Written Comments — Santa Monica City Council, February 28, 2023 (part 1 of 2)

1 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 10:54 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: FOSP: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- Study Session re Housing Element implementation

EXTERNAL
February 10, 2023
To: Mayor Davis and Council members
From: Zina Josephs
RE: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element Programs
It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that "make" the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by allowing the upzoning of the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on those two streets.

Below is a letter which the FOSP Board sent to the Planning Commission on this topic in January, including a list of some of the neighborhood-serving small businesses in each of the NC segments on the south side of Pico Blvd. and on Ocean Park Blvd.

Thank you for your consideration.
***************************************************************************** January 16, 2023
To: Planning Commission
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 1/18/23 agenda items 9-A
https://www.smgov.net/departments/pcd/agendas/Planning-Commission/2023/20230118/a20230118.htm Item 7.A
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2 The FOSP Board supports the letter in agenda item 9-A from Planning Commissioners Nina Fresco, Leslie Lambert, and Jim Ries.

We are particularly interested in retaining the existing heights and FARs in the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Ocean Park Blvd., and the south side of Pico Blvd. rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

Upzoning of our NC districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. has the strong potential to displace locallyowned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

The NC districts are the following areas on
- Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Hair Brains beauty salon, Ghisallo (bread baked on the premises), Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga-urt (plant-based soft serve), Antequera Bakery, Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, Café Bolivar - Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, two tailor shops, Bubble Boba, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor - Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th: Andy’s Cleaners, Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, Nostalgia Bar & Lounge
- Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, Laura's Nails Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.

There are 203 properties on the City’s SSI, of which 13 are in Neighborhood Commercial Districts. 12 are on Pico Blvd. and one is on Ocean Park Blvd. (the NE corner of 17th & OPB). The total housing unit capacity, if the SSI sites are developed, is 13,000+ units. Of these, only 165 are in the NC Districts.

The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts.

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3 Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals.

1. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level.

2. Two Sunset Park schools (Rogers & JAMS) qualify for the Title 1 Federal lunch program, meaning that at least 35% of students are from families at or below the Federal poverty level. The majority of students in both schools are children and youth of color.

3. Of the approximately 7,000 housing units in Sunset Park, 3,309 are rent controlled apartments with median rents affordable to households at moderate income and below; 2,645 are single family houses; and the remainder are condominiums or post-1979 apartment units.

4. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary.

Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. and south side of Pico Blvd.

1. Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned.

2. Loss of the commercial district altogether since ground floor commercial space will not be required for new projects given the likely unmarketability of this space for neighborhood serving businesses.

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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Jeanne Laurie <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 9:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FOSP Bd: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- Study Session re Housing Element implementation

EXTERNAL
I’ve lived in Santa Monica for 32 years. Every year there is more sadness watching what was such a small business and residential neighborhood town turn into a cold, impersonal heartless town.

So many mom and pop and small businesses have been forced out.

Is all of this really necessary? Was Roy Disney right when he said that developers are the cocaine to city councils?
Are strong arm tactics the rule of the day? Did you all vote for Trump? No regard for humanity or people.

Please consider the points made by Zina Josephs in her email to the city council.

Jeanne Laurie
Sunset Park
Sent from Mail for Windows
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] Cc: [email protected], [email protected]
Sent: 2/10/2023 10:54:02 PM Pacific Standard Time
Subject: FOSP: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- Study Session re Housing Element implementation
February 10, 2023
To: Mayor Davis and Council members
From: Zina Josephs
RE: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element Programs
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2 It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that "make" the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by allowing the upzoning of the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on those two streets.

Thank you for your consideration.
***************************************************************************** January 16, 2023
To: Planning Commission
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 1/18/23 agenda items 9-A
https://www.smgov.net/departments/pcd/agendas/PlanningCommission/2023/20230118/a20230118.htm The FOSP Board supports the letter in agenda item 9-A from Planning Commissioners Nina Fresco, Leslie Lambert, and Jim Ries.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

The NC districts are the following areas on
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3 - Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Hair Brains beauty salon, Ghisallo (bread baked on the premises), Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga-urt (plantbased soft serve), Antequera Bakery, Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, Café Bolivar
- Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, two tailor shops, Bubble Boba, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor ‐ Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th: Andy’s Cleaners, Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, Nostalgia Bar & Lounge
- Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, Laura's Nails
Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.

The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts.

Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals.

1. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level.

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4 4. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary.

Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. and south side of Pico Blvd.

1. Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned.

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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Katharine Dreyfuss <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 2:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning Neighborhood Commercial Districts

EXTERNAL
Dear Council members:

I am writing to you in response to having received the following alert from my neighborhood association.

This Tuesday night, February 14, the City Council will be discussing upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts of the city, which includes Montana Avenue.

Upzoning would mean allowing higher, more dense development on Montana between 7th and 17th streets. The current streetscape of low-slung, two-story buildings could be replaced by four-story (or with 'density bonus’, even five-story) projects.

Montana is a successful and eclectic street, with many locally-owned, neighborhood-serving businesses. Upzoning will attract larger chains that can afford larger spaces and higher rents. Over time, this will lead to Montana Avenue becoming more homogenized, replacing what makes it unique and special to our neighborhood and to our city with the same generic buildings and nationwide chains we see everywhere else.

I hope that you will be very careful in selecting Neighborhood Commercial districts which might actually need upzoning. Montana Avenue continues to be home to a tantalizing variety of individually owned and operated businesses, which serve not only their neighborhood but also tourists from around the world. When traveling to other countries, I have been surprised by squeals of admiration from people who learned where I am lucky enough to live. Montana Avenue has businesses which already produce steady tax funds for our city, and does not need the kind of "improvement" you have in mind.

Please use careful discretion as you contemplate replacing unique and flourishing Neighborhood Commercial districts. Bigger is not necessarily better.

Thank you for considering my opinion.

Sincerely,
Kit Dreyfuss
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: danilobach <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 12:52 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Council Agenda Item 7: Study session, 2/14/23

EXTERNAL
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Dear Mayor Gleam and Council Members,
The NOMA Board supports the concepts previously expressed in the letter sent by several members of the Planning Commission asking the City Council to request the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) amend the City’s certified Housing Element to enhance Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

The request asks to "retain the existing heights and Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC) on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue rather than increasing them as proposed" in the certified Housing Element. This is acknowledgement that the upzoning of our NC districts has the strong potential to displace locally owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to residents. The letter cautions that "In fact, the loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will be in direct conflict with AFFH objectives."
The letter clearly states the need to maintain our Neighborhood Commercial Districts in order to provide essential services to residents. The last major zoning update (2015) considered increasing the height and FARs for the neighborhood commercial districts and decided that these were not warranted and should remain resident serving commercial areas.

Neighborhood Commercial Districts each have a unique feel which is vital to Santa Monica, its residents and business community. They provide a special mix serving us all. We would be substantially poorer as a community if we were to lose their distinctive nature and local ownership.

The NOMA Board urges the City Council to seek a modification in the City’s certified Housing Element to protect the Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

Thank you.
smnoma.org
[email protected]
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Jimmy Richards <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 10:22 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 6-Public Comment on the Housing Element

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council,
I'm writing to encourage you to take the recommendation of the Planning Commission and submit an application to the State of California to modify the Santa Monica approved Housing element so that the city can avoid Up‐Zoning all commercial districts uniformly.

Main Street in Ocean Park, for example, falls into the category of Neighborhood Commercial Zone (NC Zone). It currently allows for base heights of 32 ft for buildings. The new Housing Element would allow building heights to effectively double, and if there is a 100% affordable housing project that height can increase by 33% more. What would happen to Main Street with 55 ‐100 feet tall buildings, all in the name of fair housing? What is fair about that? What is necessary about that? (The population of Santa Monica is not growing, and Ocean Park in particular, is already greatly diverse economically, with rent control throughout the neighborhood).

Here's something the Housing element from the state of California does not take into consideration: People seek out Santa Monica, and in particular, Ocean Park from all over the state, the country and the world. Main Street, Ocean Park is beachside living. Its very character and identity connotes the sound, smell, feel and sight of the Ocean, along with a Sunday stroll in the sun on Main Street. Nobody came here, either 60 years ago or today to live, work and walk in the shadows of 100 foot commercial buildings or affordable housing buildings. The entirety of Main street from Bay to Pier could one day be in the shade everyday after 1 pm. So much for the beach side neighborhood...so much for the very essence of what draws people here.

I'm asking you to protect our residential neighborhoods ‐ Main Street, Montana Avenue, Ocean Park Blvd & Pico blvd.

Preserve the NC zone, don't destroy the very character, charm and appeal of Santa Monica. Submit an application to modify the Housing element to avoid Up‐zoning all commercial districts uniformly.

I'm asking you to protect Ocean Park. Ocean Park is special and I strongly unequivocally urge you to not upzone.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Jim Richards
Ocean Park Resident
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Traci Wallace <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:14 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Members of the Santa Monica City Council,
As a homeowner in the Sunset Park neighborhood I urge you to discontinue discussion of and vote against any “upzoning” of the city’s Neighborhood Commercial Districts. We are already witnessing great change to the landscape and character of our small city and as a resident who pays taxes, owns a business, and raised a family here in Santa Monica I am saddened to see it beginning to lose its unique identity. My husband and I chose to live here as opposed to other areas of Los Angeles because of its small-town feel and the attention to community and the residents' interests and needs. We have wonderful, eclectic locally-owned businesses in our Ocean Park and Pico commercial districts and I am dismayed to think of those areas changing due to the Council allowing higher buildings and the possibility of larger chain stores that can pay the higher rents that such “upzoning” will likely bring.

We most definitely do not need homogeneity and more of the generic types of businesses that that can be found elsewhere; Santa Monica is a unique part of LA and trying to preserve our non-high-rise, non-commercial nature will allow us to remain close as a community, feel greater peace and sustain a closer tie to our natural surroundings. I certainly hope that you as our elected representatives would hope to keep it that way.

Sincerely,
Traci Wallace, Ph.D.
1731 Dewey Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Steven Madick <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:08 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; [email protected]; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: upzoning the streets

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I moved to this part of Santa Monica for its eclectic non‐Planned community feel.

This includes the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not change the feel of our neighborhood by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

My Dad moved from Boyle Heights to live in this area in the 1940’s and I came back for the same reason, the eclectic charm and uniqueness that Santa Monica holds that is not found anywhere else.

Having lived in many places before being able to settle here, I saw the “upzoning” that stole the charm and homogenized many cities. Maybe it’s considered progress to become like every other city but I am not looking for singularity,
Thank you for taking into consideration the opinions of those who already live here and have struggled along side the city during turbulent times. Please take into account our voices, the voices of those living here now.

Regards,
Steven Madick
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: willy knicker <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:03 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear council memebers,
The struggle to keep our neighborhood livable and 'local' seems never ending.

The proposal to 'upzone' on the agenda almost certainly did not originate from the residents or businesses'
that would suffer the consequnces of these changes.

Being able to walk to and bike to local shops such as 'Campos Famous Burritos' (here for more than 40 years) are
things that makes Santa Monicaa special place to live.

This proposal will make Santa Monica less of a special place.

Look at who supports the proposal and who opposes the proposal. thanks
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: William Purdy <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 7:59 AM
Cc: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
It's discouraging to constantly have to battle the out right greed and selfishness of commercial developers in our beloved Santa Monica. It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please don't destroy these businesses by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets. Going from two to five stories is quite a leap and a terrible idea in every way. Please stop this awful planning idea.

Bill Purdy
Sunset Park Resident
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Karla Klarin <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 7:58 AM
To: Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council‐
Please do not upzone Ocean Park or Pico. This is a neighborhood, where I have lived for 35 years and raised my children. This is a home, NOT a money making opportunity. Will anyone ever think of Lincoln Blvd. as a home? No.

Please don't do the same thing to our neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Karla Klarin
‐‐
karlaklarin.com
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Jeffrey Gordon <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 7:56 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Resident Comment on Item 7a City Council Agenda 2/14/2023

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
I write to strongly support protecting our neighborhood streets—Pico, Main Street, Ocean Park and Montana—and to oppose upzoning them. In this regard I agree with the Planning Commission’s recommendation and urge the City Council to maintain existing heights and densities on these streets.

Upzoning these streets would lead to the destruction of many existing buildings containing vital small businesses serving our community many of which businesses would not return, the raising of rents and the resultant increase in chain non‐ local stores.

We need to protect our small businesses and support “buy local.” We need to maintain our unique and beloved neighborhood streets so important to our quality of life and wellness as a city.

Thank you,
Jeff Gordon
Santa Monica Resident
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: D'Orsogna, Maria-Rita R <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:17 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Oppose "Housing Element" along Montana Ave, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, Main Street

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilperson of the City of Santa Monica,
my name is Maria D'Orsogna, I am a math professor at CSUN and I live in Santa Monica, my home for more than 20 years.

I urge you to oppose changes to the zoning codes in Santa Monica to accommodate the so‐called "Housing Element" as demanded by the State of California.

This proposition calls for adding an astonishing 9,000 new units in our city through massive up‐zoning, without any real thought on how this would impact traffic, water consumption, walkability/bike‐ability, quality of life, pollution, beauty. Among the targeted areas are the so‐called NC zones (low rise Neighborhood Commercial zones), such as Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, and Montana Avenue. The current maximum height allowed here is 32 feet. The new proposal would allow the maximum height to reach 65 feet for housing projects (double!) and to a monstruous 98 feet for 100% affordable housing projects (triple!) Since one story is roughly 10 feet, this means we would even see big boxes up to 9 or 10 stories tall! You must oppose this. You must.

Our beloved quaint streets dotted with small, family‐owned, diverse business that give Santa Monica most of its charm, history and beauty will be destroyed. Tourism will suffer, people will leave, whatever is left of our mom‐and‐pop economy will be completely decimated. Commercial rents will increase (see Manhattan!) to levels that only big national brand chains will be able to afford, essentially driving out small businesses and preventing any new start‐up ones from even trying.

Do we really want to displace locally owned businesses to incorporate yet another CVS? We have the highest sales taxes in the area, so people will not come to shop along Montana or Main Street unless there is something special about what these areas offer and that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

There is nothing necessary about this, and it is misguided to force Sacramento mandates on our small, unique little town.

All this upzoning will only benefit developers and promote harmful gentrification that will hurt the communities we think we are helping, especially those who live close, are limited in their mobility, and rely on lower priced services in smaller buildings, for example, along Pico Blvd. We already have super tight rules on rent control, protections for seniors and programs to help rent‐burdened families. We also already have many diverse mixes of housing types that accommodate all levels of incomes. Many neighborhoods are already Item 7.A
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2 extremely diverse, such as along Pico Blvd and Ocean Park. We don't need to destroy our city as there is really no need for any of this.

These are facts:

Santa Monica had 91,000 residents in 1999.

Santa Monica had 91,000 residents in 2021.

There has been no substantial change in our population in the last 20 years.

Please protect residential neighborhoods ‐ Main Street, Montana Avenue, Ocean Park Blvd & Pico Blvd by preserving the NC zone without destroying the essence of this city.

Sincerely
Maria R D'Orsogna, PhD
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:59 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]; David Martin; David White
Subject: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Housing Element Implementaion -- Lot consolidation

EXTERNAL
February 12, 2023

To: Mayor Davis and Councilmembers

From: Zina Josephs

RE: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- Housing Element Implementation Study Session

On page 67 of the Zoning Ordinance redlines, the lot consolidation limits for the purpose of new projects applies only to Main Street Neighborhood Commercial.

For non-housing projects, the maximum square footage resulting from lot consolidation is 6,000 sq ft.

For housing projects, it's 15,000 sq ft. But again, the current language only applies to Main Street.

This seems to indicate that a developer could tie together parcels on Pico Blvd. or Ocean Park Blvd. to develop a large project, wiping out an entire block of businesses.

This "lot consolidation" language should apply to ALL Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

Thank you for your consideration.

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4 Vernice Hankins
From: sean meehan <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:53 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Up-zoning of Ocean Park and Pico

EXTERNAL
Hello,
I am writing to you to register my staunch opposition to the upcoming proposal to re‐zone Ocean Park and the south side of Pico Blvd from two storey to five storey buildings. Our family only recently moved to this area during the pandemic from a busier part of Los Angeles — precisely because we sought a quieter, more community minded lifestyle — and we have found that here in Sunset Park. To re‐zone these areas means ultimately stripping away the charm and character that makes this area so unique in the greater Los Angeles area. It will almost certainly lead to the loss of many of the eclectic small businesses in the area.

History matters. Community matters. And most of all, people matter. Please don’t put profit before our community.

We have just found this wonderful pocket of the world and we have become friendly with many of the business owners, particularly along Ocean Park. I would ask you to consider that unique communities like the one we have here are fragile things. We watched with dismay as the community and camaraderie of our last neighborhood rapidly evaporated due to the adoption of exactly the kind of proposal that is before you now.

This amazing community, once lost, will never be regained. I urge you to reject this harmful proposal.

Sincerely,
Sean Meehan.

Sunset Park resident.

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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Crystal Reed <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 item 7A

EXTERNAL
Please do not allow upzoning of Ocean Park Blvd. We in Sunset Park along OP are already going to be overwhelmed by the significantly increased traffic and parking issues from the project underway on Lincoln at Ashland, and then literally a couple blocks away, at Lincoln and Ocean Park, the monstrous Gelson's project that is planned to begin soon.

Our neighborhood is already being destroyed. I'm not taking about the aesthetics of larger buildings, I'm talking about the impact on livability from rapidly doubling (or more) the population of areas with no traffic mitigation and inadequate parking requirements attached to new construction.

It's not a way to force alternative modes of transportation. I take care of my 81‐year old father. I can't just lug him around by bicycle or bus. Other people have children, or businesses that require use of their cars. Making the city less drivable doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. Making the city less parkable doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. I understand that there is pressure from the state to build units, but doing so without planning to accommodate the traffic from those additional residents just makes the city worse. That's it. It's not an upgrade, it's a downgrade. It's time to stop doing that to our city.

Crystal Reed
2817 11th Street
Native, lifelong SM resident
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From: Ilya Haykinson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:11 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A — support for upzoning

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
As in my prior letter in January, I urge the council to support the upzoning of the Neighborhood Commercial districts. As a resident of Sunset Park I appreciate the services that I get from the commercial districts, but I would also like the city to use the opportunity to increase the density in these areas. The creation of mixed use spaces is something I would like the city to encourage, and I look forward to the new residents and businesses we would welcome to our area over time.

I know that some neighbors have concerns about the potential for existing businesses to be displaced. I think this is a real concern, so I would suggest that the city council consider partially mitigating this by providing existing tenants with a "continuity initiative". The council could mandate something like:
* if a structure along the corridor is replaced with one offering commercial space, commercial tenants in the existing space must be given right of first refusal to lease new space * an existing tenant should be offered a 5 year lease at a price no more than 125% of their existing lease, with limits on price increases for lease renewals
There may be other approaches that balance the desire to retain existing businesses with the need to revive the commercial districts and gradually replace them with the denser spaces that we need to be creating in our neighborhoods. I am sure that change will come, but as a local resident I am very much looking forward to these kinds of changes.

Best regards,
‐ilya haykinson
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From: Ursula Fox <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis
Subject: Re: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
On Feb 12, 2023, at 8:51 AM, Ursula Fox <[email protected]> wrote:

Please, do not upzone the neighborhood commercial district on Ocean Park Blvd and the south side of Pico Blvd.

Thanks.

Ursula Fox
31st St Santa Monica, 90405
[email protected]
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From: Ursula Fox <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:52 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Please, do not upzone the neighborhood commercial district on Ocean Park Blvd and the south side of Pico Blvd.

Thanks.

Ursula Fox
31st St Santa Monica, 90405
[email protected]
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From: Jeff <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 1:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 7a, City Council Agenda, 2/14/2023

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and City Council,
I previously wrote to support the Planning Commission’s recommendation opposing up zoning on Pico, Montana, Main Street and Ocean Park.

I now have leaned that the zoning update before you would only place limits on lot consolidations on Main Street, but not Montana, Pico or Ocean Park. I strongly oppose these exclusions and support also including these three neighborhood streets in the limits on lot consolidations.

Lot consolidations could have the same negative impacts on these streets as up zoning, driving out local businesses, increasing chains and decreasing the character and feel of our neighborhoods.

Thank you,
Jeff Gordon
Santa Monica Resident
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From: Mark Ford <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 12:51 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Reid Thompson
Subject: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A, Protect Neighborhood Serving Streets

EXTERNAL
Honorable Council Members,
Please use your authority to protect Santa Monica’s unique Main and Montana Streets and portions of Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards from ever higher buildings and more density. Greater density and taller buildings would inevitably result in loss of their sunny walkable appeal and neighborhood serving businesses.

Apply to the State to modify our City’s Housing Element to exempt these Neighborhood Commercial Districts from upzoning. Upzoning would allow significantly taller buildings than these streets currently host. Resulting increasing rents would drive out small, local businesses.

Main Street in particular is a draw for many Santa Monica visitors and tourists. Its one and two story low rise buildings, many historic and beautiful, create an appealing destination for them. Please don’t lose that. Certainly there are a few places in our City where we can afford to save a bit of what was and is special about Santa Monica. Main Street is one.

We moved to Santa Monica this year and bought a historic home on 3rd Street because of the special characteristics and charm of Main St. and Ocean Park. If that charm is lost, we will move our family elsewhere.

Mark Ford
Resident 2623 3rd St 90405
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From: wendy way <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 11:06 AM
To: Bea Nemlaha
Cc: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Re: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A; Protect Neighborhood Serving Streets

EXTERNAL
Hey!
all the letters to the city council have been great. I sent one yesterday and heard back from Phil Brock who is definitely on board with protecting Main Street.

Have a great weekend,
Wendy
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 12, 2023, at 11:02 AM, Bea Nemlaha <[email protected]> wrote:

Honorable Council Members,
Please use your authority to protect Santa Monica’s unique Main and Montana Streets and portions of Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards from ever higher buildings and more density. Greater density and taller buildings would inevitably result in loss of their sunny walkable appeal and neighborhood serving businesses.

