
None.
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Order of the Agenda
No changes were made.
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Public Hearing Item
Item PH-1
PC - Consideration of the 2023 City-Initiated Annual Zoning Code Amendment Modifying Various Sections of the Zoning Code Related to Accessory Residential Structures, Accessory
Dwelling Units, Definitions, and Nonconforming Structures; and a Statutory Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b) (3)
Erika Ramirez, Current Planning Manager, provided a summary of the material of record ; discussed the modified amendment and revised resolution and revised exhibit A; omitting the update to the ADU (Accessor y Dwelling Unit) section of the code; incorporation of preliminary comments from HCD (Housing and Community Development) before coming back to the
Commission to avoid making revisions after adoption; the plan to bring back the amendment to the section prio r to the end of the fiscal year; the Accessory Residential Structures (ARS) sections, the definitions sections, and the non - conforming sections; and the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) hearing.
Andrea Fleck, Planning Technician, provided a summary of the material on nonconforming structures
Erika Ramirez, Current Planning Manager, indicated that staff recommended adopting the statutory CEQA (California
Environmental Quality Act) exemption and resolution as
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February 8, 2023
amended recommending that the City Council amend the sections of the zoning code related to ARS, definitions, and non - conforming structures.
Mark Muenzer, Planning and Development Director, introduced himself and expressed eagerness to serve.
Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding topics to provide input on; correction of a typographical error; clarification on defining bay windows; making what constitutes gross floor area more clear; adding clarification regarding efficiency kitchens; appliances; relying on
Planners; adding detail for clarity; creation of a separate definition; wording used in state law; the intent to provide flexibility; policy; ensuring that ADUs are not constrained; clarification on what “reasonable size” m eans; staff
interpretation; concern with modifying the definition and becoming non-compliant with the state; other municipalities that add specificity; lack of a clear definition from state law on efficiency kitchens; including the definition from state law verbatim, or not including a definition and allowing staff to implement the state definition; policy that can be set in the department; alleviating concerns regarding staff interpretation; providing a bulletin or handout; avoiding having to come back any time the state code changes;
references to the state code already included; whether a Planner has ever deemed an efficiency kitchen to be of insufficient size; reflecting what is trying to be
accomplished; reasonable interpretation; direction to
Planning staff; and clarification that the most substantive changes were made to the ADU portion that will be considered in the future.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER REILMAN, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR OGOSTA
AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
Chair Barba invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the Planning Commission:
Laurence Ardito discussed his experience trying to add an ADU; changes to the code; efforts to get a zoning exception; and he hoped that the item would be approved.
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February 8, 2023
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER REILMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
CARTER AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding a suggestion to strike the last line on page one and the first line on page two of the resolution: “Also sections of the code require revisions to make them consistent with recently enacted state law.”; correcting the typographical error on page one to spell code correctly; deleting the third sentence with the definition of efficiency kitchen in the Exhibit defining Accessory Dwelling Unit, Junior; and creating
subheadings under the definition of Floor Area.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding written comment received; suggested edits for the ARS and de finitions; alignment, spacing, and punctuation marks; revision of floor area before going to the City
Council; breaking items into subsections; use of bullet points; next steps; and Commission agreement to go with the state definition and remove the efficiency kitchen
definition.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER REILMAN, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR OGOSTA AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2023 -P002 RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF ZONING CODE AMENDMENT P2022 -0357-ZCA, MODIFYING
VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE ZONING CODE RELATED TO ACCESSORY
RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS,
DEFINITIONS, AND NONCONFO RMING STRUCTURES AND A STATUTORY
EXEMPTION WITH AGREED UPON EDITS PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15061(B) (3).
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Action Items
Item A-1
PC - (1) Presentation and Comments Regarding Fiscal Year 2022- 2023 Current Planning Division Work Plan Accomplishments and Proposed FY 2023 -2024 Work Plan; (2) Authorization to
Transmit to City Council
Erika Ramirez, Current Planning Manager, provided a summary of the material of record; discussed activities connected to the streamlining process; and the target date.
