City of Culver City
Staff Report
Mike Balkman Council
Chambers
9770 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
File #: 26-211, Version: 1 Item #: PH-4.
PC - PUBLIC HEARING: (1) Approval of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) checklist pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168 determining that the environmental effects of the operation are within the scope of the Culver City Plan 2045 and Zoning Code Update Certified Programmatic Environmental Impact Report and (2) Consideration of Site Plan Review, Tentative Parcel Map, and Extended Construction Hours (Project P2024-0190-SPR/TPM) to allow development of a mixed-use project with 1,077 residential units and 5,772 square feet of commercial space on a site located at 5757 Uplander Way
Meeting Date: November 12, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Peer F. Chacko, Senior Planner
Emily Stadnicki, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: 310-253-5755 / 310-253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X] Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [ ] Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ] City Council Action Required: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Notification: (Email) Public Notifications - Planning Commission (10/22/25); (Posted) City website (10/22/25); Social Media (10/23/25); (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 500 ft radius (10/21/25); (Posted) on-site sign (10/22/25); (Email/Posted) Meetings and Agendas - Planning Commission (11/07/25) Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (11/6/25) ____________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution (1) Approving a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) checklist pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168 determining that the environmental effects of the operation are within the scope of the Culver City General Plan 2045 and Zoning Code Update Certified Programmatic Environmental Impact Report; and (2) approving a Site Plan Review, Tentative Parcel Map, and Extended Construction Hours (P2024-0190-SPR/TPM), to allow development of a mixed-use project with 1,077 residential units and 5,772 square feet of commercial space.
PROCEDURES
1. Chair calls on staff for a staff report and 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.
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Attachment 9 - Planning Commission Staff Report, November 12, 2025 File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.BACKGROUNDExisting Site ConditionsThe 8.34-acre property consists of 4 parcels occupied by 146,414-square-feet of one to two-story businesspark/office buildings, with surface parking and associated landscaping. The Project site fronts on HannumAvenue to the north, Bristol Parkway to the west, and Uplander Way to the east and south, with 7 existing two-way vehicular access points along Uplander Way, and 1 existing two-way access point along Bristol Parkway.The Project has an approximately 16-foot downward slope from northwest to southeast. There are no streettrees along the site frontages, and 334 onsite trees, none of which are identified as native or heritage trees.Zoning/General Plan/SurroundingsThe Project site is located in the Mixed Use High Density (MU-HD) Zone and is designated Mixed Use High inthe General Plan 2045, with a permitted density of 100 units per acre. Three of the 4 existing parcels wereincluded on the Housing Element Sites Inventory, the City’s list that tracks progress on specific parcelsidentified as suitable for new residential development. The Project’s 78 lower-income units do not meet theSites Inventory projection of 441 lower-income units for this site. However, the Sites Inventory includesremaining sites with total capacity of 2,823 lower-income units. This provides a 1,111-unit (65%) surplus overthe Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation of 1,712 lower-income units, which is a sufficientbuffer to enable the City to meet its share of the regional housing need.As shown on Attachment 2 - Vicinity Map, the adjacent zoning and land uses are as follows:
The submittal includes an SB 330 application dated April 11, 2025; this limits the Project to the ordinances,policies, and standards that were in effect at that time. That includes the new Culver City General Plan 2045and updated Zoning Code, but not the more recently adopted Objective Design Standards, Density Bonus andOther Incentives update, Subdivisions update, and Sign Code Amendment.Project DescriptionThe Project proposes demolition of all existing buildings and construction of a new 7-story (maximum 93’-6”),mixed-use development with 1,077 residential units (including 78 very low-income units), 5,772 square feet(sf) of ground-floor commercial space along Hannum Avenue, and 3 levels of semi-subterranean structuredparking. The residential units consist of 145 studio apartments, 644 one-bedroom apartments, and 288 two-bedroom apartments. Detailed site, floor, roof, elevation, section, and landscape plans are provided inPreliminary Development Plans (Attachment 4).The Project includes a total of 131,834 sf of onsite open space, including 36,516 sf of public open space(paseo) running north-south from Hannum Avenue to Uplander Way; 42,311 sf of outdoor common open space(courtyards, roof terraces); 40,077 sf of indoor common open space (amenity spaces); and 12,930 sf of privateopen space (patios, balconies).The plans provide 1,303 vehicle parking spaces (1,283 residential spaces, 20 commercial spaces), 31 short-term bicycle parking spaces (3 commercial, 28 residential), and 