Bea Nemlaha,
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From: Bea Nemlaha <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 11:03 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A; Protect Neighborhood Serving Streets

Bea Nemlaha,
43 year Ocean Park Resident
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From: Adam Cohen <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:39 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]; Damla Dogan
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council members,
As a long time resident, community leader (South Of Pearl Community Organization) and heavy local school supporter, I’m begging for your help. I believe we voted for most of your to support the community. With Upzoning the community begins to be erased… precipitously. My neighborhood frequents the local businesses proudly. But the Upzoning development on the horizon will not only change the face of the community… it will ERASE IT.

We are open to change, improvements, making money for the city. However, this is too much. We know all of you on he City Council care about our community. We know you have families. We know you love Santa Monica as we do. I think we can all see the writing on the wall… local businesses will be decimated by this change. It doesn’t take a Wharton School degree to figure this out.

Please please please allow us to talk this through and please do not allow this monumental change to a community already looking at colossal change on the horizon (the Lincoln and Ocean Park development which will increase the community population by 20%). Please hear us out. We love our community and want to keep that aspect… a community.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,
Adam Cohen
Cedar Street
Adam Cohen Super Delicious
6121 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite G
Hollywood, CA 90038
[email protected]
O: (323) 785-2660
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From: Ryan Olson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:28 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/2023 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
I am writing to support the upzoning of Neighborhood Commercial areas on Ocean Park and Pico boulevard. As a Sunset Park resident, I look forward to the increased vitality that more local residents will bring to the area. Further, I think that the good things already happening on these two streets would only be enhanced by more flexibility allowing mixed use development along these two corridors that are well served by public transit and bike lanes.

Ryan Olson
1021 Pine St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 736‐6581
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From: Lulu Cafe <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To the City Council,
Please protect Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue from upzoning and lot consolidation.

If you truly want residents to use fewer car trips, you will refrain from chasing any more small, neighborhood-serving businesses out of Santa Monica. Far too many have already left. Items I used to shop for here, I now have to drive to West LA, Venice, or farther to find.

If you allow this item to pass, you will have clearly demonstrated that your stated goals of reducing car usage, and of making SM more walkable are not sincere, but just political gaslighting.

Thank you,
Glenna Dumey
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From: Steven Novak <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 1:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 14 Feb 23 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members --

I have been living in Ocean Park since 1990 and, in local elections, have voted for quite a few of you.

I am concerned about this so-called "upzoning" discussion of Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd, the idea being to replace locally owned one- and two-story buildings with more vertical, multi-story projects with higher rents.

Approving this idea would likely attract national chains and transform what is now a uniquely local look into a just-like-any-other-place-in-the-country-nothing-special look.

I am strongly against this idea as, in my view, this would represent a step backward, not forward. Besides resulting in an uglier aesthetic, the denser, more vertical development would absolutely result in increased traffic congestion.

Please shoot down this idea immediately.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

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Ocean Park

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From: John Levy <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 1:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
My family and I live in Sunset Park. One of the reasons we have chosen to put down roots and raise our children here is the neighborhood's character. It is the small locally‐owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special. Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Yours,
John Levy
2673 33rd St.

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From: Tina <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 1:27 PM
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
PLEASE STOP STOP STOP !!!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY
Many of you have lived in and seen the changes that have been made to Santa Monica and to the Sunset Park Neighborhood over the years. PLEASE, if you live in the area, take a walk, if you live outside the area, take a drive and stand in front of one or two of the small businesses in these neighborhoods and envision the change you'll see if the upzoning recommendation is passed.

So much of the charm of Santa Monica has already been chiseled away which originally made the city so lovely and special. Please let's not continue on that path by ultimately sending the wrecking ball into these areas to do away with these small neighborhood businesses which make these areas so special -- when they are gone, they are gone as are those who've been the proprietors for decades who know their customers by name and know their children and grandchildren as well because at both ends, LOYALTY has been key. 'Mom & Pop" shops are almost gone, we must stand up for those left and the small business owners still able to make a living due to the business given them by residents in these neighborhoods and are essential in the Sunset Park Neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Tina Cox
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From: Mary Hubbell <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and City Councilmembers;
I urge you to protect our neighborhood commercial districts. Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd., and Montana Ave. are what makes our town unique and appealing to residents and visitors alike.

Please don’t allow the destruction of these local treasures, small businesses, and iconic walkable streets from destructive upzoning.

Also, please don’t allow developers to consolidate lots to build even larger developments on these streets.

Thank you for your commitment to preserving our quality of life.

Mary Hubbell
Ocean Park
Sent from Mary's iPhone
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From: Elizabeth Brooks <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: February 14, 2023 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
First of all, as a Santa Monica resident for thirty year, I want to thank you for your dedication and service to our beautiful Santa Monica.

For many happy years I have lived in my townhouse on 11th Street just south of Montana and have never wanted to live anywhere else.

Alas, if the proposed “upscaling,” goes through, it will change our neighborhood enormously and not for the better. I drive through areas
defined by high rise apartment and commercial buildings on either side of the street (e.g. Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood) and give thanks
that I live where I do.

Please be a good citizen, as well as a valued public official, and protect our friendly neighborhoods, small businesses, and lovely walkable streets.

PLEASE DO NOT go forward with the plan to “upzone” Montana Avenue, Main Street and Ocean Park and Pico Boulevards. PLEASE DO NOT
allow lot consolidation for Montana Avenue, and Ocean Park and Pico Boulevards. Please keep our precious Santa Monica precious.

Most sincerely,
Elizabeth Brooks, Ph.D.

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From: phil traill <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:42 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please please protect our neighborhoods by keeping the current zoning and by not allowing lot consolidation.

Many thanks
Phil Traill
SM Resident for 17 years
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From: Jon Amsden <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:40 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: "Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd.

EXTERNAL
To: The Santa Monica City Council
From: Dr. Jon Amsden, PhD. (London Econ)
The proposed "upzoning" of Ocean Park Blvd. and other streets in Santa Monica is disastrous concept, and one that only multibillionaire corporations would consider. The undersigned was vigorous participant in the campaign to make Santa Monica a truly democratic city based on good will and social equality. The so-called "upzoning" of Ocean Park Blvd. and other city locations would basically sell the city's democratic and socially progressive realities to the "big money." The City Council must throw out the abovementioned billionaire's project ASAP! Sincerely,
Jon Amsden
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From: Nikki F <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To the Mayor and Council Members of Santa Monica,
I urge you to protect the Pico, Montana, Ocean Park, and Main St neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation as recommended by the Planning Commission in their letter of January 23, 2023.

The people who elected you are depending on you to protect the city from developers and preserve the integrity and infrastructure of Santa Monica.

Sincerely,
Nikki Fernandez
1138 16th St, Apt 6
Santa Monica, CA 90403
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From: Peter Altschuler <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: It's rare when...

EXTERNAL
… the Planning Commission, rather than capitulate to developers, sides with residents’ interests. Its recommendation to maintain the scale of the Neighborhood Commercial Districts on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, and Montana Avenue is well‐reasoned and based on community needs.

If those districts are “upzoned,” it’s easy to envision the outcome: just look at the Third Street Promenade. What used to be a mecca for local merchants and mom‐and‐pop businesses lost all of its character when those stores were forced out.

Now, the Promenade is comprised of national/international chains with no local “flavor” or commitment, and they still lack the allure to keep them viable. The empty storefronts are a blight.

Residents rely on the grocers, laundromats, restaurants, clothing stores, cobblers, pharmacies, and bike shops that line the NC districts, and housing mandates can be met without destroying the character of long‐established community shopping districts. Underutilized areas of Santa Monica, such as the one‐time light manufacturing district north of Olympic between Stewart and Centinela, is far more conducive to housing, given its open space (parking lots) and proximity to the Expo Line at Bergamot Station and Big Blue Bus routes, and the area’s clear need for service businesses.

Do not amend Program 1J. It is a direct route to community character assassination. p
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From: Fae Horowitz and Al Linton <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 2:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
Sunset Park is home to us, and has been since the last century. We are appalled to learn about the changes proposed in the above mentioned Agenda Item. These changes would turn our warm, beloved, charming and most importantly user friendly neighborhood into a cold, traffic snarled commercial nightmare. Our neighborhood isn't broken. Why do you feel a need to "fix" it? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE VOTE NO.

We Beseech You.

Fae Horowitz
Al Linton
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From: Loni Rush <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: What are you doing

EXTERNAL
To our city???
It is deplorable and we need some partially sensible leadership before it totally falls apart.

I am here just 15 years and the change is frightening.

With good intentions,
Loni Rush
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Marc Primiani <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:37 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
City council members,
I agree with the findings of the Santa Monica Planning Commission that it is unnecessary to up zone the four Santa Monica neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Avenue for the reasons set forth in its 1/23/24 letter to the city council. “The upzoning of our NC districts will cause the displacement of locally owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to residents. In fact, the loss of these neighborhood‐serving businesses will be in direct conflict with AFFH objectives. Many of these small businesses are minority owned. Further, NC Districts currently offer entrepreneurial opportunities for local residents, many of whom are people of color.” I further believe that this approach will not have negative impacts on the city’s ability to meet the State’s AFFH requirements.

Please reject any proposal to up zone these districts and preserve our city’s local businesses. Let’s not go down the road of the 3rd Street Promenade.

Marc Primiani
Santa Monica resident for over 27 years
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Brenda Anderson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I support the Planning Commission recommendation to protect our City Streets and keep the neighborhood character intact. We need the small shops and businesses that provide local services to we, the residents.

Small businesses are the life blood of our city and make it possible to maintain the community feeling that comes from having places to interact, one on one, with our neighbors and shop owners.

I urge you to keep the current zoning and please DO NOT allow lot consolidation.

Respectfully,
Brenda Anderson
475 24th St
Santa Monica 900402
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From: Ron Part <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I recently read about the proposal to “upzone” certain Santa Monica business streets so larger and taller commercial buildings can be built. I am really shocked that our elected officials would even consider allowing more and higher buildings here when we already have poor electricity, constant traffic, little water, 30% commercial vacancy rates, and a tremendous problem with crime, drugs, and the homeless. The massive ugly apartments that have already been built have made Santa Monica a worse place to live. We don’t need to double down on this mistake by doing the same thing again, only for business.

Sincerely,
Ronald Part
Sent from my iPad
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From: Shane Peters <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Save OPBlvd and Pico

EXTERNAL
Please protect City from onslaught of over Development Please Sent from my iPhone
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:10 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning for Montana Ave.

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
The upzoning bill for Montana will destroy the character and charm of Montana Ave. it will create chain stores, more construction, congestion, etc. etc.

Preserve our neighborhood and say no to developers and their offers. Can you for once keep S M a small beach town as we are fast becoming another high density no charm town run by developers.

Also, keep in mind the residents are totally against the enlargement of the Carlthorp School. They cheated on their parking and converted it to an event center.

Obviously they cannot be trusted.

Sincerely,
Fred Alexander
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From: Ann Hoover <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:07 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra
Cc: David White; Susan Cline; David Martin; Jing Yeo
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 7.A.

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and Esteemed Council Members -
Please respect the well-reasoned recommendation of your Planning Commissioners to not upzone our NC areas (Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards, Main Street and Montana Avenue). These streets, chock-full of small local businesses, are the heart of what makes Santa Monica livable, diverse, and unique. Upzoning them is unlikely to produce appreciable new housing and is particularly unlikely to generate much affordable housing. Failure to protect these last remaining areas of unique charm and character would cause irreparable harm for conceivably very little.

No Councilmember who advocates to upzone the NC areas will ever again be able to credibly maintain that they care about the health of our small businesses and the character of our unique little City.

In that spirit, I ask this current City Council to challenge legally NOW the State's unfunded, outsized RHNA mandate (and the Builder's Remedy) in every creative and new way possible to bring it back in line with past RHNA cycle targets. This current mandate is anti-climate, anti-livability, anti-water self sufficiency, anti-resource conservation, anti-net zero emissions, anti-biodiversity, anti-sunshine, anti-neighborhoods, anti-small businesses, anti-architectural character, antismart local planning, anti-local control, anti-fiscal responsibility, & anti-sanity - it is "anti" in every way possible except for developers and the construction industry and should have been pushed back on at the appropriate time. The fault for not doing that lays (A) at the feet of City Staff particularly Jing Yeo, and (B) at the feet of Mayor Gleam Davis who is the only remaining Councilmember on the dais from the time when the past Council rejected a challenge. And now here we are.

For shame.

Sincerely,
Ann Bowman
Santa Monica resident
26+ years
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From: Nancy Hyland <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: No “upzoning” in Ocean Park

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Councilmember -
I am writing to urge you not to allow lot consolidation on Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. If you and your fellow Santa Monica City Council members approved this it would allow developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these Streets. These four walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses we residents use in our daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of our homes. As a long term resident who owns a house on Highland Avenue, just off Ocean Park, I know how much I and my family and my neighbors rely on these local businesses – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special.

We urge you to not allow these areas to be “Upzoned”, which would allow these unique neighborhood Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses and negatively impact our community and our quality of life.

Thank you for your consideration,
Nancy Hyland
2715 Highland Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
[email protected]
⢆⢇⢈⢉⢊⢋⢌⢍
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From: Nancy Hyland <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: No “upzoning” in Ocean Park

Thank you for your consideration,
Nancy Hyland
2715 Highland Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
[email protected]
⢆⢇⢈⢉⢊⢋⢌⢍
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From: Tim Whalen <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
I have been a resident of Sunset Park for 25 years, and Santa Monica for more than 40. I write to express my opposition to the upzoning of the neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. These districts on these streets contain the only remaining neighborhood character, charm, and human scale in Santa Monica. I know the LUCE is no longer a guiding principle, but one of its promises was the preservation of neighborhood character. Upzoning will destroy the sense of place, history, and community that resides in these districts. Further, these pedestrian districts include essential neighborhood services that will disappear if these districts are upzoned. I hope you will follow the Planning Commission's recommendation and vote to preserve these irreplaceable character defining commercial districts.

Sincerely yours,
Tim Whalen
Santa Monica 90405
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From: Barbara King <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 4:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
We agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.
“Upzoning” would allow these unique Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

Also being considered is whether to allow lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. If approved this would allow developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these Streets.

When our Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, wellsupported recommendation to Council against upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts. Read the Planning Commission letter here:
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=14074&MeetingID=1353 These four walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses residents use in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of people’s homes. Residents don’t just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special.

We urge you as our representatives to protect these Streets.

Barbara King and Robert McNab
4th Street
Santa Monica
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From: Beatrice Felix <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 4:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please do not agree to UPZONING and to the consolidation of properties to allow and encourage large developments.

I have been a resident in Sta Monica since 1977 and seen what the influx of larger retail/commercial establishments has been - and it's not improved our quality of life or the fabric of the community. Look at the huge vacant stores on the Promenade and Wilshire where we once had a vibrant local retail corridor.

I agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

We are already facing impenetrable traffic which impedes access to and from the freeway.

This will only get worse when the LINCOLN/Broadway complex is completed. We are choking the city and making it a nightmare for the people who live and work here.

Please vote NO on UPZONING and consolidation. As the Planning commission wrote in January, it's not necessary to meet the AFFH objectives and it'll simply diminish the quality of life in our city.

Sincerely,
Beatrice Felix
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From: GARY <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 4:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
As a longtime resident, I urge you to vote no on the proposed up-zoning of Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd and Montana Avenue.

This won't enhance life, it will work to wreck the neighborhoods we love.

Sincerely,
Gary Gurner
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From: Liz Bell <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 4:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a--up zoning of major streets

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I am a resident of Santa Monica. I’m writing to urge you NOT to allow up zoning of the major streets covered by this item. We need to preserve neighborhoods of Santa Monica, not to turn them over to developers intent on reaping their financial gain, but destroying everything we value about Santa Monica in the process.

Thank you.

Lizbeth Bell
1434 18th St.
90404
[email protected]
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From: Jim Bernstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 6:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I have been a resident of our beautiful city for over 30 years. One thing that I love about Santa Monica is that it still feels like a small town where I often run into friends in our local shops.

It is for that reason that I am very concerned about the proposal to increase the height of commercial buildings in the Pico‐Ocean Park area. I strongly urge you to vote against the proposal to upzone the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Sincerely,
James Bernstein
Santa Monica, CA
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From: Fish2000 <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 6:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; David White; Susan Cline; David Martin; Jing Yeo Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 7.A.

EXTERNAL
Please do not vote to upzone the NC areas.

Sincerely,
Laura Lim
Santa Monica resident
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From: Leanna Primiani <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 6:07 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

Please reject any proposal to up zone these districts and preserve our city’s local businesses. Let’s not go down the road of the 3rd Street Promenade.

Leanna Primiani
Santa Monica resident for over 23 years
Leanna Primiani
310‐948‐8616
https://play.reelcrafter.com/LeannaPrimiani/MusicByLeannaPrimianiSL https://www.tiktok.com/@composerleanna
leannaprimiani.com
“You can if you think you can."- Nikki
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From: David Lappen <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:43 PM
To: David Lappen
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica has some charming walking neighborhoods. We happen to live near one ‐ Montana Ave. Ocean Park is another great one. Please don't ruin them by upscaling or allowing lot consolidation. These actions will drive out the small merchants and restaurants in favor of national chains. If successful, it will increase car traffic, pollution, and noise. If it isn't successful, it will create a lot of vacancy that will depress the area.

Please preserve Santa Monica's local charm and reject upscaling and lot consolidation.

David Lappen
625 19th Street
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From: Jo Baxter <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:37 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
No upzoning in Santa Monica!
Please protect our neighbourhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and NOT allowing lot consolidation!
Thank You,
Jo Baxter
90402
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Andrew Wilder <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 7A: Don't upzone our wonderful walk streets

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I agree with the Planning Commission and Friends of Sunset Park:

Please protect our neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning, and by not allowing lot consolidation along Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd., Main St, and Montana Ave.

Upzoning of our Neighborhood Commercial districts has the strong potential to displace locallyowned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to residents. In a country where giant chains have taken over and homogenized just about everything, our small, locallyowned businesses help make Santa Monica so special. Please don't let that be destroyed.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

Thank you!
Sincerely,
Andrew Wilder
Sunset Park
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From: Susan Cope <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 5:12 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please do not "upzone" Montana Avenue, Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd or Pico.

They are some of the few shopping and dining areas in this already over‐crowded city which still possess a modicum of human scale.

Already there are incursions, like the west side of Main Street between Hill and Ashland where a dark building sneaked in an extra story.

Thank you,
Susan Cope
[email protected]
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From: Ed Harker <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council 2.14.23 - Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
Please accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission and DO NOT UP-ZONE our cherished Santa Monica neighborhoods, along Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Ave.

We are an amazing city because we have been able to maintain a quality of life that depends on local businesses on a modest scale that are personable, responsive and responsible to the particular concerns and needs of our residents. Bigger is NOT better.

We do not want to lose what makes us a great place to live, and a great place for residents from other parts of the Southland to visit: welcoming, familiar not franchise, and full of unique character and local color. Don't turn us into a crowded, gridlocked, factory of a city.

We love Santa Monica and urge you to preserve the character that has made us want to stay here as our permanent home.

Again, bigger is NOT better, it's more impersonal, insensitive, unfriendly.

Resident since 1984,
Ed Harker
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From: Elizabeth Van Denburgh <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council 2/14 Mtg. - Item 7A - Maintain NC districts to support small businesses and residential local shopping

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Gleam and Council Members,
The Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont) Board supports the concepts previously expressed by several members of the Planning Commission asking the City Council to request the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) amend the City’s certified Housing Element to enhance Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).  The request asks to "retain the existing heights and Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC) on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue rather than increasing them as proposed" in the certified Housing Element. This is acknowledgement that the upzoning of our NC districts has the strong potential to displace locally owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to residents. The letter cautions that "In fact, the loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will be in direct conflict with AFFH objectives."  The letter clearly states the need to maintain our Neighborhood Commercial Districts in order to provide essential services to residents. The last major zoning update (2015) considered increasing the height and FARs for the neighborhood commercial districts and decided that these were not warranted and should remain resident serving commercial areas.

Also being considered is whether to allow lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. The Zoning Ordinance redline outlines (pg. 67) the lot consolidation limits only for new projects on Main Street NC. This implies that a developer could consolidate parcels on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard and Montana Avenue to develop a large project, wiping out an entire block of local and small businesses. If approved, this would allow developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these Neighborhood Commercial streets, pricing and pushing out local and small businesses that create the unique aspects to our neighborhoods.

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3 Neighborhood Commercial Districts each have a unique feel which is vital to Santa Monica, its residents and business community. They provide a special mix serving us all. We would be substantially poorer as a community if we were to lose their distinctive nature and local ownership.

We urge the City Council to seek a modification in the City’s certified Housing Element to protect the Neighborhood Commercial Districts in maintaining their existing FAR and heights and protect them ALL from lot consolidation enablement.

Thank you,
Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont)
Board of Directors
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From: Metin Mangir <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Please do NOT upzone Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Please heed the advice of Planning Commission, and
do NOT upzone Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue Metin Mangir, PhD
SM resident for 34+ years
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From: Curt Jordan <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: No on upzoning and lot consolidation
Council members:

Please vote no on upzoning and lot consolidation.

Curt Jordan
1328 2nd St Apt 203
Santa Monica CA 90401
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From: David Guth <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 12:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A
Councilmember:

Upzoning in Santa Monica is essential, only for for low-income housing.

Any upzoning of a commerical district must restrict all of the additional square footage to low-income housing.

We have many more jobs in Santa Monica than we have housing units. We have no need for additional commercial space. We need more affordable housing. After you get housing, in all affordability levels, in balance with jobs you can add commercial square footage to our City.