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Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding collaboration; the small rol e of Planning in Reach Codes; support for expediting the process; support for getting electronic plan review going; inclusion of adaptive reuse of commercial property; lack of City Council direction to pursue the path; projects on the workplan already appr oved by the City Council; the ability of Commissioners to reach out to the City Council directly; site visits for previously
entitled and built projects; a suggestion to visit the project with the automated parking, Culver Studios, The Brick and the Machine, and tour a residential project; the previous tour; going inside the projects; Ivy Station; clarification
regarding support for mobility initiatives in private
development vs. City -wide mobility initiatives; requiring private developers to have a TDM (Tr ansportation Demand Management) plan; lack of a role for Current Planning to support public mobility plans; City Council direction on land use and the Housing Element given in December 2021; City Council support for the Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) and possible inclusion in the Housing Element of the General Plan Update workplan rather than in the Current Planning workplan; and collaboration vs. leading.
Chair Barba invited public comment.
Ruth Martin del Campo, Administrative Clerk, indicated that no requests to speak had been received.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER JONES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CARTER AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION:
AUTHORIZE TRANSMITTAL OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FY 2022-2023 WORK PLAN AND PROPOSED FY 2023-2024 CURRENT PLANNING DIVISION WORK PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL.
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Item A-2
PC - (1) Discussion and Possible Approval of Draft Written Report to City Council Regarding Workplans; and (2)
Authorization to Transmit to City Council
Erika Ramirez, Current Planning Manager, provided a summary of the material of record.
Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding the goal to bring zoning forward at the end of the 2023 Planning Commission
February 8, 2023
calendar year; timeframe for the comprehensive code
amendments; code amendments that pertain to the General Plan Updates; the biannual review; bringing the cond ominium/ townhome subdivisions forward in municipal code amendment opportunities; proposals received; projected timeline;
priorities; and clarification that only amendments to the zoning code come before the Planning Commission while
amendments to the muni cipal code go directly to the City Council.
Chair Barba invited public comment.
Ruth Martin del Campo, Administrative Clerk, indicated that no requests to speak had been received.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER JONES, SECONDED BY CHAIR BARBA AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION: AUTHORIZE TRANSMITTAL OF THE WORKPLAN TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
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Public Comment - Items NOT on the Agenda (Continued)
Chair Barba invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Patricia Bijvoet indicated that while she served as a member of the General Plan Update Committee, she was speaking on behalf of herself; she asked the Commission to agendize consideration of providing a recommendation as to whether MOVE Culver City should become a permanent installation; she requested that relevant data and details available from the Department of Transportation be considered; discussed the connection between needed housing and Complete Streets; amenities; walkability; proximity to the Metro station; micro-mobility; taking space that had been used for
individual cars that is now used for collective transport; elimination of parking minimums; and building additional housing without parking to lower costs and help
affordability.
Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding collaboration with the Transportation Division as MOVE Culver City is not a Planning Division effort; Commission purview; consideration by the Traffic Committee; the ability to
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advocate to the City Council as an individual; and receipt of a follow up report from staff during Items from Staff.
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Items from Planning Commissioners/Staff
Christina Burrows, Deputy City Attorney, welcomed Mark Muenzer.
Mark Muenzer, Planning and Development Director, discussed the new department; streamlining objectives and workplan items; consolidating focus; staff alignment; Housing and Code
Enforcement; and he welcomed the opportunity to focus on planning and building.
Discussion ensued between staff and Commissioners regarding updates to the website; the budget; upcoming agenda items; and the meeting schedule.
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Planning Commission
February 8, 2023
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 8:36 p.m., the Culver City Planning Commission adjourned.
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_____________________________________________________________
RUTH MARTIN DEL CAMPO
SECRETARY of the CULVER CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
APPROVED ____________________
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NANCY BARBA
CHAIR of the CULVER CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
Culver City, California
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that, on the date below written, these minutes were filed in the Office of the City Clerk, Culver City, California and constitute the Official Minutes of said meeting.
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Jeremy Bocchino Date
CITY CLERK