274 long-term bicycle parking spaces (3City of Culver City Printed on 12/2/2025Page 2 of 7powered by Legistar™ File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.commercial, 271 residential). A proposed east-west driveway/fire lane connecting Bristol Parkway to UplanderWay provides access to 3 parking entrances, 2 residential loading spaces and a commercial loading space. Aproposed north-south driveway connecting to Uplander Way provides access to a parking entrance and aresidential loading space. An additional fire lane is provided with an access point on Uplander Way.The Project includes an administratively approved Density Bonus and Other Incentives (DOBI) requestpursuant to State Density Bonus Law and Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.580.075(Attachment 5).ANALYSISSite Plan ReviewThe Applicant is requesting Site Plan Review approval of the Preliminary Development Plans with conditionsof approval, included as Exhibits A and B to Resolution No. 2025-P013. Pursuant to the Housing Crisis Act of2019, the City cannot disapprove a housing development project or impose conditions of approval that wouldrender the project unaffordable, unless based on a written finding of a specific adverse impact upon publichealth and safety.Furthermore, pursuant to SB 330, a project may only be subject to adopted objective standards in place at thetime of the SB 330 application submittal. The Site Plan Review must be conducted within these limitationsimposed by State law. The sub-sections below summarize how the project complies with existing adoptedobjective standards.Land Use and Development Standards: The Project proposes mixed use with residential and commercial usesconsistent with the land use provisions of the MU-HD district. As proposed, it complies with all developmentand open space standards in the MU-HD district, with the exception of the items approved as Density Bonuswaivers or concessions pursuant to State Density Bonus Law.Although the City does not require parking, the Project provides parking to meet projected market demand andcomplies with City Code and Cal Green requirements for EV capable, EV ready and EV charger parking. TheZoning Code requirements for long and short-term bicycle parking, loading and refuse-handling are also met.Additionally, the design meets or exceeds State of California Green Building Standards and Culver City’sGreen Building Program requirements. Sustainable features include renewable energy solar photovoltaics,Energy STAR-rated appliances, LEED Silver building design standards or better, reduced water usage throughefficient indoor fixtures, landscaping using native plants, and drip irrigation systems with weather-basedcontrollers. Project construction would use 100% low volatile organic compound paints, adhesives andsealants.Urban Design:The Project is designed with a semi-subterranean parking structure wrapped with residentialunits, thereby screening the parking from the street. The height of the building as seen from the adjoiningstreets will be 7 stories, and facade articulation is used to reduce the impact of the height. A north-south paseolocated at level 2 serves as a linear open space connecting Hannum Avenue to Uplander Way, via stairs andADA-compliant ramps, that would remain publicly accessible during daylight hours.The plans include a ground-level, community-serving commercial space fronting on Hannum Avenue adjacentto the entrance to the north-south paseo. The residential units are arranged around a series of commonprivate courtyards at level 2 that connect to the north-south paseo.Ground-floor residential units along the Uplander Way and Bristol Parkway frontages are designed withtownhouse-style stoops/patios accessible from the adjoining sidewalks, thus contributing to street activation.The Hannum Avenue frontage is activated by the ground floor retail space and a plaza-style entrance to theCity of Culver City Printed on 12/2/2025Page 3 of 7powered by Legistar™ File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.north-south paseo. Similar plaza-style entrance areas contribute to street activation on Uplander Way, theeastern and southern sides of the site.A total of 44 street trees will be added along all frontages to meet the requirements of the Municipal Code. Asproposed and conditioned, plans include a 5-foot right-of-way dedication on Bristol Parkway, and alongHannum Avenue, a 5-foot easement to widen sidewalks, with an additional 5 feet of private property to serveas a landscaped buffer.Traffic and Parking Circulation: The Transportation Study (included within Attachment 11) estimated 3,640 netnew daily external trips generated by the Project, including 186 net new morning peak hour trips and 215 netnew afternoon peak hour trips. Due to the proposed land use change from office to residential, peak periodtraffic distribution patterns will shift, leading to negative inbound (am) and outbound (pm) trips. The Project isconsistent with City plans, programs, ordinances and policies and would not result in any geometric designhazards; it provides adequate internal circulation to accommodate vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle trafficwithout impeding traffic movements on City streets or introducing safety hazards for pedestrians, bicyclists ormotorists.The Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis for residential uses found that the Project’s daily household VMTper capita is 6.2, which is lower than the City average of 7.1. The Project is not required to perform a VMTanalysis for the commercial use because it has less than 50,000 square feet of commercial