Additionally, existing traffic congestion must be decreased by requiring abundant, not adequate, abundant parking under the new construciton, so that all street parking can be removed to add traffic lanes to the affected district. Widening the street should also be considered. If traffic studies show that widening the street by a lane will decrease traffic congestion more than adding an additional story, then taller buildings (on a lot narrowed to add a lane to the street) should be encouraged. Again, any and all additional square footage should be devoted to the type of structure most in need in Santa Monica, low-income housing.

If it’s not economic for private developers to build what the City of Santa Monica needs, leave bad enough alone. Don’t make it worse. If you’re standing in a hole, first stop digging. Then, find a way out. One way out is to allow developers to build small units, to rent for the same cost per square foot as larger units. It’s not a surprise that minimum-wage workers have to live in smaller spaces than $100k/year tech workers.

Summary: Upzoning should be allowed only to solve traffic congestion and our shortage of low-income housing.

Be Healthy!
David Guth, Santa Monica Resident and Voter
26 Village Pkwy
90405
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From: Tara Barauskas <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda 2/14/23 - support for item 11A
Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Dear Honorable Mayor Davis and Members of the City Council,

Community Corp. is a nonprofit affordable housing provider here in Santa Monica. For over 40 years, we have improved lives and neighborhoods by providing permanent, high quality affordable housing for over 1,900 households of modest means. We strongly support Item 11A, declaration of a state of emergency of homelessness for the City of Santa Monica.

Homelessness is at crisis levels, and without bold, intentional action, the problem will continue to get worse. The measures stated within the measure are all appropriate to take significant steps towards improving the issues and helping people who are vulnerable and need stability. We strongly urge you to vote yes on this declaration and pave the way for bold actions to help people as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Tara

Tara Barauskas, LEED AP
Executive Director
Community Corporation of Santa Monica
1423 2nd Street, Suite B
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 394‐8487 ext. 133
[email protected]
www.communitycorp.org
I acknowledge with respect and gratitude the Tongva, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples on whose traditional territory I live and work.

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From: Mary Duprey <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 7:53 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
Please do not upzone the Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. commercial districts. Our city is already way too dense with five story buildings being constructed everywhere. It is getting unbearable.

In addition it may displace many very important locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Thank you,
Mary Duprey, Santa Monica resident
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From: Clerk Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Council Agenda Item 7: Study session, 2/14/23 From: Noma Boardmember <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 11:52 AM
To: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>
Cc: Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Council Agenda Item 7: Study session, 2/14/23

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Gleam and Council Members,
The NOMA Board supports the concepts previously expressed in the letter sent by several members of the Planning Commission asking the City Council to request the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) amend the City’s certified Housing Element to enhance Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).

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2 The NOMA Board urges the City Council to seek a modification in the City’s certified Housing Element to protect the Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

Thank you.
smnoma.org
[email protected]
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From: Gmail <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/24 agenda item7-A

EXTERNAL
Please do not upzone Ocean ParkBlvd, Pico Blvd, Montana Ave and Main Street. We DO NOT want our small businesses to be gone!
Norma Maister
Sent from my iPad
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From: richard mccann <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:40 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzones Tuesday nite

EXTERNAL
Say NO NO NO to upzoning!!
Richard McCann
2704 11thSt #1
Santa Monica 90405
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
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From: Lori Petitti <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:28 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica Council Members,
My family has lived in the Sunset Park area on 21st Street between Pico and Ocean Park for over 30 years. We love our neighborhood and want to keep it walking friendly, family friendly and small business oriented.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

We are particularly interested in retaining the existing heights and FARs in the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

Upzoning of our NC districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. has the strong potential to displace locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents. We have supported these businesses for years and want to continue to walk to them and not worry about increasing amounts of traffic.

Thank you for hearing our voices and we hope you do the right thing.

Lori Petitti
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From: Samuel Harwood <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:44 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am writing to express my emphatic opposition to any "upzoning" or lot consolidation on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd or Montana Ave.

I grew up in Santa Monica and went to John Muir and John Adams. Words can't express how invaluable it was to grow up with the fabric of a community, with local stores and institutions where people recognized you and cared about you and looked out for you. Upzoning and lot consolidation would eliminate this community infrastructure now and for future generations by displacing current neighborhood businesses and making it impossible to establish others like them. The fabric of the community which makes those neighborhoods special would be dissolved.

Please support these neighborhoods. Maintain the current zoning codes and oppose any lot consolidation.

Thank you,
Samuel Harwood
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From: ivana letica suvak <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:19 AM
To: Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]; Darko Suvak
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to you today as a Sunset Park resident of 23 years and a very concerned business owner.

It came to my attention that you will be discussing the change in zoning in the area of Ocean Park Blvd and Pico Blvd at the February 14th meeting and I would like to say a few words about our Sunset Park neighborhood.

We opened our shop “Goods" at 1748 Ocean Park Blvd 14 years ago and I watched the street blossom into a beautiful neighborhood for locals and customers from across town looking for unique shops, restaurants, cafes and businesses.

We pride ourselves in being here for our community.

We are here for our local schools, we help them with their fundraisers.

We employ local young adults, minorities, students, single mothers...showcase local artisans, help local farmers with their produce and so much more.

Small businesses like ours and others on Ocean Park and Pico Blvd are essential to our economy, to vibrancy of our neighborhood, to uniqueness of Santa Monica.

That’s what makes Sunset Park so special.

We are for progress but not at the expense of small businesses and the people that live here.

This is an urgent plea to resist the developers alarming appetite and to seriously listen to your residents “ heartbeat”.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,
Ivana Suvak
GOODs
1748 Ocean Park Blvd
Santa Monica CA 90405
310.392.3922
www.goodsLA.com
Follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/goods.la/
Be our fan on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/GoodsLA/
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: up zoning

EXTERNAL
no up zoning please. horrible idea.
mark Benenson
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From: Robert Brown <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 10:25 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council‐
The idea of raising the heights of buildings on Ocean Park and the South side of Pico is an extinction event. I urge you to reject this idea. It will permanently destroy the most wonderful things we have in Santa Monica….sky and light. Unlike so many cities, we are lucky to live in a more horizontal world. Lower building creates a sense of spaciousness. If the city were to allow higher building we’d create dark canyons & wind tunnels that would change our city forever. The other consequence would be a loss of all of the unique Mom & Pop stores that give our neighborhoods so much character. It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special. Please do not destroy these businesses by upzoning the neighborhood commercial districts on these two streets.

Thank you,
Robert Brown
E: [email protected]
M: 310.795.5353
Item 7.A
02/14/23
82 of 594 Item 7.A
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Shannon Duerst <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:20 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Hello,
Please protect the 'four walking Streets'.

We cannot allow lot consolidation and larger, mega developments.

The traffic is already out of control with the new structures on Lincoln. We need to try and maintain our quality of life.

Thank you.
‐‐
Best,
Shannon Duerst
206‐979‐9228
Item 7.A
02/14/23
83 of 594 Item 7.A
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Zar Eskin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre
Subject: Support for Planning Commission Housing Element Modifications

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I am Eleazar Eskin, a professor and department chair at UCLA and longtime Santa Monica resident. I also grew up in Santa Monica and am a proud alumni of Franklin, Lincoln and Santa Monica Highschool (overlapping with Oscar!).

I strongly urge the council to implement the modifications to the housing element that are recommended by the planning commission letter sent to the council. These modifications are critical to ensure the survival of local businesses and economic recovery. I believe that current Montana, Ocean Park, Main Street and Pico which are currently zoned NC are true Santa Monica treasures and must be preserved. I strongly believe that the majority of residents as well as the residents of the new 9000+ units that will be created will agree with this sentiment and strongly support these changes.

Of course changing the housing element will require amending the approved element and working with the HCD for state approval. While the staff report is skeptical that the upzoning of the Bergamot area to compensate for keeping current zoning in NC areas will not be approved, it is clear that with effort by the council and the city staff, a compromise can be worked out with the state which will both preserve the NC zones as well as add even more needed housing. This skepticism should not be a reason not to act.

Finally, I want to remind the city council that elected officials are accountable to the voters. Imagine if there was a referendum on whether or not to replace the current charming business districts on Main st, Ocean Park, and Montana avenue with 10 story structures. I would venture that it would receive less than 10% of the vote. For those of you who believe in representing the interests of the residents, it is your duty to make these changes despite the additional work it will require to negotiate with the state to obtain a solution that works for everyone and balances the needs of additional housing with preserving the character of the city.

Sincerely,
Eleazar Eskin
Item 7.A
02/14/23
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Susan Helmick <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:09 AM
To: Gleam Davis; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please do not destroy our neighborhood shopping. Small businesses and restaurants in our shopping districts are part of what makes out city special. We are already overwhelmed with high rises that are destroying our seaside city.

Susan Helmick
305 San Vicente Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90402
Item 7.A
02/14/23
85 of 594 Item 7.A
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: metin mangir <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Please heed the advice of Planning Commission, and
do NOT upzone Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue Metin Mangir, PhD
SM resident for 34+ years
Item 7.A
02/14/23
86 of 594 Item 7.A
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Metin Mangir <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:54 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Please heed the advice of Planning Commission, and
do NOT upzone Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue Metin Mangir, PhD
SM resident for 34+ years
Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Janet Heinle <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: refer to 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
WE URGE YOU; the City Council MUST protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation. STOP DESTROYING WHAT WE LOVE IN THIS TOWN! Janet Heinle
90403
Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Popenoe <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Keep Montana Ave zoning as it is

EXTERNAL
I live on 17th a block south of Montana and am definitively opposed to the idea of allowing taller, more dense buildings and chain stores on the street. My dog and I walk it every day and we’re enjoying the interesting independent, friendly shops.

Cris Popenoe
[email protected]
917‐566‐8770
Sent from my iPhone
Item 7.A
02/14/23
89 of 594 Item 7.A
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8 Vernice Hankins
From: SUSAN AMINOFF <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7A

EXTERNAL
We agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect small businesses on neighborhood streets like Ocean Park Blvd, Montana Ave. etc. by keeping the current zoning and not allowing up zoning and lot consolidation.

Thank you,
Susan and Howard Aminoff

Item 7.A
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9 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:33 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please protect our very special streets and do not allow this agenda to go through.

Esther Cameron
909 Arizona Ave.

Item 7.A
02/14/23
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:18 AM
To: Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Phil Brock
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Upzoning Montana Ave. 2023
Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Dear Council
I understand that this is being considered on February 14, 2023. Given that it is Valentine’s Day, consider the love of Montana Ave. I have been a proud Santa Monica resident for over 29 years. My family and friends shop and dine on Montana Ave. (Montana Avenue | Santa Monica – A charming 10-block, familyfriendly destination in Santa Monica, home to more than 150 boutiques, restaurants, & services.

This is what makes Montana charming and the ONLY place I shop and dine. Don’t destroy this legacy of what old Santa Monica is and always was. We DON’T need big box retailers and chains. We don’t need more housing on Montana. Just say no the greed (developers want this, backed by SMRR).

Item 7.A
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2 Say yes to love and simplicity. Say no to greed and overbuilding.

Russ Belinsky
Santa Monica Resident and President of Save our Santa Monica (SOS) Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Jason Ballantine <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:16 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
please please please
NO UPZONING to Ocean Park Blvd
create more housing along Lincoln if need be
Regards,
Jason Ballantine
SM resident
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Joan Grossman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:15 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Up zoning

EXTERNAL
I very strongly urge you to not allow this up, zoning to go forward. Part of the charm and lovability of Santa Monica are these streets as they are now, for walking, supporting, small businesses and enjoying Santa Monica Joan Grossman
[email protected]
424‐268‐4498
Item 7.A
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Liz Mersky Salem <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:02 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra
Cc: David White; Susan Cline; David Martin
Subject: City Council Meeting 2.14

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and Esteemed Council Members:

Please do not vote to upzone the NC areas.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Salem
25 year Santa Monica resident
Item 7.A
02/14/23
96 of 594 Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Daniel Galamba <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:56 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Daniel Galamba
Subject: Feb 14, 2023 City Council Agenda Item 7a: Please keep the current zoning and not allow lot consolidation

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
Please do not upzone Santa Monica’s Neighborhood Commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. Doing so will destroy these neighborhoods and drive many if not most of the small businesses out of business.

I also urge you not to allow lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. If approved this would allow developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these streets and we don't need this. We need to preserve our neighborhoods' character.

While I tend to agree with the Planning Commission on this matter, I disagree with their recommendation that a replacement site that can accommodate more than the 165 units projected for the upzoned Neighborhood Commercial areas has been identified in the MidCity area. This is just dumping the burden of the 165 units on the people who live in the MidCity area and also creates more traffic, congestion and gridlock on Cloverfield Blvd, 26th St, Centinela Blvd, etc. that then affects everybody who lives in the area including those people who live north of Montana Ave who rely on these streets to get to work on the Santa Monica Freeway. Instead, the burden of the 165 units should be distributed throughout the city thus minimizing the effects of increased traffic. This shouldn't be difficult to do. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Dr Daniel Galamba
MidCity Neighbors Board Member
Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Michele Belkind <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:48 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: No high rises in Ocean Park

EXTERNAL
Hello.

We are long time residents of Ocean Park. It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special. Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Honestly, the only reason I could think you would allow it is if you were receiving money in your pockets to do so.

There are no proper ingress/egress options for all the expected traffic you would be inviting. Ocean Park Blvd is now a 1 lane street.

Please take our concerns under consideration,
The Belkind Family
Oak Street
90405
Item 7.A
02/14/23
98 of 594 Item 7.A
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8 Vernice Hankins
From: Jim Estes <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:48 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Honorable members of the Santa Monica City Council:

I am writing to implore you not to consider up zoning the streets of Montana Ave, Pico Blvd, Ocean Park Blvd and Main Street. These are the only remnants left of what was a wonderful warm, neighborhood‐friendly beach community.

Turning these streets into 5‐story corridors would be detrimental to small businesses that have strived to make an existence in this city. Many parts of Santa Monica are already being changed into 5‐8 story condo/apartment megastructures. We need to save what is left of our identity.

Please do not take away these truly iconic streets/neighborhoods.

Jim Estes
233 Alta Ave
Item 7.A
02/14/23
99 of 594 Item 7.A
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9 Vernice Hankins
From: Tom Hall <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:39 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Agenda Item 7a - 2.14.23 City Council mtg - I oppose this item

EXTERNAL
I oppose the City Agenda Item 7a that would “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue (“Streets”).

Thank you,
Tom
Tom Hall
933 Ocean Avenue #2
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310/613‐1415
Let's Connect on Linked In
We can even hook up on Facebook
Item 7.A
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10 Vernice Hankins
From: Andrew Turman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:36 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Up zoning in Ocean Park

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmember -
Please don’t allow lot consolidation in and around Ocean Park. If Santa Monica City Council members approve this it would allow developers to build oversized mega projects which would destroy the character of our area. These walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses we residents use in our daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies. More importantly, they are scaled to the neighborhood, and they are personable.

As a long term resident who owns a house on Highland Avenue, just off Ocean Park, I know I can head to Wilshire Blvd or downtown Santa Monica or Lincoln Blvd for larger commercial businesses. These are all still extremely close. It’s important to maintain some difference between the larger commercial corridors and the more local walking streets of residential neighborhoods.

We urge you to not allow these areas to be “Upzoned”, which would allow these unique neighborhood Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects.

Thank you,
Andrew Turman
2715 Highland Ave
Santa Monica
Item 7.A
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11 Vernice Hankins
From: Emily Froelich Levy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:21 AM
To: Christine Parra; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete
Subject: Re: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

Best,
Emily Levy
2673 33rd St
Item 7.A
02/14/23
102 of 594 Item 7.A
02/14/23
1 Vernice Hankins
From: Debra Winchester <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City council agenda 7a

EXTERNAL
Hello,
It makes no sense to "upzone" along Pico, Ocean Park and Montana avenues when the city has been unable to maintain vibrant commercial businesses within already built streets like the 3rd St Promenade (not to mention 2nd and 4th streets) and Main Street. The focus should be on filling the existing infrastructure before lining developers pockets to create more commercial properties. Please examine why so many buildings remain empty in these existing commercial area. What can be done to bring in tenants that would be patronized by locals and tourists? The Promenade has been a ghost town for too long.

Thank you,
Debra Winchester
Item 7.A
02/14/23
103 of 594 Item 7.A
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Mudita Bahadur <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:38 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Hello City Council members,

I have been a resident of Sunset park for over 20 years. I enjoy the neighborhood feel and the small locallyowned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. are integral to our neighborhood experience. Please do not run-out our mom-and-pop sops by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets. It will destroy the family friendly nature of this area, and make it more like the promenade, which is already devastated from the big-box stores all leaving.

Thank you,
Mudita and Gavin Bahadur
2442 23rd Street
310-463-7913
Item 7.A
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104 of 594 Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Deb Estes <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:33 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzoning
Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members:

I am writing to beseech you not to consider up‐zoning the streets of Montana Ave, Pico Blvd, Ocean Park Blvd, and Main Street. These are the only streets left of what was a wonderful, warm, neighborhood‐friendly beach community; the city I grew up in and returned to after going away to school. Turning our streets into 5‐story corridors would be detrimental to small businesses that have strived to make an existence in this city. Many parts of Santa Monica are already being changed into 5‐8 story condo/apartment megastructures. We need to save what is left of our identity.

Please do not take away these truly iconic streets/neighborhoods.

Deborah A. Estes
233 Alta Avenue
310‐319‐9990
‐‐
Item 7.A
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105 of 594 Item 7.A
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: jennifer chia <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:23 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fwd: No on Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:

From: jennifer chia <[email protected]>
Date: February 13, 2023 at 11:03:36 AM PST
Subject: No on Upzoning

Dear City Council members,
We are agree with the Planning
Commission and will urge the City
Council to protect these
neighborhood and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation. ‘NO’ on Upzoning which will destroy our neighborhood environment especially Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Ave where is a lovely aera to the residents.

We don’t needed more traffic, more
pollution…….let’s keep it
“LESS IS MORE” !
Sincerely,
Jennifer and David Chia
621 12th Street
Santa Monica,
Sent from my iPhone
Item 7.A
02/14/23
106 of 594 Item 7.A
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please do not upzone Pico, Montana, Main St and Ocean Park. We already have too much development in SM and tons of empty buildings. It is ruining the character of our neighborhood.

Thank you.

Chloe Ballatore
Item 7.A
02/14/23
107 of 594 Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Noma Boardmember <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox
Subject: 2/14/23 Agenda item 7: Addendum to NOMA letter

EXTERNAL
To help protect your privacy,
Micro so ft Office prevented
auto matic downlo ad o f this
picture from the Internet.

Dear Mayor Davis and Council Members,
On closer reading of the proposed Zoning Ordinance redlines, we note that on page 67 (item E) the lot consolidation limits for the purpose of new projects applies only to Main Street Neighborhood Commercial.

This seems to suggest that parcels could be combined in other Neighborhood Commercial districts (i.e., Pico Blvd., Ocean Park Blvd, Montana Avenue) to develop larger projects that could effectively wipe out entire blocks of present shops and services.

These limits on lot consolidation should apply to all Neighborhood Commercial Districts and this item so corrected.

Thank you.

The NOMA Board
smnoma.org
[email protected]
Item 7.A
02/14/23
108 of 594 Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: clare m <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:45 AM
To: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
hello - as a longtime resident of Sunset Park living on Ocean Park Boulevard, I ask that you please do NOT upzone the commercial districts on Pico and Ocean Park Boulevard. We've already lost valuable diverse businesses due to the pandemic, and wonderful small businesses like Antequera Mexican Bakery or Cafe Bolivar could be lost, and woman-owned businesses like Thyme Cafe and Market could also be lost, to name a few. These are also safe, walkable areas with lots of families, schools and elderly residents, and I shudder to think of the traffic impacts and potential for pedestrian injury/death increasing with the higher volume of cars - we have lots of school children who walk our neighborhoods to/from school, play in the soccer fields across from Bob's, as well as students walking to/from Santa Monica College. Please keep our area safe, diverse and vibrant for residents and foot traffic!
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Clare McCaffrey
Item 7.A
02/14/23
109 of 594 Item 7.A
02/14/23
8 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:33 AM
To: Gleam Davis; Council Mailbox; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]; councilmtgitems; [email protected]; Lana Negrete
Subject: DO NOT UPZONE Santa Monica's Neighborhood Streets

EXTERNAL
Do not mess with what is current working and only getting more people out.

1. Changing the zoning on Ocean Park will be a nightmare, there is already too much traffic and with 2 schools in the area more accidents area going to occur.

2. Ocean Park is filled with family owned and operated businesses, and this is what makes the areas so special and when people pay 3+ mm for a home it’s the neighborhood and community that excites them.

3. We have way too many high rises on that are either already on Lincoln or will be going up. It’s important to fill these locations before adding more.

4. Since pulling seating on the streets on main street, people go to Main Street. While there is still a good deal of vacancies, this area now has a life and is now a place people come to from other areas. Asking small businesses to pay more for the outdoor seating is going to put them out of business and only hurt the street more as it will be empty once again.

Solution Options:

Convert all the empty office spaces into residential. This would be so much more cost effective, environmentally friendly, and not change the structure of our beautiful city.

The empty restaurant on Ocean Park and Centinela should be converted asap.

Make the Santa Monica Mall into residential on the top floor. The mall is empty with a ton space and parking is already available.

If you change the zoning to allow all the development the issues you will be ruining this amazing community. You have so many issues that need to be addressed with the developments today.

Please do not pass this bill‐ and do not take away our Main Street parklets requesting small businesses to pay fees that cannot afford. We must look after our own.

Jamie Grossman,
Concerned Santa Monica Resident
Item 7.A
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9 Vernice Hankins
From: Don Wollman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Please protect our small businesses and our streets. Once you change the nature and character of the city, there’s no going back.

Don Wollman
Item 7.A
02/14/23
111 of 594 Item 7.A
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10 Vernice Hankins
From: Burt Goldstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:28 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: In re: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Member,
Happy Valentine’s Day! (I hope your vote today does not render this greeting ironic! ;) ) I will be following your vote on the above named agenda item 7a regarding upzoning.

For reasons I have emailed you in the past, I will be watching to see if you represent me by

VOTING AGAINST ALL AND ANY UPZONING,
or other measures likely to result in higher buildings, consolidation of lots, increased crowding and traffic.

BTW, if you have a link to the latest study of transit times in Santa Monica, I would be grateful if you could send it to me.

Thanks,
Burt Goldstein
2511 California Ave
Item 7.A
02/14/23
112 of 594 Item 7.A
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Barbara Kaplan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:05 PM
To: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
February 13, 2013
To : City Council
From: Barbara Kaplan, ARB Housing Task Force Representative RE: 2/14 /23 Agenda Item 7‐A
I am writing in support of the request of the Planning Commissioners Nina Fresco, Leslie Lambert and Jim Ries to retain the existing heights and FARs in the Neighbourhood Commercial districts of Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

I was an ARB representative to the Housing Task Force and my contribution in suggesting Ocean Park pertained only to the Business Park as a potential site for developing housing, not the Boulevard. That was possibly misconstrued in the final Housing Element. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing.

Upzoning of our NC districts on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. has the strong potential to displace locally owned businesses that provide affordable real and essential services to Sunset Park residents. In addition to threatening walkability and displacement of locally owned businesses, there is the threat of loss of the commercial districts altogether since ground floor commercial space will not be required for new projects given the likely unmarketability of this space for neighborhood serving businesses.

Upzoning of Sunset Park's Neighborhood Commercial Districts is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Goals. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level. Two Sunset Park Schools, Will Rogers and JAMS qualify for the Title 1 Federal lunch program, meaning that at least 35% of students are from families at or below the Federal poverty level. 3,309 housing units are rent controlled of 7,000 housing units in Sunset Park.

Thanks for addressing this issue
Barbara Kaplan
Barbara Kaplan | KCK ARCHITECTS
2526 Eighteenth Street
Item 7.A
02/14/23
113 of 594 Item 7.A
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2 Santa Monica, CA 90405
310 | 452 | 7505
www.kckarchitects.com
Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Halina Alter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Member Brock, Davis, DeLaTorre, Negrete, Parra ,Torosis and Zwick, I am writing to you at this time to voice my opposition to the proposed zoning changes that will affect several areas in Santa Monica.

I write this as a 39, almost 40 year resident of Santa Monica. We moved to our present home in 1983 because of the community, its schools, its values and a desire to live a life different than the one we had in New York City prior to our relocating to the west coast in 1977. Over these past years I have watched the neighborhoods change, and although change is always inevitable, we must understand that it has consequences. I remember with nostalgia Fireside Market and Rocky the cashier with his open bag of cookies for any child that came his way, the curly fries at Suzy Q’s, and purchasing what we needed for our family at the local stores. I have seen Montana Avenue evolve to a series of upscale stores where mattresses can cost more than $20,000, where a simple child’s dress is over $100, and where we see one empty store front after the other in rotation. Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, Pico Avenue, and Ocean Park Boulevard are also all potential areas for zoning changes that will affect the already poorer quality of life for those who live nearby. Parking is difficult, traffic is a nightmare, and the number of unhoused individuals needing services continues to increase. Changing the zoning in all of these areas where there is not an infrastructure to support this is a poor decision. Our police, fire and EMT responses are already slow, our city services are far less responsive than ever, our libraries are shuttered more days than they should be, our water resources are at a critical level, and our quality of life is changing constantly and not for the better. These changes will make it worse for all of us.

I arrived in the Los Area in 1977 after I graduated from medical school and as a physician, I always felt that I was a “steward” for the health of the people I took care of. When I needed help to ensure the best possible outcome for my patients, I sought expert opinion from those outside of my area of expertise, and I followed the recommendations consistently. You too should think of yourself as a “steward” for the residents of Santa Monica and if your experts - those that are on the Planning Commission - are telling you that this is a poor choice, you should heed their well thought out and objectively based advice.

Sincerely yours,
Halina K Alter
734 23 Street
Santa Monica, Ca 90402
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Feb 14th meeting / Item 6 / Public Comment on Housing Element From: Karen Blechman <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 6:11 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Cc: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>
Subject: Feb 14th meeting / Item 6 / Public Comment on Housing Element

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Councilmembers,
Neighborhood Commercial streets such as Montana Avenue, Main Street and sections of Ocean Park Boulevard and Pico Boulevard are pedestrian-friendly centers for their respective neighborhoods. They are human-scale which makes them comfortable areas to shop, dine, and connect with friends and neighbors.

I live a couple of blocks from Main Street and chose to live in this Ocean Park neighborhood because of the walkability.

When I first moved here, Main Street was experiencing hard times and I’ve seen the street go through many phases over the years. I believe it is because of the sense of place created by the architecture, the relatively low and quite eclectic buildings, that it has remained an attractive, walkable street which is beginning to flourish once again. If it lost its current zoning Main Street would no longer be the open, sunny space where one can enjoy strolling the sidewalks and participating in the life of the street. It would become Any Street, Any Town.

All these Neighborhood Commercial zoned streets are treasured by local residents. Please do as the Planning Commission recommends. Let’s keep the Neighborhood Commercial zoning! Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Karen Blechman
Resident of Santa Monica for 44 years
Item 7.A
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Feb 14th, Item 6, Public Comment on Housing Element From: wendy way <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 6:05 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Cc: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>
Subject: Feb 14th, Item 6, Public Comment on Housing Element

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council
I am writing you to request that you submit an application to the State of California to modify the Santa Monica approved housing element so the City of Santa Monica can avoid Up‐Zoning all commercial districts uniformly... this includes Main Street, Ocean Park area, Montana Avenue and Pico Blvd.

As Joni Mitchell once sang..."Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got til' it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot..."

Well I do know 'what we got' and I want to protect these areas of our historic beauty in this quaint beachside community of Santa Monica. It makes absolutely no sense to allow huge, tall commercial buildings to line the streets...people from all areas of our state, country and the world come to experience and enjoy the uniqueness and charm of Santa Monica and its sweet buildings, businesses and restaurants.

Thank you!
Wendy Way
(Ocean Park Resident)
Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Scott Sakamoto <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:56 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

Thank you Scott Sakamoto -resident of SM for 29 years!
Item 7.A
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Don't change the zoning
From: Jamie Grossman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:37 AM
To: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; councilmtgitems <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>
Subject: Don't change the zoning

EXTERNAL
Do not mess with what is currently working and getting more people out.

1. Changing the zoning on Ocean Park will be a nightmare, there is already too much traffic and with 2 schools in the area more accidents are going to occur.

2. Ocean Park is filled with family‐owned and operated businesses, and this is what makes the areas so special when people pay 3+ mm for a home it’s the neighborhood and community that excites them.

3. We have way too many high rises that are either already on Lincoln or will be going up. It’s important to fill these locations before adding more.

4. Since pulling seating on the streets on main street, people go to Main Street. While there is still a good deal of vacancies, this area now has a life and is now a place people come to from other areas. Asking small businesses to pay more for outdoor seating is going to put them out of business and only hurt the street more as it will be empty once again.

Solution Options:

Convert all the empty office spaces into residential ones. This would be so much more cost‐effective, and environmentally friendly, and not change the structure of our beautiful city.

The business park that is largely empty now up on Ocean Park east of clover park could create so much housing inventory .... so many of the small businesses up there have had to close because they lost so much $$$ when everyone started working from home.

The empty restaurant on Ocean Park and Centinela should be converted asap.

Make the Santa Monica Mall into a residential on the top floor. The mall is empty with a ton of space and parking is already available.

If you change the zoning to allow all the development issues you will be ruining this amazing community. You have so many issues that need to be addressed with the developments today.

Item 7.A
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2 Please do not pass this bill when there is so much space already not being used to it's fullest. Do not take away our Main Street parklets requesting small businesses to pay fees that cannot afford. We must look after our own.

Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am a long-term Santa Monica resident writing to you to urge you to stop the up zoning of the NC districts. I patronize many of the business in these zones. I get my hair cut, use a bank, get laundry done, purchase bread, dine at small eateries, and buy garden supplies, to mention some of the services I and my family currently use. We don't want to lose them.

We do not need higher buildings, bigger businesses and greater density in our already overcrowded city.

Please respond to the residents and small businesses, not to large moneyed interests.

Follow your planning commission. Keep the NC zoning as it is.

Harris Gabel
Montana Ave.

Item 7.A
02/14/23
121 of 594 Item 7.A
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
From: Phyllis Chavez <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:18 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]> Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council:

As a resident and a voter, I am deeply concerned about Upzoning our unique streets, Ocean Park Blvd, Montana, and Pico Blvd.

I don't want to change the unique feel of these neighborhoods. We have been fighting to keep Santa Monica as Santa Monica, not a copy of every other neighborhood with only high rent, chain stores that would destabilize our neighborhoods. The thought of and the mental picture it creates is disturbing.

We enjoy a lovely quality of life here. We want to keep it that way. We don't want more traffic problems or parking problems.

We don't want tall, oversized buildings. We want neighborhoods where we can shop local and buy local. Our quality of life will be reduced by these unwanted and unnecessary changes.

Keep our existing heights is essential. We don't want or need 5 or 6 story buildings. We want to support the businesses that we love and buy local. Our Planning Commission even wants the same.

Please honor your constituents, please keep our neighborhoods livable, walkable, unique and stable. We are not against change but totally oppose the idea of additional density and reduction of our quality of life.

Sincerely,
Phyllis Chavez
Sunset Park
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Leslie Brothers <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am writing to encourage the City Council NOT to upzone neighborhood commercial districts on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. Were these streets to be developed with bigger buildings, the quality of life for those in the neighborhood would be markedly diminished. Santa Monica residents value being able to walk to, and support, small local businesses. And we want buildings sized at human scale in our neighborhoods, not 5 or 6 story buildings.

Leslie Brothers
937 12th St., #110
Santa Monica 90403
Item 7.A
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124 of 594 Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Helen Lau <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Re: Objection for the up zone

EXTERNAL
To: Council members
(1) Please do not approve upzone for the Santa Monica.
(2) More importantly, need a clear and well‐resourced summary of this current challenge from the Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City.

Please do not approve the recommended‐up zone the NC areas.

Residents
Helen Lau
601 15th street Santa Monica,
CA90402
Item 7.A
02/14/23
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8 Vernice Hankins
From: Robert Kaplan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council agenda item --- 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I write to share my strong disapproval of any effort to “upzone” any part of Santa Monica. Enough is enough with all the over-development.

How much more traffic and parking problems do you expect residents to endure? How many more neighborhood mom and pop businesss that serve me and my neighbors do you want to destroy? Do you want more of the city to be owned and controlled by gigantic REITS or Developers? I agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing “upzoning” and lot consolidation.

Thank you. Robert
Item 7.A
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126 of 594 Item 7.A
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9 Vernice Hankins
From: MICHAEL KATZ <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:11 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: up zoning

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my distress over the proposed up zoning in Santa Monica, as referenced in 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a. Specifically, I live near Montana and would hate to see larger buildings put in there. They would rob the area of its charm, make everything more expensive and make parking impossible. I would hope you would leave Montana Ave. alone and pay attention to Wilshire Blvd. The area where I normally go, Wilshire from 23rd St. to 13th St. is strewn with homelessness, vacant buildings and gang graffiti. I see no efforts by the city to do anything about that.

Sincerely,
Michael Katz
1132 19th St. #6
Santa Monica
Item 7.A
02/14/23
127 of 594 Item 7.A
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10 Vernice Hankins
From: Sam Somafilms <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
To Whom it May concern,
I would like to register my objection to the upzoning of Ocean Park Bvde and Pico Bvde.

This is yet another shameless grab by developers to destroy another quiet peaceful neighbourhood. I would like to know how many of these greedy developers actually live in our lovely neighbourhood ? I am sure not many as they never seem to destroy their local areas.

We recently moved to this area to take advantage of the locally owned businesses as well as the peace and quiet.

Our teenage daughter and her friends regularly frequent the local restaurants and cafes and feel incredibly safe walking around the neighbourhood.

As a resident of Sunset Park I am a concerned about our house losing value if this shameless land grab gets passed. And will be consulting a lawyer in the event of it passing.

Thank you.

Sam McGarry
Item 7.A
02/14/23
128 of 594 Item 7.A
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11 Vernice Hankins
From: MILES WATKINS <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:06 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
We vehemently oppose “upzoning" Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts. We agree with the Planning Commission and urge you to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Protect our Santa Monica quality of life and the well-being of our local businesses.

Sincerely,
Miles & Jocelyn Watkins
Miles Watkins
502 9th Street
Santa Monica, California
(310) 666‐1073
Item 7.A
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129 of 594 Item 7.A
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main St Housing Plan
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 9:10 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main St Housing Plan

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council of Santa Monica
I am opposed to any change to the Main St and Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning. I would like to keep the livable city of Santa Monica livable and keep Main Street a low-rise street.

Sincerely,
Clifford A. Wright
2607 2nd St. Apt 2
Santa Monica, CA
Item 7.A
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130 of 594 Item 7.A
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Selena Kingsley <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Protect Our Neighborhoods!

EXTERNAL
I live in Ocean Park, and I am writing to strongly oppose any action to upzone Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue.

Given that I will be immediately impacted when/if the bowling alley project on Pico goes forward, this issue is particularly important to me. We need to keep the existing density and building heights in not only our residential areas, but our commercial ones as well.

I urge you to protect our neighborhoods, the people call them home, and the small businesses that work so hard to remain viable within them.

Thank you,
Selena Kingsley
Item 7.A
02/14/23
131 of 594 Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Dave C. <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2.14.23 City Counsel Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I understand the city counsel will be discussing whether to up zone certain commercial districts including Main St, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Ave. This would allow developers to consolidate lots and build large buildings that would cater to chain stores and evict our local businesses.

We love our local businesses and strongly urge you to keep the current zoning. Our local food stores, restaurants, laundromats, pharmacies, etc. are a vital part of the fabric of our community.

Thanks,
Dave Childs
Sunset Park
Item 7.A
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Abby Arnold <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please do not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot, shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated--this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, now is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
Abby Arnold
[email protected]
668 Marine Street
Santa Monica, California 90405
Item 7.A
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Don't upzone Neighborhood Commercial districts From: J Conf <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 6:43 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Don't upzone Neighborhood Commercial districts

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
Please, please, please, DO NOT upzone the Neighborhood Commercial districts, including Montana Avenue between 7th and 17th streets. Montana Avenue is the ONLY avenue in Santa Monica that is still special! It is practically the ONLY reason I can still bare to live in Santa Monica! Please don't ruin this, too!
Everywhere else has been overrun with dense high rises, homeless encampments, and expensive and well-financed national chain stores. For instance, see what happened to the Third Street Promenade, which is now a no-go zone. Another example, consider the effects of the wellintentioned Expo Line, which now unloads a daily caravan of homeless people on our streets--many, many of whom have decided to live on same streets. Think before you do these things! I have many happy memories of Montana Avenue. I've gathered with local neighbors here for Saturday morning coffees for YEARS! I cherish the Montana Library. I LOVE browsing in the local boutiques. I just made friends with the owner of the Montana Clock Shop, who's been there for years! I bought hand-made winter scarves and face masks, when those were just coming out.

You're always saying, "Buy Local!" Well, how are we supposed to do this if you keep destroying the local businesses?
Please DON'T upzone any more parts of Santa Monica. Everywhere you do it, is ruined. Stop! Sincerely,
Julie Fallon
a 30-year resident
Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Upzoning for Montana Ave.

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 3:07 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Upzoning for Montana Ave.

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,

The upzoning bill for Montana will destroy the character and charm of Montana Ave. it will create chain stores, more construction, congestion, etc. etc.

Preserve our neighborhood and say no to developers and their offers. Can you for once keep S M a small beach town as we are fast becoming another high density no charm town run by developers.

Also, keep in mind the residents are totally against the enlargement of the Carlthorp School. They cheated on their parking and converted it to an event center.

Obviously they cannot be trusted.

Sincerely,

Fred Alexander

Item 7.A
02/14/23
135 of 594 Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Please no UPZONING
From: Linda Shayne <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:36 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Please no UPZONING

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Person ‐
We have enough EMPTY low‐rise buildings ‐‐
Please NO UPZONING ‐‐
Preserve the integrity of Santa Monica. Stop overcrowding of buildings that we don't not need and will cause environmental problems and turn us into the Marina Del Rey ‐‐ which we are not.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Linda Shayne
longtime Santa Monica
840 21st St. # D
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Item 7.A
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8 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: DO NOT UPZONE Santa Monica's Neighborhood Streets From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:32 AM
To: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; councilmtgitems <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>
Subject: DO NOT UPZONE Santa Monica's Neighborhood Streets

EXTERNAL
Do not mess with what is current working and only getting more people out.

1. Changing the zoning on Ocean Park will be a nightmare, there is already too much traffic and with 2 schools in the area more accidents area going to occur.

3. We have way too many high rises on that are either already on Lincoln or will be going up. It’s important to fill these locations before adding more.

Solution Options:

Convert all the empty office spaces into residential. This would be so much more cost effective, environmentally friendly, and not change the structure of our beautiful city.

The empty restaurant on Ocean Park and Centinela should be converted asap.

Make the Santa Monica Mall into residential on the top floor. The mall is empty with a ton space and parking is already available.

If you change the zoning to allow all the development the issues you will be ruining this amazing community. You have so many issues that need to be addressed with the developments today.

Please do not pass this bill‐ and do not take away our Main Street parklets requesting small businesses to pay fees that cannot afford. We must look after our own.

Item 7.A
02/14/23
137 of 594 Item 7.A
02/14/23
9 Jamie Grossman,
Concerned Santa Monica Resident

Item 7.A
02/14/23
138 of 594 Item 7.A
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: NC Zoning
From: TW <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 9:23 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: NC Zoning

EXTERNAL
I am a 35 year resident of Ocean Park Santa Monica.

Please keep Main Street a low rise street and leave Main Street and NC zoning the way it is.

Thank You Thomas Weidlein
Item 7.A
02/14/23
139 of 594 Item 7.A
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Keep Main Street a low rise street
From: First Step Nursery School <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 6:36 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Keep Main Street a low rise street

EXTERNAL
To whom it may concern,
Main street is only charming because of its older small beautiful buildings. They are simple but they are quaint and if they are lost to large ugly boxes no one will come to Main Street because it won't be the same. It will lose it's charm and be an eyesore.

Please reconsider this horrible decision.

Hillary Bedell
First Step Nursery School
2650 Second Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310)399‐8118
www.firststepnurseryschool.com
Item 7.A
02/14/23
140 of 594 Item 7.A
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main St
From: GLENDA CALLANEN <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2023 3:15 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main St

EXTERNAL
Please leave NC zoning unchanged for Main Street, which is already too congested and has insufficient parking

Glenda Callanen
2712 Third St
Item 7.A
02/14/23
141 of 594 Item 7.A
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main Street Zoning
From: Faustino Garza <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2023 9:08 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main Street Zoning

EXTERNAL
My wife and I support any and all modifications necessary to the State Housing Plan in order to leave Main Street building height limits as they are now. No tall buildings on Main Street, please. Not sure how this got by our Planning staff and City Council on the original submission to the State.

Enough is enough. Stop ruining our City.

Faustino Garza
Sunset Park
Item 7.A
02/14/23
142 of 594 Item 7.A
02/14/23
5 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main Street
From: Joyce Gorelik <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 2:38 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main Street

EXTERNAL
I want to keep Main Street the way it is. Low buildings and shops. No high rise buildings!!! Sent from my iPhone
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main Street
From: Guy G <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 11:30 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main Street

EXTERNAL
Keep Main Street small!
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Main St. zoning
From: Peter Spelman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 10:23 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Main St. zoning

EXTERNAL
2/7/23
Hello Council members:

I am a 45 year resident of Ocean Park and I am writing to ask you to keep Main Street a low‐rise street and leave the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning the way it has been.

Thank you.

Peter Spelman
730 Marine St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:33 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: In support of keeping Main St's NC zoning
From: Mark and Pamela <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 9:42 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: In support of keeping Main St's NC zoning

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
As concerned residents of Ocean Park, we are writing in very strong support of maintaining the NC zoning on Main Street (and other similar areas) by modifying the submitted Housing Element. The NC zoning adopted only a handful of years ago has served the neighborhood well, encouraging walking and biking. We recognize the pressing need for more affordable housing but we do not believe the up‐zoning of these areas is the most strategic way to achieve it. Up‐ zoning is more likely to result in both gentrification and the loss of the neighborhood character, including, crucially, the small business that even now struggle in the rent in these areas — many storefronts current sit empty, and larger building demanding higher rent will, we believe, lead to large corporate business (at best) that will leave Santa Monica feeling more like Newport Beach. In addition, our narrow streets, so friendly to pedestrians, are not suitable for the sort of density along LA’s larger boulevards.

We do recognize the need to add affordable housing, and we support the proposal to use the current parking lots in the neighborhood for that purpose. Our own property rent controlled. And, we support adding height and density along the train line.

Thank you for your careful stewardship of our beloved city.

Best,
Pamela Hieronymi and Mark Johnson
—————————————
Mark Johnson and Pamela Hieronymi
[email protected]
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:33 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: up zoning
From: Karla Klarin <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2023 9:12 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: up zoning

EXTERNAL
Dear SM Council‐
Please keep Main Street the way it is. I have lived three blocks from Main Street for 35 years and it is "neighborhood". It is a treasure the way it is, it is not just another money‐making opportunity for development interests. It is OUR neighborhood, not a slot machine.

Thank you, Karla Klarin
‐‐
karlaklarin.com
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From: Danielle Charney <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:59 PM
To: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; David White; Douglas Sloan Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a 2/14/2023

EXTERNAL
PLEASE DO NOT UPZONE PICO BLVD-MONTANA AVE AND OCEAN PARK BLVD.. DO NOT allow these distinctive Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes AND MORE STRESS ON US ALL...