space and ispresumed to result in a less than significant VMT impact.Mobility and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan(Attachment 6): The design provides apedestrian-friendly environment and includes walkways connecting pedestrian access points in the building tooff-site facilities, rideshare, and transit. It provides on-site short-term and long-term bicycle parking spaces incompliance with the Code. The Project will include curbside pick-up and drop-off areas on Uplander Way andHannum Avenue, an onsite Transportation Information Center with a designated Transportation Coordinator,and transportation information packets for new residents and employees. Subsidized ride hail service andtransit passes will be provided for employees.Tentative Parcel Map (included in Attachment 4)The Applicant is seeking to combine 4 existing parcels and subdivide into 3 parcels consistent with therequirements of subdivision regulations in CCMC Section 15.10, and subject to conditions of approval. The 3proposed parcels will facilitate phased construction, and the required affordable units will be distributed amongthe parcels (17 in Parcel 1, 36 units in Parcel 2, and 25 units in Parcel 3) in proportion with proposedresidential densities, consistent with the provisions of State Density Bonus Law.Extended Construction Hours Request and Construction Management (Attachment 7)CCMC Section 9.07.035 limits construction hours to: 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Mondays through Fridays; 9:00 am -7:00 pm Saturdays; 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Sundays. The Applicant is requesting to extend daily constructionhours by starting at 7:00 am on Monday through Friday, and at 8:00 am on Saturdays.CCMC Section 9.07.035.C allows approval of extended construction hours for sites of 1 acre or larger ifdetermined to be in the public interest. The requested earlier weekday start would enable in-boundconstruction traffic to occur prior to the peak morning hours, reducing construction duration by 9 to 12 weeksfor each of the 3 phases, a total reduction of approximately 7 to 9 months for the whole project. The extendedhours would also increase construction crew safety by enabling certain tasks, such as crane erection anddisassembly to be completed within a day’s work and be subject to conditions of approval related to theConstruction Management Plan.The Applicant has submitted a draft Construction Management Plan (Attachment 9) outlining constructionmanagement responsibilities and process. It addresses issues such as site security and fencing, pedestrianCity of Culver City Printed on 12/2/2025Page 4 of 7powered by Legistar™ File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.protection, community notification, construction hours, construction methodology, and logistics planning. ThePlan also covers environmental issues such as noise and vibration management, dust and erosion control,and vector/pest control.The sidewalks around the site are proposed to be closed during construction along Hannum Avenue andBristol Parkway, however, pedestrian and bicycle access will be maintained through temporary methods to beapproved by the City as part of a traffic control plan. A final Construction Management Plan will be reviewedand approved by the City prior to building permit issuance.Alternative Time Limits and Project Phasing (Attachment 8)Project construction will take place in 3 phases, and the applicant is seeking approval of alternative time limitsand project phasing in lieu of the provisions in CCMC Section 17.595.030. The applicant is requesting a 2-yeartime limit for obtaining permits after entitlement approval for Phase I, and after the certificate of occupancy forthe prior phase for each subsequent phase. Additionally, the applicant is seeking a 2-year time limit forinitiating construction after issuance of the building permit for each phase to avoid overlapping constructionperiods. The alternative time limits, allowed by the Zoning Code, provide flexibility for implementation of thiscomplex project (that is 3 times the size of a typical mixed-use project), allowing for more responsiveness tofluctuating financing and market conditions.Density Bonus and Other Incentives (DOBI) (Attachment 5)Pursuant to CCMC Section 17.580.075, the Project was administratively approved for a density bonus of 243units (29.1%) for setting aside 9.4% of the base density (78 units) as very low-income units, as well as for thefollowing concession and waiver of development standards:Building height concession of 37 feet, 6 inches, increasing from 56 feet to 93 feet, 6 inches;Waiver to reduce loading space clearance height from 14 feet to 12 feet, 9 inches, with a condition that themanager/operator of the development shall notify all new owners/tenants regarding the impact of theheight limitation on the size of delivery vehicles that can be accommodated.The Planning and Development Director must grant a specified density bonus if the project provides therequired affordable units specified by affordability level and can only deny an incentive or concession bymaking a written finding based on substantial evidence that it does not result in identifiable and actual costreductions, or it has a specific adverse impact upon public health or safety, or that it is contrary to state orfederal law.Additionally, the Director can only deny a waiver request by making written findings based upon substantialevidence that it would have a specific adverse impact upon public health and safety, or on properties listed onthe California Register of Historic Resources, or that it is contrary to state or federal law, or that the standarddoesn’t preclude the residential development from achieving the density allowed under zoning and State law.ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONBased on the Culver City General Plan 2045 and Zoning Code Update Certified Programmatic EnvironmentalImpact Report (PEIR) analysis and pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, theCity prepared a written checklist (Attachment 12) to evaluate Project-specific environmental impacts anddetermined that environmental impacts are “within the scope” of the Certified PEIR. Pursuant to CEQAGuidelines Section 15168(c)(2), no further environmental analysis is required.COMMUNITY OUTREACHThe applicant exceeded the City’s Community Outreach Guidelines, hosting 3 hybrid community meetings andone workshop-style in-person meeting. Community meeting minutes are included in Attachment 10 andsummaries are provided below:City of Culver City Printed on 12/2/2025Page 5 of 7powered by Legistar™ File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.1st Community Meeting - January 18, 2024: 57 people attended, and issues raised included density, buildingheight, traffic volume and accidents, parking, rental versus condo units, and displacement of existing officetenants. Appreciation was expressed for the proposed paseo/pollinator corridor, street trees, architecture, andcommunity serving retail. Requests were made for inclusion of dog park/dog run, public art/exhibition space,maintenance/expansion of on-street bike facilities. Applicant clarified the early stage of project developmentand expressed appreciation for the input received.2nd Community Meeting - July 16, 2024: 31 people attended, and issues raised included building height stepbacks, adequacy of parking, inclusion of a mobility hub, location of proposed retail, and concerns aboutdensity and its impact on utility capacity, traffic congestion, and on-street parking. Applicant noted that zoningdoes not require step-backs, but facade articulation features were included to reduce the visual impact of thebuilding height based on community input received at the in-person workshop. Applicant also clarified thatparking was provided based on anticipated demand, and transportation demand management measures suchas bicycle parking, pedestrian amenities, ride share pick-up/drop-off areas, and a transportation informationcenter were incorporated. Additionally, the applicant noted that the project would pay mobility impact fees thatthe City could use for roadway improvements.3rdCommunity Meeting - September 9, 2025: 29 people attended, and issues raised included concentration ofhousing density in Fox Hills and its cumulative impacts, adequacy of parking (including guest and deliveryvehicles), location of trash pick-up, water conservation measures, range of proposed unit sizes, definition ofaffordable units, and project phasing. Applicant clarified noted that the CEQA process was tiered off of theGeneral Plan PEIR and both include studies to address cumulative impacts.The workshop-style meeting held after the first community meeting by the applicant gave attendees theopportunity to provide feedback on alternative options for the Project’s urban design and architecturaltreatment. The favored option was used for the final design.A public notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within a 500-foot radius of the Project Site onOctober 21, 2025, advising the public of a hearing at the regularly scheduled Planning Commission meetingon November 12, 2025. As of the writing of this staff report, no comments have been received.FISCAL ANALYSISThe project will be subject to impact fees to be collected at issuance of the certificate of occupancy.CONCLUSIONBased on the proposed development plans, tentative parcel map, and recommended conditions of approval,the Project is adequately served by public facilities, and is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Code, andall CCMC requirements as limited by the Housing Crisis Act, SB 330, and State Density Bonus Law. TheProject will advance the City’s housing supply and affordable housing goals as stated in the Housing Element.With approval of extended construction hours, overall construction time and impacts will be reduced. Based onthe analysis herein, staff asserts the findings for the Project entitlements as outlined in the proposedResolution can be made and recommends that the Planning Commission approve the Project, as conditioned.ATTACHMENTS1. Proposed Planning Commission Resolution with Exhibits2. Vicinity Map3. Project Summary4. Preliminary Development Plans dated 9/18/20255. DOBI Administrative Approval6. Mobility and Transportation Demand Management PlanCity of Culver City Printed on 12/2/2025Page 6 of 7powered by Legistar™ File #:26-211,Version:1 Item #:PH-4.7. Extended Construction Hours Request8. Alternative Time Limits and Phasing Request9. Draft Construction Management Plan10. Community Meeting Minutes11. CEQA DocumentationMOTIONThat the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2025-P013:(1) Approving a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) checklist pursuant to CEQA GuidelinesSection 15168 determining that the environmental effects of the operation are within the scope of theCulver City General Plan 2045 and Zoning Code Update Certified Programmatic Environmental ImpactReport and;(2) Approving Site Plan Review, Tentative Parcel Map, and Extended Construction Hours for ProjectP2024-0190-SPR/TPM, subject to conditions of approval as stated in the resolution.
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