DO NOT ALLOW LOT CONSIDERATION for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. WE DO NOT NEED more mega projects in our once gentle town that had style and soul that is disappearing daily.

The Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, wellsupported recommendation to Council AGAINST upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts. Read the Planning Commission letter here:
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=14074&MeetingID=1353 These four walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses residents use in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of people’s homes. Residents don’t just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special.

I agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Our City Council needs to listen to our voices. If you agree it is important to “buy local” and support our small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets.

You have allowed "staff' and special interests to destroy so much in the deal made long ago to bring Expo here. Please no more . Stop it now.

Danielle Charney
Resident since 1982
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From: Dana Borowsky <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Stop more housing !!!!

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please do not do anything to support new housing --- our streets are so packed and about to get worse with all the new housing projects. STOP STOP STOP ANY NEW HOUSING.... WE

ALREADY SPEND FOR A LITTLE CITY A LOT OF MONEY ON REHAB/TRANSITION WHICH IS GREAT !!!! NO MORE !!!!!!!!!!
Thank you,
Dana Borowsky
[email protected]
958 18TH ST UNIT 1
SANTA MONICA, California 90403
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From: Liliya Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:52 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Liliya Jones
[email protected]
923 5th st, Apt 3
Santa Monica , California 90403
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
I urge you to NOT allow "upzoning" in our neighborhoods. The City has allowed so much of what used to be wonderful neighborhoods to be destroyed with a ridiculous amount of development and poor planning. STOP! Please protect residents and small businesses from big money. Too much has already been lost.

Sincerely,
Sandra Weisman
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: UPZONING
From: Kenneth Legaux <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:44 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]> Subject: UPZONING

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members:

As a resident of Ocean Park Blvd and a voter, I am deeply concerned about Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd, Montana, and Pico Blvd.

I don't want to change the unique feel of these neighborhoods.

We enjoy a lovely quality of life here. We want to keep it that way. We don't want more traffic problems or parking problems. We want neighborhoods where we can shop local and buy local. Our quality of life will be reduced by these unwanted and unnecessary changes.

Keep our existing heights is essential. We want to support the businesses that we love and buy locally. Our Planning Commission even wants the same.

We are not against change but totally oppose the idea of additional density and reduction of our quality of life.

Sincerely,
Kenneth J Legaux
Sent from Outlook
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Keep Main Street Low-Rise
From: Sherri Robinson <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 7:45 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Keep Main Street Low‐Rise

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
Please keep Main Street, Santa Monica a low-rise development only.

This Ocean Park area is unique in today's world and climate. I dare say, the wealth of preservation will prove beyond measure to far out weigh the gold rush of high rising. Of late, I have noticed New York license plates daily in and through the Santa Monica area. Being of New York myself, I can tell you, the country's higher end income individuals and young families are choosing their home investments to be in places like the quinter areas of Santa Monica because of the existing peaceful and beautiful environment.

Please give stability a chance- Please keep Main Street a low rise area.

Thank you,
Sherri Robinson
2624 3rd Street, #8
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:37 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: keep small businesses on main street. please.

From: Grace Gabe <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 3:11 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: keep small businesses on main street. please.

EXTERNAL
as a resident in santa monica for many years i am very concerned about losing the village look and character of our city. bit by bit it is being eaten away by high rise
commercial buildings, condos and hotels etc.
please keep the quality of having small businesses alive on main street. thank you
grace gabe, M.D.

Sent from my iPhone
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Keep Santa Monica Main Street a low-rise street From: Vanessa McLean <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 4:42 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Keep Santa Monica Main Street a low‐rise street

EXTERNAL
Hello‐
I’m a longtime resident of Santa Monica/Ocean Park.

I am writing to express my hope that Santa Monica remains a low‐rise street.

Allowing an "up zone" and taller buildings will take away from the beauty, charm and history of Main St.

Thank you‐
Vanessa McLean
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From: Cookie Neil <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:10 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I am writing to express my concern that you are considering (1) up‐zoning and (2) allowing lot consolidation on Montana Avenue, Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd and Pico Blvd.

My husband and I live 1 block from Montana Avenue and are very familiar with the charming qualities of the street. As far as I can determine, up‐zoning and lot consolidation would be a positive for real estate developers but would add nothing positive to the quality of the shopping environment for the citizens.

I encourage you in the strongest possible terms to accept the recommendations of the Planning Commission as outlined in its letter to you dated January 23, 2023 and reject the up zoning and lot consolidation.

Respectfully,
Marjorie “Cookie” Neil
900 Euclid Street, Apt 208
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Sent from Cookie’s iPhone
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From: Daniela Hummel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To Santa Monica City Council:

My name is Daniela Hummel and I am a resident of North Montana. I am writing in against agenda item 7a, that is, against the “upzoning” of Montana Ave, Main St, Pico Blvd and Ocean Park Blvd.

These streets are peaceful, walkable commercial gems of Santa Monica. For residents and tourists alike, the small business “vibe” of the streets are why they are so charming. Whereas 3rd Street Promenade is a relative disaster at the moment, Montana, Pico, Main and Ocean Park are safe and special pockets of the city.
“Bigger is better” does not apply here. Upzoning would destroy what makes the area special. There is a community that has been created around these small businesses. How many more walkable streets on the Westside are going to be destroyed?
The city can accomplish its AFFH goals elsewhere and ought to seek an alternative that would preserve the integrity of its most precious commercial areas.

Thank you for your consideration,
Daniela Hummel
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: RE: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Hi I'm writing to let you know that I am against “upzoning” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. In addition I'm also opposed to lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue.

I feel that upzoning and lot consolidation will hurt the neighborhood serving, affordable businesses that residents use every day. Additionally I'm very concerned about all the congestion, construction pollution and general environmental effects all these potential changes will have in regards to the health and safety of my family and my young children.

These potential changes are difficult for small businesses and the resident community and I feel will have long term negative health & safety impacts.

Thanks,
Kelly (Santa Monica Resident)
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From: Tom Stringer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please listen to Leslie Lambert's Planning expertise on this issue. Don't turn our commercial boulevards into the five-story mixed-use walls of West L.A.

Thank you,
Tom Stringer
Resident of Sunset Park
Tom Stringer
[email protected]
1655 Ashland Avenue
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Jason Mastbaum <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
First we were going to upzone the R1 neighborhoods as part of the housing element process.

Now the planning commission has decided that even upzoning NEXT to R1 neighborhoods is unacceptable. How can we tell HCD we're promoting AFFH when we won't take even the tiniest of steps to end our history of exclusionary zoning? Why are we risking getting our housing element decertified to protect exclusionary zoning when AB 2011 is going to upzone these neighborhoods anyhow?
Please do not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot, shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated--this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, now is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
Jason Mastbaum
Jason Mastbaum
[email protected]
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6 4th St
SANTA MONICA, California 90403
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From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Cynthia Rose
[email protected]
1453 Stanford Street #D
Santa Monica, California 90404
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Please Oppose Upzoning and Lot Consolidation on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, and Montana Ave

EXTERNAL
February 13, 2023

TO: City Council
FROM: The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (“SMCLC”)

RE: 2.14.23 Agenda Item 7a – Oppose Upzoning and Lot Consolidation on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, and Montana Ave

We urge you to support the Planning Commission’s recommendations and not upzone, or allow lot consolidation, in the neighborhood‐ serving districts on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, and Montana Ave.

These streets currently have an eclectic mix of neighborhood‐serving, affordable businesses that residents use in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of people’s homes. Residents don’t just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special.

Allowing these unique, walkable streets to be developed with new five or six‐story projects, with the resulting demolition of existing buildings, would displace and eliminate most of these essential businesses, replacing them with higher rent tenants like chain stores.

This would destabilize these neighborhoods, reduce residents’ quality of life, and destroy the special qualities that make these streets destinations both for residents and tourists.

Santa Monica has always encouraged residents to “buy local” and support our small businesses. To do that we must maintain the quality of these walkable streets, and not undermine the ability of these businesses to survive.

Please reject attempts to upzone or allow lot consolidation in these neighborhood‐serving commercial districts.

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From: Philip Schwartz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Agenda Item 7A

EXTERNAL
Regarding the proposed changes to our Neighborhood Business Districts on Montana Ave, Ocean Park Blvd, Main St. and Pico Blvd, we whole‐heartedly REJECT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES! The Planning Dept itself rejects these proposed changes:
".......Specifically, the proposed amendment would retain the existing heights and Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC) on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue, rather than increasing them as proposed in the current language of Program 1J."
The last thing that these four neighborhood business streets need is a five‐ or six‐ story high building, with a "Target" or similar national chain store on the ground floor! We URGE you to accept the recommendations of the Planning Dept to REJECT any changes to these streets! Respectfully,
Philip D Schwartz, Treasurer
909‐911 Arizona Ave HOA
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From: Gerda Newbold <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Gerda Newbold
[email protected]
225 12th Street
Santa Monica, California CA
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From: Miriam Alpern <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:10 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
As a long time resident of Santa Monica, I strongly encourage you to vote down the upzoning initiative effecting Montana Ave., Main Street, Ocean Park and Pico boulevards. I am also against the lot consolidation the Council is considering for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue.

If approved this would allow developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these Streets.

Santa Monica’s charm lies largely in our locally owned family businesses. We don’t want our hometown to become a sea of national chain stores with no possibility for the local mom and pops to compete. Please protect the integrity and spirit of our city - our home.

Thank you.
‐ Miriam
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From: Jessica Wilkins <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: NO upzoning Item 7a city council meeting 2/14/23

EXTERNAL
PLEASE NO UPZONING!!!!!
Santa Monica is NOT Manhattan NY!! Please preserve family business culture and stop efforts to destroy its beauty by over building!!!!!
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
From: Daniela Hummel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:10 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To Santa Monica City Council:

My name is Daniela Hummel and I am a resident of North Montana. I am writing in against agenda item 7a, that is, against the “upzoning” of Montana Ave, Main St, Pico Blvd and Ocean Park Blvd.

How many more walkable streets on the Westside are going to be destroyed? The city can accomplish its AFFH goals elsewhere and ought to seek an alternative that would preserve the integrity of its most precious commercial areas.

Thank you for your consideration,
Daniela Hummel
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: City Council Agenda Item 7a 2/14/2023
From: Danielle Charney <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:59 PM
To: Phil Brock <[email protected]>; Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; councilmtgitems <[email protected]>; David White <[email protected]>; Douglas Sloan <[email protected]>
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a 2/14/2023

I agree with the Planning Commission and urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Our City Council needs to listen to our voices. If you agree it is important to “buy local” and support our small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets.

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4 You have allowed "staff' and special interests to destroy so much in the deal made long ago to bring Expo here. Please no more . Stop it now.

Danielle Charney
Resident since 1982
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From: Rayne Laborde Ruiz <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:37 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Rayne Laborde Ruiz
Rayne Laborde Ruiz
[email protected]
1241 5th St Apt 409
Santa Monica, California 90401
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From: Phillip Tate <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Hi - I’m a Sunset Park resident and I am writing in support of housing on the boulevards. One of the great things about Santa Monica is the unique local businesses. Those businesses need population density to survive. Having housing over the businesses will ensure our boulevards thrive and continue to support our residents.

Additionally, adding housing will help activate the areas which helps prevent crime. Finally, most of the traffic in SM is caused by people driving in and out for work. Having more housing will enable people to live closer to where they work - less traffic and less greenhouse gases.

To that end, if you are considering a downzone of the boulevards, please make sure to adequately study the greenhouse gas impact of that decision.

Thank you,
Phillip Tate
Phillip Tate
[email protected]
3212 18th Street
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Marissa Charles <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:56 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Subject: Re: Concern about Ocean Park Blvd zoning plans

EXTERNAL
*Please bear the views and desires of Ocean Park and Pico Blvd residents in mind when you make this decision. We don’t want this and will be very disappointed if it goes ahead.

On Mon, Feb 13, 2023 at 1:51 PM Marissa Charles <[email protected]> wrote:

Hello All,
As an Ocean Park Blvd resident for more than eight years I’m extremely concerned about any plans to change the zoning requirements on this street and Pico Blvd in Santa Monica.

Allowing 5 story buildings would drive our current ground floor and 2 story unique businesses out of the area.

What makes my community special — the very reason why I live here — is the quaint, village feel. I have friends who travel across town just to go to the restaurants and coffee shops in the area and to shop.

I hold business meetings at our little eateries.

Changing the zoning in the area (I suspect for profit) will alter the very nature of this community and will rob it of its heart, soul and what makes it special. If I wanted to live in an area overgrown with McMansion apartment complexes I would have stayed in Venice or moved to Downtown LA.

Please bear the views and desires of Ocean Park and Pico Blvd residents when you make this decision. We don’t want this and will be very disappointed if it goes ahead.

Thanks,
Marissa Charles
‐‐
Marissa Charles
Writer/Editor
Mobile: 1 310 463 8164
www.marissacharles.org
Check me out on Facebook and Twitter!
‐‐
Marissa Charles
Writer/Editor
Mobile: 1 310 463 8164
www.marissacharles.org
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From: Marissa Charles <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:52 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Subject: Concern about Ocean Park Blvd zoning plans

EXTERNAL
Hello All,
As an Ocean Park Blvd resident for more than eight years I’m extremely concerned about any plans to change the zoning requirements on this street and Pico Blvd in Santa Monica.

Allowing 5 story buildings would drive our current ground floor and 2 story unique businesses out of the area.

I hold business meetings at our little eateries.

Please bear the views and desires of Ocean Park and Pico Blvd residents when you make this decision. We don’t want this and will be very disappointed if it goes ahead.

Thanks,
Marissa Charles
‐‐
Marissa Charles
Writer/Editor
Mobile: 1 310 463 8164
www.marissacharles.org
Check me out on Facebook and Twitter!
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From: Michael Grandcolas
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Please support the Planning Commission"s Proposal to modify the Housing Element to keep NC zoning as is and not up zone it.

Date: Monday, February 6, 2023 9:50:42 AM

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council
I'm a condo owner and have lived in Ocean Park for 35 years.

I urge you to support the Planning Commission's Proposal asking you to submit an application to the State of California to formally modify our approved Housing Element to make it more attuned to our actual City neighborhood needs.

Specifically, to keep NC zoning as is and not up zone it.

Regards
Michael Grandcolas
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From: [email protected]
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE City Council to retain the current NC zoning of Main Street and Ocean Park Date: Monday, February 6, 2023 12:29:50 PM

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council
I'm a condo owner and have lived in Ocean Park for 28 years.

Specifically, to keep NC zoning as is and not up zone it.

The current NC zoning is important to retain the unique walkable character of Ocean Park and Main Street with its many small businesses
and to also retain the unique footprint and architecture of Main St. in Ocean Park Barbara Teitelbaum
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From: Carter Rubin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Carter Rubin
[email protected]
, California
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From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Allowing more housing in Bergamot, shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated--this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, now is our chance to change course.

Our City has regularly passed ordinances that limited what kinds of housing can be built and where, and we are not alone in continually downzoning. We've seen the resulting housing crisis due to these actions so we cannot continue down the path of downzoning throughout our city and expect our housing crisis to improve.

Thank you,
Natalya
Natalya Zernitskaya
[email protected]
Santa Monica, California 90404
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From: Steve Berman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please don't upzone”Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue (“Streets”).

Thank you,
Steve Berman
933 5th Street
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From: Connie Stewart <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Christine Parra
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica purports to want walkable neighborhoods, and that’s what we have along Ocean Park Boulevard. I can stroll to two grocery stores, a nursery, a yoga studio, a toy store, a florist, a couple gift shops, several restaurants and a trendy bread bakery. I can get my bike serviced at the Bicycle Workshop and have coffee down the street while I wait.

I’ve counted dozens of people in line to buy bread at Jyan Isaac bakery, 1620 Ocean Park Boulevard. Last Sunday morning, about 30 people queued up for brunch at Layla, the new bagel cafe next door. Ghisallo draws a steady crowd with its creative pizzas and salads. Thyme offers high-quality takeout food as well as dine-in options. Down the street, Local Kitchen provides upscale dining. Across the boulevard, Bolivar’s sells arupas, coffee, baked goods and lighter fare. The boulevard is thriving.

Now, however, the city proposes to upzone much of the boulevard, as well as other charming areas like Montana and Main Street. If you do, say goodbye to walkable neighborhoods. Our small independent businesses will get squeezed out, their buildings demolished to make way for denser development.

Even if the new buildings reserve the ground floor for commercial use, years-long construction will force out the current businesses. Instead of a vibrant neighborhood, we’ll have a shopping desert.

I’ll be driving to grocery stores rather than wheeling my granny cart to Bob’s or Gelson’s. I’ll need to get my bike serviced at a larger store like Helen’s. With Merrihew’s Sunset Gardens gone, I’ll have to drive to Armstrong’s on Wilshire, or perhaps Anawalt’s in West LA.

Santa Monica used to be a real community, with hardware stores, a plucky newspaper, and down to earth shops. Today, Santa Monica Place and the Promenade cater to tourists, not locals.

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3 The neighborhood shopping districts are what make this city livable for residents.

Please don’t convert Santa Monica into another car-dependent cookie-cutter suburb.

Connie Stewart
1229 Cedar Street
Sent from my iPad
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From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: 2/14/23 Meeting - Agenda Item #7
From: Andrew Allison <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:50 PM
To: Gleam Davis <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Christine Parra <[email protected]>; Phil Brock <[email protected]>
Cc: Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]> Subject: 2/14/23 Meeting ‐ Agenda Item #7

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
I am a resident of the North of Montana neighborhood. My family lives in a detached single‐family home within 1,000 feet of the Montana commercial corridor, and I write in support of liberalizing the zoning on Montana Avenue, including allowing the construction of more homes and more businesses in multi‐story buildings.

My family relies on Montana Avenue for its groceries, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, medical offices, hair salons, clothing boutiques, dry cleaners, ice cream shops, and physical fitness establishments. We chose to live in this area because the presence of these businesses allows us to walk and bike for more of our trips, limiting our carbon footprint, reducing the amount of car traffic in our city, and improving our health.

As a taxpayer, I also appreciate that the presence of these businesses keeps my taxes lower than they otherwise would be, and helps to pay for the infrastructure that makes our neighborhood great.

When these businesses succeed, my neighborhood succeeds and our experience as residents is enhanced. It's hard to think of something more beneficial to these businesses than the Council allowing more potential customers to live nearby.

These businesses and amenities likely would not exist if they were not adjacent to the multi‐family residences of the Wilshire‐Montana neighborhood. Let's learn from that success.

I understand that some might be concerned that changing the zoning to enable the building of more homes on Montana Avenue might lead to the replacement of our unique small businesses by national chains. The way to prevent that outcome is to ensure that the costs of building and operating a business on Montana Avenue are as low as possible.

Remove minimum parking requirements, so businesses can have smaller footprints. Eliminate other regulations that only allow large‐floorplate projects to pencil out. Don't take the counter‐productive step of trying to help our neighborhood businesses by limiting the number of customers they serve.

Thanks for your attention to this letter and for your service.

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Andrew Allison
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From: Evann Grey <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/2023 City Council Agenda Item 7A

EXTERNAL
I strongly oppose upzoning of our neighborhood business districts.

Increasing the size and scale of the development on these streets will increase the already heavy traffic flow, but most importantly will destroy the small independent businesses that we know, love, and support, and that are part of the fabric of our neighborhoods and community.

Santa Monica has already lost so much in the past couple of decades. Please just stop.

Evann Grey
1038 9th Street
SM 90403
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From: Gonzalo Ugarteche <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am reaching out to all of you to let you know that I, as well as my family, all being residents of Santa Monica in the ocean park area, oppose the change to upzone Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial district including Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

I believe that is very important to buy locally in my neighborhood. Please protect these streets.

Best regards.

Gonzalo Ugarteche
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From: Julie Greenfield <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; [email protected]; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Subject: City Council Agenda item 7a 2/14/23

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I STRONGLY oppose the upzoning of Pico Blvd. I’m concerned about the wiping out of small businesses there‐ businesses I often frequent. The charm of Santa Monica is being threatened and our city is already so crowded. . Be sure my neighbors and I will oppose this and won’t go down without a fight. I have been a resident here for 24 years.

Thank you for your consideration.

Julie Greenfield
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From: Dennis Gibbens <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 Agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear All,
Please DO NOT pass the Upzoning Proposal along Ocean Park or Pico Blvds. I have been a tenant in the 1600 block of Ocean Park Blvd. for 29 years now. The exisƟng character of the street is what the people who live, work and frequent/shop in this area want. This is mostly a small, locally‐owned business community. Our community is a special one, developed over generaƟons.

I urge you all to please vote NO on the proposed upzoning in our Neighborhood Commercial District.

Thank you!
Dennis Gibbens
Dennis Gibbens
Dennis Gibbens Architects
1634 Ocean Park Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
[email protected]
T. 310.452.8438
F. 310.452.8437
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From: Elliot Gordon <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members: I am writing to express my deep concern about the proposed "upzoning" proposal on the February 14 agenda that will impact Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards in the Sunset Park neighborhood. While the goals of the proposed upzoning may be laudable, the likely adverse effects are anything but. These business sections of the neighborhood provide a multitude of services in a friendly atmosphere on a human scale that will likely be lost. Not only locally owned restaurants and cafes, but a variety of services including markets, gift shops, tailors, framing stores, hair salons, etc. These are the types of places that allow us to live our daily lives in Sunset Park without having to get into a car or patronize chain stores, the only kind of franchises likely to be able to afford space if the upzoning occurs.

Therefore, I respectfully request that the council reject the proposed upzoning and preserve what makes Sunset Park such a wonderful and special place to live, work and enjoy the best of what our city offers.

Thank you,
Elliot Gordon
33rd Street
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From: Robert Posek <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 agenda item 7A,,(oppose upzoning)

EXTERNAL
To the mayor and councilmembers,
My wife and I are very disturbed by the possibility of upzoning neighborhood commercial districts and demolishing existing buildings including those on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. We live near the Montana Avenue district area, and have, for over thirty years, enjoyed shopping in the many unique stores.

The resulting demolition would eliminate most of these shops, increase rents, and likely replace existing local businesses with chain stores, The increased density would also increase parking and traffic, resulting in a reduction of the resident's quality of life. Your decisions will directly impact our neighborhoods negatively if you elect to go forward with the upzoning as proposed.

Please remember that your duty is to represent your residents and not those of the developers (Forward Santa Monica) and other vested interests, whose motives are purely economic.

Again, I urge you to take the recommendations of several of the Planning Commissioners and protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Sincerely,
Robert & Linda Posek
Santa Monica residents
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From: Ken Scopp <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
I oppose the upzoning proposal
Best,
Ken
Kenneth N. Scopp, CFP, RFC, CLTC
CA Lic.#0486957
Scopp & Associates, inc.
1112 Montana Avenue
#906
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310)893-6091
[email protected]
Member: Center for Tax Strategies and Resource, Forum 400, International Association of Registered Financial Consultants, MDRT, Doctors Academy of Economics, Certified In Long Term Care, (CLTC)
“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward.” - John Maynard Keynes

A PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL PLANNING PRACTICE 310-893-6091... Fax 310-893-6099
Cell 310-486-6879
EMAIL: [email protected]
www.scoppassociates.com
ASK US ABOUT OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES WE PROVIDE!
Your Financial Resource for Personal & Business Planning IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: Tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is neither intended nor written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or to promote, market or recommend to anyone a transaction or matter addressed in this communication.

THE FOREGOING DOCUMENTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL
This message and the foregoing documents are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to which they are addressed. It may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, any Item 7.A
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10 dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by replying to this email or by telephone (310) 893-6090 and delete the original transmission and its attachments without reading them or saving them to disk or otherwise. Thank you.

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From: Debbie Travis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Our Neighborhoods

EXTERNAL
Please help preserve what little is left of our precious Santa Monica neighborhoods! The upcoming vote to up zone Ocean Park, parts of Pico and the Montana neighborhoods is not necessary and will raise rents for small business and leave only big chains who can afford it.

We voted you in to preserve our quaint beach town or what little is left for our families. Please vote NO on upzoning!!! Thank you,
Debbie Travis
A proud Santa Monica resident
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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From: Becky Boyle <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I am hearing you are considering "upzoning" Santa Monica's neighborhood commercial districts that include Main, Ocean Park, Pico and Montana.

It's bad enough that Lincoln is the debacle it is, add into that all the same projects already on 7th, 5th, etc... There is no need to further destroy the livelihoods of our small business owners (the heart of so much) and further erode the character of the community. The madness must stop. To replace them with higher rent tenants the likes of chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes, the lack of sun actuallly be able to hit "sunny Santa Monica" due to building height enhancements.... It's not ok. It must stop. There are vancancies that exist if people want them. This isn't going to solve the home‐affordablity issue, it's only going to serve to destroy the culture and character of Santa Monica which has already taken a very substantial hit in the last few years.

I prefer to buy local and support small business owners. I hope you care about your current community too. I implore you to put your current constituents above lobbyists and possible future constiuents. We've had it with the mega‐apartment mode that has not filtered but stormed this little town. Show us you actually care, show us you are also "pro‐Santa Monica" vs "pro‐ developers". Show us you're worthy of representing us.

Thank you,
Becky Boyle
1038 9th St. Apt. E
Santa Monica, CA 90403
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From: Jane Dempsey <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: RE: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- Study Session re Housing Element implementation

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
I totally agree with the Friends of Sunset Park letter regarding this matter sent to the Planning Commission in January.

It really is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park/Pico neighborhoods special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Thank you,
Jane Dempsey
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From: Lisa Siegel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzoning: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
“Upzoning” would allow unique streets in Santa Monica -- including Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue -- to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. It would destabilize the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

I am a long time customer of the businesses along Ocean Park Boulevard, especially the restaurants, the yoga studio and Bob's Grocery Store. It would be a terrible loss to those of us who have durable relationships with our local vendors. To destroy the neighborhood and raise the rents would add nothing to our quality of life. In fact, it would destroy our quality of life. Bigger is not better. It enriches only the developers.

When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, well-supported recommendation to Council against upzoning these streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

The City Council needs to hear our voices. I support local small businesses and want to maintain the lovely quality of life along these Santa Monica streets and neighborhoods.

Lisa Siegel

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From: Tregg Rustad <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
I live and work in Sunset Park and I’m concerned about the potential rezoning of Pico Blvd and Ocean Park Blvd in discussion. I think it’s vital to all of us that live in the neighborhood to support the small business in this area, as we use them daily, and I feel this should be a priority. Also, I feel strongly that the max height should be 4 stories, with required retail space on the bottom/ground level so the small business can continue to support our community. Also, it’s important to consider traffic impact caused by these changes and to make sure enough parking for each building is required, or no one can park and visit the businesses. I drive my kids to SMASH every day down Pico Blvd and the traffic is terrible most mornings.

Thank you for your time.

Tregg Rustad
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From: Suzan Filipek <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers:

I am asking you to please not “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue (“Streets”).

It's important to buy local and continue to have these charming businesses and streets that make Santa Monica the community it is, and why people want to live and visit here.

When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts:
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=14074&MeetingID=1353

These four walking Streets serve residents in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of our homes. And they help make Santa Monica feel special.

Please keep the current zoning and not allow lot consolidation.

Thank you
Suzan Filipek
421 Marine Street
Santa Monica, 90405
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From: Allison Dollar <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a - NO to upzoning the heart of Santa Monica's neighborhoods

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I'm writing regarding agenda item 7a for tomorrow, February 14, 2023. NO NO NO NO on upzoning.

The downside to upzoning these streets vastly outweighs any very short‐term and very small gains in allowing it.

Upzoning is pernicious. It erodes social connections to the economic community and completely erodes neighborhood loyalty. Even worse, it undermines new economic business models and any space for entrepreneurship. Even if we collectively decide that quality of life has no value, we shouldn't agree to limit the kinds of business that could flourish in Santa Monica.

I continue to be shocked at the lack of imagination and paucity of modern business savvy that allows these measures any credence. These policies evince 20th century thinking. And here we are 20% into the 21st!! What about new forms of corporate, sponsorships, work/live spaces, R&D centers, other ways to support tourism? Why why why be so foolish and short sighted? Or is it laziness?
Upsizing in this instance is a death sentence for the burgeoning digital media community fueling local business, and for other forms of lifestyle offerings, as well as basic service businesses that make up the fabric of daily life. Should we live here and leave to shop at other neighborhoods in SoCal?

Just say no. And think of better ways to raise the tax base and revenue.

Thank you.

Allison Dollar
Ocean Park
[email protected]
310 428 5079
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From: laura houston <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City of Santa Monica,
I am against the proposal to upzone Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. This is a bad idea. It will increase traffic and change the look of our remaining neighborhoods that are mom and pop stores. We don't need the rest of the city to look like the rest of the ugly high-rise buildings near the Promenade. The planning commission has already recommended against it------please listen to them!
Sincerely,
Laura Houston
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From: Jeremy Bamberger <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
I'm going to make this exceedingly simple, and less diplomatic than my fellow pro-housing kin. I am an urbanist and architect of multi-family housing who lives in Ocean Park, where Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd., and Lincoln Ave. are a part of my neighborhood. The Housing Element is explicit in "further forwarding fair housing" in resource-rich environments, and we all know that Bergamot is a direct overlay with Santa Monica's historic redmaps, while the above-mentioned commercial corridors are in wealthier parts of town. I have many professional relationships with those at HCD and others at the state level, and so if this request goes through, I will make it abundantly clear to HCD that this is in direct contrast to further forwarding fair housing, and will recommend that they deem Santa Monica's Housing Element to be non-compliant, re-awakening the builder's remedy as an appropriate tool resolve inappropriate politicking around producing housing.

Thank you,
Jeremy Bamberger
[email protected]
140 Julian Ave, 306
San Francisco, California 94103
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From: Karen Lucente <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I understand you are meeting on this item this week. I would like to voice my opposition to the proposed upzoning of NC districts.

We agree with the Planning Commission's letter showing how it will cause further displacement of locally owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to our local community, businesses that are currently owned by individuals, and many minority‐owned ones. It will ruin the street to allow four and five‐story development because all the small businesses will be replaced by chains. Surely we would end up losing local treasures like the Aero theater, too.

They have outlined all the ways these districts already serve the community and meet the objectives needed.

Please reconsider.

Thank you,
Karen Lucente
514 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90402
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Hello Council members,
I just learned about the proposal to upzone Pico, Ocean Park, Main Street and Montana. I live and work in Venice (a block over from Santa Monica) but spend most of my time (and dollars) in Santa Monica.

The idea of upzoning these areas is honestly criminal! Big chains and multi‐story businesses on Montana and Main street would completely destroy the feel of these walkable shopping districts (not to mention parking is already awful). The same holds true for Ocean Park. The neighborhoods around these areas already have to deal with the overflow of parking. And if the bigger stores push the local retailer and service providers out, locals will have to get in their cars, which will negatively impact the desirability of these areas.

It already congested enough on Lincoln in the areas of giant apartment buildings. That area has completely lost its charm. If let the virus of upzoning spread, only the developers will win.

Thanks for listening!
Heidi Hart
811 Commonwealth Ave
Venice, CA 90291
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From: rml <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Regarding 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a: I agree with the Planning Commission and urge and City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

I live on 22nd St in Ocean Park.

Thanks.
richard levine
principal & creative director
cyberiamedia | LinkedIn | behance | vimeo
T| 310.392.6100 M| 310.717.5190
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From: Brenda Lent <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Please DO NOT vote to up zone the NC areas.

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From: Betsy Katz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:25 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
I strongly I oppose the proposed up zoning of Santa Monica’s unique neighborhood commercial districts (Main St, Ocean Park Bl, Pico Bl and Montana Av).

Allowing 5 and 6 story buildings would destabilize these neighborhoods by demolishing existing (and beloved) businesses and replacing them with higher rent chain stores and bringing with them more traffic and huge parking issues.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Betsy Katz
3016 Ruskin St
Santa Monica 90405
310‐415‐0130
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From: Rose Shoshana <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:41 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Saving Small Businesses!

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Small businesses are what gives a city its vitality and liveliness. The plan you are considering will destroy,
not only livelihoods of the small business owners and
their employees, it will also kill the energy of the
communities of Ocean park, Main Street, Pico and
Montana. This plan goes against everything Santa
Monica stands for, a city for the people, not just big
developers who care nothing about communities.

Please do not let this go through.

Sincerely, Rose Shoshana, a small business owner
at Bergamot Station.
--
Rose Shoshana

ROSEGALLERY
Bergamot Station Art Center
2525 Michigan Avenue B-7
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Ph. 310.264.8440
[email protected]
www.rosegallery.net
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From: Jan Bailey <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:39 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Council Members:

I am very concerned as to what you're planning for our beautiful Santa Monica. I've lived here for 30 years and am dismayed as to the unbridled crime and violence on the streets of Santa Monica. I can no longer walk down Main Street or on the Promenade as it isn't safe. Unless corruption is afoot, I fail to understand why this is allowed. Why? I urge you to vote NO on Upzoning Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. Should you vote for 7a, know that you will destroy a once‐beautiful, friendly, and safe city that is struggling as it is.

Please keep Santa Monica safe.

Thank you,
Jan Bailey
Santa Monica Resident
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From: AnitaMarie Laurie <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:37 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Santa Monica Council Members:

I choose to live in Santa Monica after living in Malibu and Santa Barbara for many years. I choose Santa Monica because it is a City that values neighborhood, small business and family. For the last 29 years I have enjoyed our beautiful community and have purchased two homes, married and raised a family here.

With that, I urge the current City Council to respect and support the recommendation of our Planning Commissioners to retain the existing heights and Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC) on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue, rather than increasing them as proposed in the current language of Program 1J.

Please do the right thing and maintain what residents and visitors to our City love by maintaining the existing height and FAR for the NC Districts on Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd. and Montana Avenue.

Sincerely,
Anita‐Marioe Hill Laurie
Santa Monica Homeowner
Resident 29 years
Anita‐Marie Laurie
Sitrick And Company
11999 San Vicente Blvd., Penthouse
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310‐788‐2850 office
310‐663‐3036 mobile
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From: Roger Lent <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Please DO NOT vote to upzone the NC areas.

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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: No to Zoning change.

EXTERNAL
We want struct zoning. Not allowing taller buildings.

Keep Santa Monica small and neighborhoods friendly. Ocean Park and Pico residents say HELL NO TO THIS.

Ken
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From: Sanjay Shah <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: No no Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Hello, upzoning Ocean Park Blvd is a terrible idea. Strongly oppose. Why would council members want to destroy the one of the very reasons Santa Monica is great? Keep our buildings short and our businesses small.

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From: Kate DiMento <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: I Oppose “Upzoning”

EXTERNAL
To Whom It May Concern:

I’m writing to let you know that I oppose “upzoning” in Santa Monica. In my opinion, there are far too many new five and six story resident buildings being currently built.

Thanks so much for your consideration and for all your continued efforts on behalf of our great city.

All best,
Katie DiMento
Santa Monica Resident since 1997
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From: Larissa Field <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
enough with the bullshit housing for homeless people it’s ridiculous. The streets are already congested. Traffic is a nightmare, and crimes have never been higher since you want to house all these degenerates enough with it I can’t stand seeing my city go to crap I’ve been here 50 years and you guys have destroyed it
I’m disgusted enough with the crimes and the free housing for all these losers we need more police getting these aholes off the street and sending them elsewhere! you have already built so much housing and much of it remains empty. That’s enough stop turning into an apartment empire
Larissa Field
[email protected]
657 Raymond Ave
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Debbie Travis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I oppose item 7a vehemently! Let’s keep Santa Monica a Beach community, not a string of dense housing with high small business rents!!!!
Thank you,
Chet Badalato
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
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From: Jean L Gottlieb <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Small businesses

EXTERNAL
Need our support! Please leave pico and ocean park boulevard and montana Ave alone! Otherwise, you will continue to eliminate any charm left in Los Angeles.

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From: Linda Balter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To the Santa Monica City Council Members,
I am vehemently opposed to the upzoning of our local neighborhoods, parƟcularly the Sunset/Ocean Park neighborhoods. It would absolutely destroy our small business owners and the residents who enjoy a quiet, less‐ congested and non‐touristy environment.

The residents of Santa Monica supported our local businesses in these neighborhoods throughout the pandemic to keep them from closing permanently. It was extremely important to us for our social, emoƟonal and economic wellbeing during CoVid, and it conƟnues to be a priority for me. These local districts are an integral part of our community and I do not want to see them displaced for a noisy, traffic‐congested, pricey and overdeveloped community. I try to walk or bike to these areas when I can, but I now have mobility issues that force me to rely on my car at Ɵmes. Parking on Ocean Park has become more difficult with the new businesses coming in and building parklets. I would be especially devastated to see Thyme Café, Bob’s Market and my yoga studio, Santa Monica Yoga, shut down. Most of the local businesses have been here for 20‐plus years and it would be a shame to lose them.

Please, please, please, reconsider this zoning change and keep our neighborhoods for the residents’ quality of life! Respecƞully yours,
Linda Balter
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From: John Talbert <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:53 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Please vote against upzoning

EXTERNAL
Please vote against upzoning. We need to maintain our walkable streets and support local, family-owned businesses.

We need to keep the existing height and density in these neighborhood commercial districts.

I live near Main Street. I also shop on Ocean Park Blvd and Montana.

John Talbert
2960 Neilson Way #202
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: ejs2514 <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:52 PM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems
Subject: Housing element amendment

EXTERNAL
Please approve the proposed upzoning of the Bergamot Plan area Replacement Site at 1757 Stanford Street, as requested by the property owner.

Please reject the proposal to undo existing upzoned areas along Main, Montana, Pico, and Ocean Park.

As a resident of Sunset Park, both Ocean Park and Pico need upzoning for increased pedestrian/retail activity and vitality. Significantly, retail uses are consistent with upzoning, and neighborhood commercial (NC) zoning uses can be incorporated as street level occupancies within new developments (example: the recent development at 28th and Pico).

Best wishes
Ed Salisbury
2514 30th Street
Santa Monica
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From: Erin Shachory <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica city council,
No "upzoning" in Santa Monica neighborhood commercial districts! In the modern world, every city and every town has begun to look like everywhere else. I was recently in Austin, TX, and was shocked and dismayed to see an Aviator Nation and Sunlife Organics on what used to be the very nexus of South Congress, which was the very reason for the city's tagline "Keep Austin Weird." As much as I love those places in my hometown of Los Angeles, I don't want Austin to look like LA... or Paris... or anywhere else.

And so it is with Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica. I have loved this area for decades because it singlehandedly reminds me that Santa Monica is not just "Silicon Beach" or yet another millionaire's playground but an area where young families can grow and where you can "buy local" and get your bike fixed and take yoga from *the* OG Santa Monica yoga hub. In a town that is obnoxiously self-important and pretentious, Ocean Park Boulevard between 14th and 18th remains gloriously local. There is NOTHING like leaving Julian Walker's morning yoga class on a Sunday, grabbing a coffee at Thyme Cafe, and padding over to Bob's for a few essentials while kids and grown ups alike play soccer on the field across the street.

You have the power to stop this commodification of air space and retain the special quality of your city. If you choose to approve "upzoning" because of money, power and greed, shame on you. Your children and generations to come will suffer long after you've had your pay-out. I hope that money is a comfy bedfellow, because selling out the walkable streets of Santa Monica would make it hard for me to sleep at night. I wouldn't want to have to justify this choice to my family or my conscience.

With a clear conscience, I implore you: Do the right thing. Protect the citizens of Santa Monica by protecting the intangible things that make the city so special!!
Kindly,
Erin Shachory

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From: Lynne Schlosstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear
I understand the City Council will be discussing whether to up zone certain commercial districts including Main St, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Ave. This would allow developers to consolidate lots and build large buildings that would cater to chain stores and evict our local businesses.

We love our local businesses and strongly urge you to keep the current zoning. Our local food stores, restaurants, laundromats, pharmacies, etc. are a vital part of the fabric of our community.

Thanks,
Lynne Schlosstein
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From: lmarreola <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:41 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2-14-23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers.

Please follow your Planning Commision's recommendation and don't upzone Ocean Park Blvd. Or Tio Pico Blvd for all the reaso stated in Friends of Sunset Park's letter to Planning Commission on Jan. 16, 2023 regarding 1‐18‐23 Agenda Item 9‐A.

Also, do not allow lot consolidation on those Boulevards.

I don't get it. If the state tells cities to ruin neighborhoods and quality of life, we must stand up to the state.

Respectfully,
Carol and Larry Arreola,
Lifelong Sunset Park residents
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From: Nicole Rousseau <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: zoning

EXTERNAL
there is not enough public transportation to allow more buildings and our streets are impossible to drive and to park.

What does the city do to increase the number of buses ? Please stop increasing the density if we can’t move around.

Thank you .

Nicole Rousseau
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From: Richard Pietruska <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I oppose these changes to the neighborhood streets and up zoning these streets.

Please protect the smaller neighborhood businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable streets.

Sincerely,
Richard Pietruska
3131 6th St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Rashmi Mullur <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Ravi
Subject: Re: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
As a residents of Santa Monica for several years, we oppose any proposition to “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Avenue.

Please maintain existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

Rashmi Mullur & Ravi Aysola
2670 33rd St
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From: Amy Tavel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: [TIMELY]: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a Opposition

EXTERNAL
Hi there,
To whom it may concern, my name is Amy Tavel, and I am writing to express my strong opposition to "upzoning" the Ocean Park and Pico neighborhoods in Santa Monica, California. I am a seven year resident of Santa Monica, CA and have solely lived on 21st and Ocean Park Blvd as well as just off of18th Street + Pico Blvd (my current residence). I love this neighborhood with all of my heart and have truly grown to value all of the wonderful local businesses, quiet neighborhoods, kind neighbors, as well as the safety and peace of mind that this wonderful community within Santa Monica has provided over the last seven years.

One of the main reasons I have wanted to stay in this neighborhood is because of how wonderfully local this area feels, and particularly because it does not contain larger mega projects & buildings in the neighborhood, unlike what I have found to be the case at The Promenade and surrounding nearby areas. The Promenade feels dangerous to walk around in at nearly all hours of the day and feels way too dense to the point that it removes the joy of being around that area.

The Ocean Park / Sunset Park / Pico neighborhood is the one area of Santa Monica that still truly feels like there is room to breathe fresh air and not feel like you're surrounded by overly dense populations and high buildings on every block.

That is part of the charm of Santa Monica and what draws people here to begin with. Replacing the infrastructure along these streets with five or six story projects would remove the integrity of "protecting local businesses" and "Shopping local" that Santa Monica always has vocalized as important to support. Like the story goes with every massive development, over a short period of time you'll see these tenants being priced out and replaced with chain stores ‐ ones that often exist in other neighborhoods not far from here. Respectfully, why would anyone travel to Santa Monica just to stay in a high rise with a view that'll be blocked by another high rise and filled with stores they can also find from where they came?
This neighborhood would not be the same without my morning walk to Lo/cal coffee, Love & Bolivar cafes, Local pizza & wine bar, Brooke Rodd, Bob's Market, Merrihew's, Jyan Isaac's, Santa Monica Yoga, and all of the other wonderful tenants that occupy the spaces along Ocean Park and Pico Blvd.

Ocean Park alone already has too much traffic, and the city is already overdeveloping on Lincoln Blvd with those tall apartment complexes, creating a massive gridlock and so much traffic that that area is already becoming a massive pain to have to drive through. There are also already enough high‐rise buildings popping up and down Pico Blvd. And on Lincoln, there is non‐stop horn‐honking, increased air pollution from continual car exhaust, absolutely nowhere to park your car, and an overwhelming amount of stimulation in those intersections that further point to the absolutely imperative need to maintain the walkable neighborhoods within Santa Monica.

I strongly urge you to reconsider your stance on "upzoning" Santa Monica's commercial districts and please, leave them local and free from money‐grabbing developers. These developers predominantly do not even live in these neighborhoods, and do not care about the negative impact it will have on the community, only on the positive financial impact it will have on their bank accounts. Once you destroy all of the integrity of the neighborhoods, you can never get it back.

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5 Santa Monica Yoga was the studio that helped me recover from an ankle surgery and re‐gain my mobility when my family wasn't in California to support me. Lo/cal coffee is the coffee shop where the employees feel like family. It's time we do right by the businesses that make Santa Monica feel like the beautiful community that it is.

Please let me know if any next steps are needed from me to continue verbalizing my opposition to "upzoning" and confirm receipt of this email.

I appreciate your time and energy reading my email.

Your local Santa Monica resident,
Amy Tavel | 317.441.7104
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From: Katharine Dreyfuss <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: NC Zoning

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council members:

Please retain current NC Zoning if our state approves amending the Housing Element.

Thank you for taking responsibility in support of a healthy Santa Monica.

Best,
Kit Dreyfuss
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From: Joe Lemieux <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica Council Member,
As a resident of Santa Monica for over twenty years I absolutely oppose upzoning a and consolidating the lots.

Please do not let Santa Monica be taken over by chains and larger mega business. Some of the small business owners that would be forced to leave Santa Monica have been desr friends to me.

I urge you to vote in good conscious.

Santa Monica Resident,
Joseph LeMieux
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From: W Burrell <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Greetings Council Members,
Please protect the local streets so that they remain the wonderful neighborhoods that those of us who live in Santa Monica appreciate so much.

Please DO NOT UPZONE Montana Ave., Ocean Park Blvd., and Pico Blvd.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,
William Burrell
‐‐
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From: Jean L Gottlieb <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Small businesses need our support! Please leave pico and ocean park boulevard and montana Ave alone! Otherwise, you will continue to eliminate any charm left in Los Angeles.

Thank you.

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From: David Luboff <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council members,
I am wriƟng to you to express in the strongest terms my opposiƟon to the proposal to upzone the commercial blocks on Ocean Park Boulevard. I am opposed to any such upzoning, as well as any proposal to consolidate individual storefronts into mega‐stores.

Sunset Park is one of the most delighƞul neighborhoods in Santa Monica, and its small businesses are a major contributor to the character of the neighborhood. I can’t tell you how many Ɵmes we have patronized these businesses, including Bob’s Market, Santa Monica Yoga, Ghisallo, the Thyme Café and Market, the Antequera Bakery, Café Bolivar, Merrihew’s Sunset Garden, and Edelweiss flower shop, to menƟon only a few. Small businesses such as these are the life blood of the neighborhood. Replacing them with cookie‐cuƩer chain stores and outrageously priced bouƟques would do an unforgivable disservice to the residents and to others who have enjoyed shopping at the local businesses and strolling the boulevard and surrounding residenƟal areas.

Nor can I count the number of Ɵmes that we have enjoyed reading in the Fairview branch of the Santa Monica Public Library, which also would be adversely impacted by the consequences of altering the complexion of the neighborhood.

Upzoning and consolidaƟon would destroy the character of the enƟre area.  It would add unsustainable traffic flows to a city which already is terribly congested.  Spillover parking will make it difficult, if not impossible, for residents and their guests to park.  Don’t forget the many children who aƩend John Adams Middle School and who use the athleƟc fields to play soccer, at the Ɵmes of peak traffic on Ocean Park Boulevard.  Are we to endanger their lives with even more unnecessary traffic? Why destroy this beauƟful neighborhood?  To saƟsfy the unquenchable greed of developers who care nothing for Santa Monica’s residents?  To fill its commercial space with corporate retail outlets that have taken over so many other commercial zones in Santa Monica and surrounding ciƟes?  Ask yourselves:  What good is this going to do the people who elected you – the people whom you are pledged to serve?
I implore you to support the well‐thought‐out recommendation by the Santa Monica Planning Commission – the experts who have done the research and upon the Council should rely.  I urge you to follow their recommendations against upzoning.  Maintain the existing density levels.  Maintain the Item 7.A
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2 existing height limits.  The fate of this neighborhood – and the quality of life of Santa Monica – are in your hands.

Sincerely,
David Luboff
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From: Famili, Anita <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a - DO NOT SUPPORT UPZONING OCEANPARK AND PICO

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members:

I voted reelected and elected for the first Ɵme most of you.

I a 12 year Santa Monica resident and homeowner with three children who have gone through or our in Santa Monica Schools. I wholeheartedly DO NOT SUPPORT upzoning Ocean Park, Pico, Main St and Montana. We leŌ the home we built on California Avenue and 6th Street because the massive development brought more traffic and unaffordable housing. A 3 minute drive because 15 to 20 minutes, the small businesses were replace with retail and restaurant chains and the community quality loss. We felt like we were living in New York City, not a So Cal beach town.

And so we sought refuge in one of the few sensible parts of town, Sunset Park. Please follow the advice of the planning commission and do not allow upzoning on Ocean Park, Pico, Main St and Montana. NOT ALL DEVELOLPMENT IS GOOD DEVELOPMENT.

We already have a downtown area where this type of scale is taking over, not to menƟon the proposed massive development at Lincoln and Ocean Park. We need to protect the small businesses that make Santa Monica neighborhoods special and unique. And please don't ignore the inevitable traffic issues. There are THREE schools (Will Rogers, JAMS and Grant) that children and families have to cross Ocean Park to get to five days a week. While you might not live in this neighborhood, I implore you to sit on any of those commercial core doors along Ocean Park and watch the number of pedestrians nearly run over. The same is true for children and families crossing Pico to get to these schools or to Edison.

Upzoning would hurt all the small businesses who get pushed out when these developments come along. It is important to “buy local” and support local small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable/bikeable streets. Where will we all shop when Bob’s is replaced for a trendy mixed‐use development? It is incumbent upon you to be thoughƞul and stop the insane overbuilding.

As was stated by Commissioner and former Chair of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, and a Past Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women, Nicole Phillis in the SM Mirror hƩps://smmirror.com/2021/07/sma‐r‐t‐column‐blind‐upzonings‐false‐promise/ “Basic economic principles based on land values alone suggest that the primary beneficiaries of upzoning will be developers, who will undoubtedly sweep in and redevelop properƟes, sell at a greater value to more upper middle class professionals, who typically far exceed the area median income (AMI) for the region—all the while acceleraƟng gentrificaƟon.”
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2 The false promise of upzoning to provide more affordable housing is laid bare when one considers how badly the glut of market rate, luxury housing has failed to produce affordable housing in our City. Upzoning relies on free market principles for the creaƟon of housing, which will almost always skew the economics toward luxury, high value residences, especially where, as here, lot values alone oŌen exceed $2 million. It is not lost on me that many of the rent controlled properƟes that we’ve lost to the Ellis Act in areas zoned for mulƟfamily residences have actually been redeveloped either as luxury condos or single family homes. This again underscores the fundamental flaw of upzoning as a panacea: when we leave the producƟon of affordable housing to the free market in a highly desirable area like Santa Monica or Culver City, upzoning rarely produces affordable residenƟal opportuniƟes for working families.” Best regards,
Anita Famili
Sunset Park Resident
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From: Marty Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; [email protected]; Christine Parra; [email protected]; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
My husband and i have lived in the Sunset Park area for 30+years and are very disturbed and concerned about the "upzoning" being considered for our district as well as others in Santa Monica.

We have voted for many of you in the past and would certainly appreciate you listening and taking into account what your constituents feel about this particular matter.

We are staunch supporters of buying local and supporting our small businesses and are firmly opposed to this
possible change in our (as well as the others) neighborhood. There has already been more and more large scale development forcing small businesses out of the area and making for rent increases and parking nightmares.

We are registering our strong opposition to these changes and ask that you please take our concerns as well as
many others into account as you explore and vote on this.

Thank you,
Ms. Marty Smith and Gary Becker
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From: wendie olshan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Feb. 14 Meeting - Agenda item 7A

EXTERNAL
We strongly oppose any upzoning for Montana Ave., Ocean Park Blvd, and Pico Blvd. These streets are a lifeline for the adjacent neighborhoods and each respective street listed helps to create a neighborhood community commercial district. There are many independent and small businesses along these streets that provide important affordable services within walking distance of the surrounding neighborhoods. Destruction of these important, affordable, necessary services in order to increase the density will destroy the communities that patronize them. There would be no longer be basic services as the rental prices in these mega projects are too high for small businesses to sustain. The council keeps hammering us with the need for 'affordable' housing, but when you build these mega projects and try to make housing 'affordable', there is no place for the people who live in the 'affordable' housing to shop and access essential services.

Please DO NOT UPZONE these areas!
Thank you for your consideration.

Wendie & Steve Olshan
Residents of SM for 45+ years.

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From: Vivian Rothstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
After working for over 10 years in services to homeless people in Santa Monica, I learned how critical housing is for a stable, healthy life -- for unhoused and housed residents alike! It seems like a no-brainer, but somehow there is debate about whether we need more housing in Santa Monica and L.A. County or not. And to keep it away from our commercial areas.

I live in the Sunset Park area and walk, shop, and dine on Ocean Park Blvd. This street, as others in Santa Monica, would do very well with mixed use housing/commercial projects.

More people would be frequenting the shops, and the streets would be more lively. While I value the small businesses that operate currently on these commercial streets, without adequate housing nearby, they can't prosper.

Don't let our city focus on preserving the status quo. Instead, please govern with the vision we need to move into the future together, housed.

Vivian Rothstein
Vivian Rothstein
[email protected]
1107 Pacific St.

Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Graham Rigby <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please do not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated -- this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, now is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
~Graham
Graham Rigby
[email protected]
651 Grant St, Apt 3
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Megan Zemke <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:42 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am a resident of Sunset Park and am strongly opposed to “Upzoning” for Ocean Park Boulevard and Pico Boulevard.

I am opposed to changing these unique streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. It would result in the demolition of existing buildings, and would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

I am also opposed to allowing lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. I am opposed to allowing developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on these Streets.

When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, well-supported recommendation to Council against upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts. I urge you to take the recommendation of the Planning Commission.

It’s important to “buy local” and support local small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets.

Please do not destroy Santa Monica as we know and love it.

Megan Zemke
Sunset Park Resident
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From: Richard Dellamora <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

I fully agree with the statement in the above paragraph as they refer to some lots on Pico and Ocean Park Blvds, not to mention Broadway and other important east-west thoroughfares in central and downtown Santa Monica. But I am very concerned about doing away with existing buildings and stores on streets such as Montana and Ocean Park that have individual character (such as on O.P.B. between 16th and 17th Streets) and are ripe for development plus pedestrian activity such as Thyme, the new vintage bread store a couple of doors down Thyme, plus the new, independently owned bagel place next to the bakery. The two newest places have 'taken off' immediately with residents, and Thyme itself is a first-rate example of successful local ownership.

There are similar venues on Montana such as the now well established Caffe Luxxe at Montana and 9th and the immediately successful (and versatile) Bardonna at 16th and Montana.

Places like the ones I've mentioned offer first rate local environments, for those who live here and casual visitors as well. Can't we both densify and protect what is unique and highly Item 7.A
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9 desirable about Santa Monica without resorting to destructive excessive zoning as the State is encouraging at the corner of Lincoln and OCP Boulevard? Thank you for listening. Please note that I drive to breakfast every morning in SM and run virtually all my daily errands within the city limits. I recently moved back to SM after being away for the past 15th months precisely so that I could enjoy on a daily basis the sort of places that I am mentioning.

Thank you for your attention, and please remember that one-size-fits-all solutions when complexity is required can produce quick action together with permanent negative consequences.

Richard Dellamora
Richard Dellamora
[email protected]
1015 3rd Street Apt. 4 Santa Monica
SANTA MONICA, California 90403
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From: Holly <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I’d like to share a thought on 2/14/23 Agenda Item 7a. Please follow the advice of the planning commission and do not allow upzoning on Ocean Park, Pico, Main St and Montana. We already have a downtown area where this type of scale is taking over. We need to protect the small businesses that make Santa Monica neighborhoods special and unique.

As was stated by Commissioner and former Chair of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, and a Past Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women, Nicole Phillis in the SM Mirror hƩps://smmirror.com/2021/07/sma‐r‐t‐column‐blind‐upzonings‐false‐promise/ “Basic economic principles based on land values alone suggest that the primary beneficiaries of upzoning will be developers, who will undoubtedly sweep in and redevelop properƟes, sell at a greater value to more upper middle class professionals, who typically far exceed the area median income (AMI) for the region—all the while acceleraƟng gentrificaƟon.”
The false promise of upzoning to provide more affordable housing is laid bare when one considers how badly the glut of market rate, luxury housing has failed to produce affordable housing in our City. Upzoning relies on free market principles for the creaƟon of housing, which will almost always skew the economics toward luxury, high value residences, especially where, as here, lot values alone oŌen exceed $2 million. It is not lost on me that many of the rent controlled properƟes that we’ve lost to the Ellis Act in areas zoned for mulƟfamily residences have actually been redeveloped either as luxury condos or single family homes. This again underscores the fundamental flaw of upzoning as a panacea: when we leave the producƟon of affordable housing to the free market in a highly desirable area like Santa Monica or Culver City, upzoning rarely produces affordable residenƟal opportuniƟes for working families.” Thank you
Holly Mosher
1707 Hill St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Leslie Bogart <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

This goes for Montana Ave as well.

PLEASE save the beautiful vibe that Ocean Park bl and Pico bl have.

Do NOT allow 3-5 story buildings to replace our sweet shops.

Thank you!
Leslie
Leslie Bogart
[email protected]
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From: Emily (Gelber) Frumkin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a: OPPOSE

EXTERNAL
Hello,
I am a resident of Sunset Park Santa Monica (Mom and licensed therapist) and writing to ask that you Oppose proposed upzoning of Ocean Park Blvd.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Emily
‐‐
Emily Frumkin, MSW, LCSW, RYT-200
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From: Stephanie Rasband <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/2023 Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am a 3rd generation native to Sunset Park. I went to Rogers, Adams, Samohi and UCLA. I live 2 doors down from where my grandmother's house was in the 30's, 40's and part of the 50's. The mere notion that developers would be able to come into these areas and replace what are charming low profile storefronts that provide the Sunset Park neighborhood with places to do the things of daily life such as market and get our shoes fixed with tall, cement, metal and glass structures is heartbreaking to me. I am sure it is to the other residents of the neighborhood, I have seen what has happened to Lincoln Blvd. with Von's going away and leaving the homes around there north and south without a supermarket to shop at. My mother was in Silver Crest pm 5th street for a time and they all shopped at Vons. Now Von's will be this tiny pop up market in the lobby of a huge building. We can't have that in Ocean Park, or Pico neighborhoods. Who could afford the prices that would go with that overhead for the market?
The City has lost track of what Santa Monica is at heart. It has lined Lincoln and Ocean Ave with cookie cutter high rent ugly cement and glass apartments that make it look like the Soviet Union.

Everything looks exactly the same for blocks and blocks. It looks institutional, not residential. No more! And please please NOT in the Sunset Park, or Pico corridor neighborhoods let alone the charm and attractiveness of Montana Ave.

Leave our neighborhoods with character. Take the high rent agenda elsewhere. No one who grew up here would ever even consider these notions as good for the city. It's depressing.

Thank you,
‐‐
Dr. Stephanie Rasband
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From: Grafton Harper <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:00 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Cnl Meeting 2/14/2023 Item &A Do not allow changes to NC districts that eliminate local businesses

EXTERNAL
Mayor Davis and City Council Members,
I am a resident of Santa Monica and I do not want my Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard and Montana Avenue to be upzoned which will eliminate small and local businesses. Neither do I want a change in zoning to allow lots on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard or Montana Avenue to be consolidated which also will eliminate small and local businesses that provide residential needs.

Every time I turn around, the City Council appears to be at war with the residents who elect them. They seem to pass items which encourage density, reward developers, and punish residents with increased congestion reduced services and decreased quality of living. Anything a resident wants to do in Santa Monica is met with bureaucracy and resistance. While developers seem to get anything they want at residents' expense.

You are running contrary to the electorate. You need to pay attention to the people who put you where you are, not new investors in Santa Monica.

Thank‐you for supporting local and small businesses,
Grafton
____________________________
Grafton S. Harper
[email protected] (My new inbox as of 12/2018)
Lost track of me?
Permanent Forwarding available at [email protected] Item 7.A
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]
Subject: Hello and thank you! Re: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Re: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
Hello and thank you!
Please NO more "upzoning" for our Santa Monica community! Our streets of Montana Ave, Ocean Park Blvd, Main St., Pico Blvd NEED "These four walking Streets containing most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses residents use in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of people’s homes. Residents don’t just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special!!! " Thank you! I have lived in Santa Monica for 42 years and have seen enough "upzoning" already. Please preserve what we have left as is!
Thank you!
A concerned resident.

Michèle Vice
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From: Aaron Furlong <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:40 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Zoning OP and Pico

EXTERNAL
Hello Councilmembers and fellow Santa Monica citizens!
Just a quick note to let you know that I am against upzoning our neighborhoods. I cherish our small town feel and the small businesses that line our streets. I can name at least a sixteen that we frequent on a regular basis. Please don't take that away from us. Upzoning Pico and Ocean Park will force these small businesses out and negatively impact our community. Let's keep the densification in the downtown area and more commercial corridors like Wilshire, Santa Monica Blvd and Lincoln. Let those areas be the cookie cutter business districts, and allow the remaining neighborhoods like Montana, Pico and OP keep their charm, small businesses and unique community feel.

I don't have the money or lobbying of developers nor the political weight of SMRR but hopefully I still have a voice that counts. Please hear me.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,
Aaron Furlong
Santa Monica resident
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From: Joanne Leslie <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
I love one block from Pico Blvd. in the Sunset Park neighborhood. I have no objection to more housing being built on Pico Blvd. In fact, our whole region needs more housing, especially affordable housing and I am proud to be part of the YIMBY contingent. Please do not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards.

We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot, shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated--this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, n ow is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
Joanne Leslie
[email protected]
1351 Grant St.

Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Edith Brogan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; [email protected]; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda

EXTERNAL
As a Sunset Park resident I strongly oppose upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. It will completely ruin our neighborhood. We are already experiencing mega mansions built to accommodate more people than are parking places. Upzoning will take away all our special shops, restaurants and obliterate views. It will not be a neighborhood worth living in.

Respectively, Edith Brogan
22nd Street resident
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From: Yaffa Lerea <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:07 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Ocean Park "Upzoning"

EXTERNAL
To my city council members ‐
As a 27‐year resident of the Ocean Park neighborhood, I am writing to urge you to strongly oppose any "upzoning" of our beloved, friendly Santa Monica neighborhood commercial districts.

Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, and Pico Blvd have local businesses that the residents frequent and love ‐ we do NOT want those door to door storefront businesses replaced by chain stores or multi‐level buildings. What makes Santa Monica special is the light, the air, and the local feel ‐ please do NOT let that be destroyed with any "upzoning" changes!
Thank you for being attentive to the interests of your constituents.

Best,
Yaffa Lerea
Resident of Santa Monica
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From: Ellis Kirschenbaum <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
I have personally patronized two dozen of the businesses that would be jeopardized if the proposed zoning rules are approved
and 5 story buildings allowed. There is room for a great deal of business expansion under the current zoning rules that allow for 2 stories
because so many of the existing buildings are one story. The proposal is not necessary and ultimately destructive of our neighborhood.

It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Sincerely,
Ellis Kirschenbaum
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From: Dwight Flowers <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you, Dwight Flowers AICP
Dwight Flowers
[email protected]
1400 California Ave.

Santa Monica, California 90403
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From: Lois Lambert <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Oppose

EXTERNAL
I oppose the proposed upzoning in Santa Monica Lois Lambert Lois Lambert Gallery Gallery of Functional Art 2525 Michigan Ave E3
Santa Monica, CA. 90404
310.829.6990
[email protected]
Loislambertgallery.com
Galleryoffunctionalart.com
Ourgallerystore.com
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From: Abraham Jennings <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I agree it’s important to “buy local” and support local small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets, please protect these Streets!

Abraham Jennings
https://ajbuildinc.shutterfly.com/
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From: Rich Goldberg <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:52 PM
To: Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Phil Brock
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: Upzoning Montana Ave. 2023

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7 Say yes to love and simplicity. Say no to greed and overbuilding.

Rich Goldberg and Valerie Cabrera
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From: Lila Yomtoob <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 agenda stem 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica city council,
My name is Lila Yomtoob and I am owner and operator of an apartment building in Santa Monica. My family has been here in Santa Monica since 1988.

I understand you’re considering changing the zoning on a number of streets that would allow for taller buildings to be built. I would like to voice my opinion that I strongly oppose this for several reasons.

Zoning changes will encourage land sales which will close down many of the independent stores that are left in Santa Monica. Mom and pop shops are the fabric of any city and should be preserved.

From what I can tell, the city infrastructure will not be able to handle any more occupancy. With all of the building that’s been going on over the last five years and is yet to come, I have not seen any changes in the infrastructure, except for some bike lanes that make the roads even smaller. While I’m all for the bike lanes, our streets are becoming more congested. I sit in traffic longer than I ever have, and this, along with the uptick in population, are making Santa Monica more crowded and diminishing the quality of life.

Allowing the zoning change will just raise the already inflated price of real estate, and will deter the diversity that makes any city great.

I sincerely hope that you do not rezone any more streets in Santa Monica, there’s already been enough.

Thank you,
Lila Yomtoob
917‐887‐8535
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Ocean Park upzoning project

EXTERNAL
Dear Council members,
I am a Sunset Park home owner, today I received several emails from local businesses on Ocean Park which I patronize. I am posted my voice in complete disagreement to this project. Why would we chase out local business owners, only to have chain stores come in their place because they won't be able to afford higher rents? Where will all the traffic go? With new builds means more vehicles, we are already so overwhelmed it's insane. I don't understand this city why are you considering a build in a neighborhood that can't possibly sustain the impact.

Unhappy resident
Noelle Rodriguez

"More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness" Charlie Chaplin
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From: Deutsch, Helen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:25 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: no upzoning

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I have lived and paid taxes in the Sunset Park neighborhood since 2006. I am extremely distressed to hear of the plans for upzoning Pico and Ocean Park. As a longtime patron of many small businesses on both of these streets, I am writing to urge you NOT to upzone them and ruin the many wonderful small businesses that make our neighborhood so special.

Many thanks, Helen Deutsch
2445 28th St., Unit E, Santa Monica, 90405
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From: Paul Dunn <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica city council member‐
I writing to urge you to reject the proposals for upzoning and lot consolidation on Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue.

When I moved to Santa Monica 22 years ago, one of the major factors in my decision to move here was the human scale of the city. Since then the city has been on a trajectory to become the mini‐me of Los Angeles.

Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue are unique features of Santa Monica that make it a livable city with a reputation as a great place to live and worthwhile to visit. Wilshire Blvd is becoming a canyon of congestion and obstructed views that would be a tragic model to impose on these remaining “Santa Monica” areas. We need the small businesses like the ones on Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue that are supportive of the residents. Please acknowledge the value of these city assets and reject upzoning and lot consolidation.

Sincerely,
Your neighbor
Paul Dunn
1141 17th St. #4
Santa Monica, CA 90403
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From: Kait Urrutia <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Hello City Council Members,
I cannot express enough how important it is to the Sunset Park community to NOT be upzoned. Our neighborhood is special and our small businesses are important to us. If I wanted to live on the promenade, I would ;) Thanks for listening!
Kaitlyn Urrutia
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From: ADAM DAWSON <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Christine Parra
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council members:

Santa Monica brags that it has and promotes walkable neighborhoods. That's certainly the case along Ocean Park Boulevard.

We can and do walk or bike to grocery stores, coffee bars and a yogurt shop with enough sense to call itself Yoga-Urt — coincidentally borrowing the joke I’ve used with my wife for years when she heads to class at Santa Monica Yoga.

Farther down the boulevard, Il Forno is like part of the family. We’ve watched the waiters age along with us, though of course we prefer to believe
we are aging imperceptibly. We patronize Ocean Park Pharmacy, where we get personal service from a pharmacist who remembers our names
—and who has the best greeting-card selection on the Westside.

A similar situation plays out on the south side of Pico Boulevard. Although it has a ways to go to be charming, Pico offers small businesses more
reasonable rents that they won’t find in trendy areas. It also hosts local treasures like McCabe’s and Gilbert's el Indio.

But now, the city proposes to upzone much of Ocean Park and Pico boulevards, as well as areas like Montana Avenue and Main Street.

Neighborhoods like these are a large part of what attracted all of us to Santa Monica in the first place.

If upzoning happens, walkable neighborhoods will go the way of Henshey’s and the Tudor House.

Small independent businesses will be squeezed out as their buildings are demolished to make way for greater density. More city corridors
will become crowded with Soviet-style apartment blocks, as 14th Street and Lincoln Boulevard are fast becoming.

What will become of Santa Monica’s character?
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6 Even if these new buildings reserve the ground floor for commercial use, years-long construction, inevitably higher rents and parking issues will force out current businesses and eliminate any independent merchants. Instead of vibrant neighborhoods with a virtual rainforest of eclectic shopping and dining, we’ll be living in a shopping desert. People will take to their cars to run errands, increasing the city’s carbon footprint
and undermining our quality of life.

Santa Monica used to be a real community, with hardware stores, an ambitious little newspaper and down-to-earth shops. Today, the mall
and Promenade cater to tourists, not locals. Neighborhood shopping districts are what make this city livable.

If it is the state that is mandating this change it is way past time to move our state legislators to join the fight to preserve what makes
Santa Monica the unique place that it is.

Thank you.

Adam Dawson
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From: Colin Maduzia <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:11 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I strongly support the guidance provided by the planning commission to not allow upzoning on Ocean Park, Pico, Main St and Montana. I am in support of changes in zoning to enable more housing units in the city. But the plan needs to be realistic and emphasize:
 Retaining walkable businesses (including commercial space on the first floor of any multi‐story buildings)  Zoning that takes into consideration the neighborhood scale o 3‐4 stories of residential above commercial would already be a dramatic change to place like Montana and Ocean Park
o There is only one lane of traffic in each direction on these roads. The traffic is already quite gridlocked on Ocean Park during rush hour, especially when SMC is in session. o Removing retail and adding units will only compel residents to get in their cars to make purchases they could now make by foot. It will exacerbate traffic issues and cause more pollution in a city that prides itself on its sustainability practices.

Hopefully you have been able to review points made by Commissioner and former Chair of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, and a Past Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women, Nicole Phillis in the SM Mirror https://smmirror.com/2021/07/sma‐r‐t‐column‐blind‐upzonings‐false‐promise/ “Basic economic principles based on land values alone suggest that the primary beneficiaries of upzoning will be developers, who will undoubtedly sweep in and redevelop properties, sell at a greater value to more upper middle class professionals, who typically far exceed the area median income (AMI) for the region—all the while accelerating gentrification.”
The false promise of upzoning to provide more affordable housing is laid bare when one considers how badly the glut of market rate, luxury housing has failed to produce affordable housing in our City. Upzoning relies on free market principles for the creation of housing, which will almost always skew the economics toward luxury, high value residences, especially where, as here, lot values alone often exceed $2 million. It is not lost on me that many of the rent controlled properties that we’ve lost to the Ellis Act in areas zoned for multifamily residences have actually been redeveloped either as luxury condos or single family homes. This again underscores the fundamental flaw of upzoning as a panacea: when we leave the production of affordable housing to the free market in a highly desirable area like Santa Monica or Culver City, upzoning rarely produces affordable residential opportunities for working families.”
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8 Thank you for your consideration and service to our city. ‐‐
Colin Maduzia
1725 Hill Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310.923.2757
[email protected]
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From: alice gordon <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Council Members,
I am a Santa Monica resident living at 1257 12th St. Apt. 11 and I oppose the changes proposed to upzoning and combining lots. Please consider keeping Santa Monica’s charm. The city and residents have suffered enough.

Thank you,
Alice Gordon
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From: Jacob Wasserman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A: Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

EXTERNAL
Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please do not block much-needed housing by downzoning our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot shouldn't be an alternative; it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please do not heed the voices treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated— this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage.

After decades of rising rents, now is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
Jacob Wasserman
90403
Jacob Wasserman
[email protected]
1027 11th Street, Apartment C
Santa Monica, California 90403
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From: Soledad Ramos <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
To whom it may concern,
Please tomorrow don’t vote to replace the current 2 story buildings. Please don’t change the Zoning code for Sunset park area
Soledad Ramos
Resident: 2609 Cloverfield blvd
310 927 1811
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From: Soledad Ramos <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:42 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: NO CHANGE ZONING

EXTERNAL
To whom it may concern,
Please tomorrow don’t vote to replace the current 2 story buildings. Please don’t change the Zoning code for Sunset park area Soledad Ramos
Resident: 2609 Cloverfield blvd
310 927 1811
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From: Suzanne Watson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:34 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Oh, please protect our neighborhoods: Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue by voting against “upzoning”. The promenade and downtown Santa Monica are just blocks from my home. For decades, those areas were my “go to” to everything. Now, you can’t drag me there with a tractor. There is no personality, ambiance, light, or SOUL. My gosh PLEASE don’t ruin the historic neighborhoods mentioned above.

Thank you.

Suzanne Watson
(Forty‐year resident)
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:31 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Agenda item 7a 2/14/23

EXTERNAL
Upzoning of the remaining neighborhood commercial districts that still retain a small town appeal, like Montana Avenue, would be a huge mistake. Tourists come to these Santa Monica shopping areas to experience something they can't find in giant malls. Residents depend on them for necessar y everyday items: shoe repair, drug stores, specialty food stores. Lincoln Boulevard is already ruined with its wall of high rise apartment buildings. Downtown has been turned int o a homeless habitat. Empty stores dominate the Third Street Promenade, Fourth Street and Main Street. For once, listen to the residents and your own Planning Commission and reject the upzoning.

Thank you,
Harriet P. Epstein
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From: Meri Weingarten <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:11 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please protect small businesses and the culture of Santa Monica. Do not upzone OPB, Main Street, Pico, or Montana Ave.

Meri Weingarten
SM Resident
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: NO upzoning!

EXTERNAL
I am a resident of Sunset Park and patronize the local small stores that line Ocean Park Ave. The neighborhood is cohesive and community-based as we can interact on a human scale with each other. There are plenty of larger stores to go shopping at in Shopping Centers such as Century City if we want to have that experience. However, our day-to-day lives are enmeshed by the small-scale, entrepreneurial spirit of our local, smaller shops that even now struggle to pay rent. Please vote against up-zoning our neighborhoods.

Sincerely
K Schlesinger
2614 Euclid St
Santa Monica 90405
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From: Margy Yuspa <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council members,
Last weekend (like most weekends), I walked up and down Ocean Park Blvd thinking how much I enjoy my wonderful neighborhood and the feeling that has been established by seeing neighbors and friends at the local shops. Today I was horrified to learn that Ocean Park Blvd is under review for development. I have lived in this neighborhood for 20 years and truly treasure the feeling of community. I have seen Ocean Park grow into an amazing place. Large development, in my opinion, has wiped out the beach culture of Santa Monica that I love so much. I don’t enjoy the Promenade anymore, it feels deserted and downright scary in much of downtown and much of Santa Monica’s charm has already been eliminated.

Please don’t take away what we are clinging to over in the Ocean Park and Pico neighborhoods. It’s some of the last vestiges of real community in Santa Monica. People know each other and we know the people that work here too.

Relationships like these are the foundation of success of cities and civilizations. Over‐development can quickly lead to a loss of civility and safety.

Thank you for reading this and taking the time to consider a person who feels very attached to the amazing community she lives in.

Best,
Margy Yuspa
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From: Rebecca McLucas <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:23 PM
To: [email protected]; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; councilmtgitems
Subject: Opposition to Upzoning the neighborhood streets of SMC

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I wanted to express my strong desire to oppose the upzoning the neighborhood streets of SMC – specifically Main street, Pico, Ocean Park and Montana. The parking, traffic are already a nightmare for residents. There is a strong love for keeping LOCAL business’ in SMC. The taxes that we pay are already hideously high and would just force out more long time residents. The homelessness is undeniably not solvable and this decision will only takes us backwards making property values even more unattainable. There is nothing positive to doing this other then a straight up money grab, which SMC does not need at this time.

VOTE NO!
Rebecca and Jason Dodd
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From: Alejandro Umansky <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmember,
It would be a terrible mistake to change the zoning density for Pico and Ocean Park Blvd.

We have a great neighborhood. And plenty of traffic. This is not the solution to the housing issue. Keep it two stories, and plenty of units can be added with the current zoning.

Sincerely,
Alejandro Umansky (Sunset Park resident, 90405).

Danielle Umansky
Chloe Umansky
Madeline Umansky
‐‐
Alejandro Umansky
3435 Ocean Park Blvd. #107-412
Santa Monica, CA 90405-3301
(c) 310.413.5235
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From: Julie Millett <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members:

I am writing to urge Council to NOT "upzone" Santa Monica's neighborhood commercial districts. Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Ave, Montana Avenue, and Main Street are a few of the only areas left in our beloved City that maintain any sort of character. We do not want larger mega projects.

I think it is critical to Buy Local and I do so whenever possible.

I agree with the Planning Commission's recent recommendation to your Council against upzoning these streets. I urge you to follow their recommendation to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Julie Millett
Santa Monica Resident since 2001
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February 13, 2023
Santa Monica City Council
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, California
RE: ITEM 7
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete and Councilmembers:

The Planning Commission recommends City Council approval of the red lines implementing the upzoning of the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC). This recommendation is made to ensure compliance with the certified Housing Element and to avoid another round of “Builder’s Remedy” projects. The Commission also recommends that the City apply to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to amend the Housing Element in order to retain existing zoning in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts. While this application is pending with HCD, the City will remain in compliance with its Housing Element and therefore exempt from the Builder’s Remedy.

The following summarizesthe discussion points raised at Commission hearings and research that has been conducted subsequent to those hearings. I am also attaching the Commission-approved letter requesting the Housing Element amendment. It contains demographic and other information about the four impacted neighborhoods. Also attached is a “white paper”, prepared by Commissioner Fresco, which reports on the findings of numerous research studies that assess the social and economic impacts of the upzoning of neighborhood commercial districts on the communities they serve.

Upzoning NC districts will result in the displacement of successful, locally owned businesses that have served their surrounding neighborhoods for years and are often owned by people of color or women.

These business districts have the lowest commercial vacancy rates in the city, which proves their sustainability even through a pandemic. It also demonstrates their value in a walkable community setting.

A recent walk through of these districts found that Neighborhood Commercial districts have vacancy rates between 7-10% while The Promenade has a much higher vacancy rate of 28%.

Requiring relocation of existing businesses into new ground floor commercial spaces, at rents they can afford, would seriously compromise project feasibility and would likely be viewed by HCD as a development constraint. Paying relocation expenses to existing businesses will not solve the displacement problem and is a bit meaningless given there are limited, affordable commercial areas in the city to which these businesses could feasibly relocate. It would also remove them from their customer base, which accounts for their success.

Existing NC zoning allows for the development of new two to three story mixed use buildings or three to six stories with density bonuses. Given the frequency of density bonus applications being seen by the City, and the high land costs in these business districts, it is a safe assumption that developers will opt for density bonus projects. We believe this existing and permitted development model to be exactly the “soft density” model that is being promoted by organizations such as Livable Communities.

According to staff, the State is requiring that housing production must be feasible in all districts for which housing is a permitted use. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that housing choices are Item 7.A
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available throughout the city with a focus on areas where new housing has not occurred, presumably due to infeasibility. First, there is no State Law requiring this other than the one applicable to SSI properties.

Second, no feasibility analyses were performed, using the new AHPP income distribution, for Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard or other smaller NC areas. The need to upzone these streets is an extrapolation from the analyses done for Main and Montana. Notwithstanding this fact, the 13 NC parcels on the SSI (5 development sites, 165 units) are on Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards. Third, four affordable housing projects are either recently completed or are under construction in the Pico NC District, which questions the infeasibility conclusion underlying the upzoning. The nonprofit developers of three of these four projects used the density bonus program. One has a ground floor space reserved for community entrepreneurial use (Pico and 19th Street), which is exactly the type of commercial development requested by the Pico community during the Wellbeing Project pubic process in 2018 and 2019.

The rationale for upzoning NC areas is that housing production on the “south side” (Ocean Park and Sunset Park) and the “north side” (north of Montana) is not providing the array of housing choices required by the State’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) requirements. The Commission believes this to be an inaccurate assessment. On the south side, during the first two years of the 6th Cycle Housing Element, 886 rental units and 23+ condominiums have either been recently completed or are in the pipeline. This represents about ten percent (10%) of the City’s RHNA goal. Of the 886 rental units, 103 are or will be affordable to extremely low, very low and low income households. On the north side, hundreds of ADU’s have been completed or are in the pipeline. The Commission has also proposed zoning amendments that facilitate the development of SB9 duplexes, including the waiver of impact fees for all such projects. (The State has accepted ADU’s and SB9 duplexes as a development strategy for north of Montana in light of the very high land costs in that area.) The demographic and housing supply diversity, already existing in south side neighborhoods, is described in the attached letter from the Planning Commission.

Upzoning Neighborhood Commercial Districts could potentially destroy existing, successful, neighborhood-serving business areas. These business districts offer thousands of local residents, at all income levels. with walkable and affordable retail and service options. They include locally owned laundromats, barber shops, family-owned restaurants and bakeries, affordable coffee houses that serve as community gathering spots, florists, and bicycle repair services. We believe it is a safe assumption that few, if any, of these businesses could afford the rents in new buildings. And these new rents are essential for project feasibility.

The general appeal of walkable and affordable local businesses is that they create unique safe spaces where quantitative diversity becomes genuine integration. This attracts developers who see it as an amenity to new development. A cycle begins where large floor plate, high price tag new spaces, inaccessible to small local businesses of all stripes, are filled with deep-pocketed corporate businesses.

Community-based economic resources are replaced with business that no longer serve all classes of people. Livelihoods are lost, homes are lost, property values rise all around, and Santa Monica’s remaining diverse residents with generations of family history in the city will experience a new wave of systemic displacement. Global application of upzoning disproportionately targets ethnic, racial, cultural and lowincome groups who have historically experienced discrimination because they are in the way of zoning regulations passed in the guise of “the greater good.” Citywide upzoning without certain strategic omissions represents the next wave of systemic racism.

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Santa Monica prides itself on being a walkable and sustainable community. The very successful NC business districts embody that value. Neighborhoods consist of housing, well-maintained public parks and good schools, access to transit and jobs, and accessible, affordable business districts. From the beginning of the Housing Element process, the Planning Commission was clear about protecting neighborhoods while focusing much needed housing production on major boulevards, the Downtown and Bergamot, all of which have the highest transit accessibility in the city.

The Commission fully appreciates the magnitude of the housing crisis, which is why it recommended upzoning 1,171 acres that could accommodate 13,600 new housing units (153% of our RHNA goal). To assert that the Commission is in any way anti-housing is absurd. However, the Commission does not support the displacement of hundreds of locally owned businesses that serve tens of thousands of residents and the potential erasure of any business district on Ocean Park or Pico as a price it is willing to pay. Nor does it support the redevelopment of these business districts with five to seven story buildings with 85% of the new units available to those who can afford higher rents than those currently in the surrounding neighborhoods. This scenario is not the legacy that many on the Commission wish to leave for Santa Monica.

Thank you for your consideration and your service to Santa Monica.

Respectfully submitted,
Leslie Lambert, Planning Commissioner
2 attachments
.

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1 The Social Justice Case for a Housing Element Amendment that Maintains Santa Monica’s Longstanding and Effective Neighborhood Commercial Zoning I. Executive Summary
This report addresses Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) issues supporting a proposed amendment to Santa Monica’s 6th Cycle Housing Element that would retain the existing zoning in Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard, Main Street, and Montana Avenue. The Santa Monica Planning Commission believes that in order to Affirmative Further Fair Housing we must preserve access to opportunity in Neighborhood Commercial districts by resisting displacement of existing affordable a culturally significant small businesses with highly upscaled and corporate commercial tenants. Upzoning would undermine decades of targeted economic development efforts and risk the loss of existing opportunities for locally owned small businesses, which will cause displacement and disruption in Santa Monica’s historically diverse neighborhoods. Furthermore, well-established local-serving retail hubs create an environment that fosters genuine integration of different populations without forcing them to assimilate, an important social justice concern. And they make Santa Monica’s residential districts walkable, complete neighborhoods.

Zone Pre-HE (Requested)
Height
Pre-HE (Requested)
FAR
Current HE Height Current HE FAR
NC (includes Pico) 32’ 1.5 50’ 2.25
NC (Main only) 27’ 1.0 55’ 2.50
NC (OP Blvd only) 32’ 1.0 55’ 2.50
NC (Montana only) 32’ 1.0 55’ 2.50
Neighborhood Commercial districts provide services and access to small business opportunity that go hand-in-hand with fair housing. They make our neighborhoods walkable, thus sustainable; they provide services necessary for quality of life, and perhaps most importantly result in community meeting places that bring people face to face in a manner that makes the quantitative diversity we get from a variety of housing types meaningful. Furthermore, the loss of these businesses can lead to displacement of low-income and ethnic communities through both economic hardship and feelings of adversity and exclusion. Each of Santa Monica’s four Neighborhood Commercial districts has evolved with a unique character that reflects the community it serves. When people have access to opportunity to open a small business near where they live, they cater to well-understood tastes and local needs as a key to their success. They create hospitable places that can where diverse groups eat, play and shop shoulder-to-shoulder, bringing us closer to true, meaningful integration. And, local businesses employ locals. If Neighborhood Commercial areas are upzoned, new business starts must weigh the risk of displacement due to gentrification against financial and human capital investment; if the risk is too great, opportunity evaporates. New construction is built Item 7.A
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2 with larger floor plates designed to appeal to corporate tenants who look better on loan paperwork than small businesses. Legacy businesses fall into the shadows of the big new establishments, forcing them to assimilate to a new standard they struggle to keep up with or die out. Studies of the impacts of gentrification in Neighborhood Commercial districts on local diversity, outlined in more detail below, warn us to proceed with caution.

Neighborhood Commercial Districts are part of the economic engine that will help the city recover from significant economic losses in the past few years. A comparison of new business licenses and vacancy rates in NC zones versus those in Santa Monica’s traditional economic center, the Third Street Promenade, show that our NC districts, with vacancies in 7-10% of ground floor spaces versus the 28% vacancy rate on the Promenade, are bouncing back from the Covid-19 downturn, leading the way back to prosperity. We cannot afford to disrupt what took decades to establish in our vibrant Neighborhood Commercial areas. With commercial growth critical to the city’s recovery from a significant financial crisis immediately followed by Covid-19 and rioting in our downtown, we must rely on NC districts while we work to bring the Promenade back into bloom again. Keeping that engine going, achieving goals for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and most importantly, providing development capacity for our fair share of housing including a variety of housing types that increase housing opportunity in Santa Monica’s eight square miles, requires a zoning scalpel, not an axe.

II. Introduction
As the Planning Commission worked through the drafting of Santa Monica’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, feasibility studies suggested that any commercial zone in the city, if upzoned to 55 feet (an increase of two to three stories citywide) could feasibly support inclusionary affordable housing.

Upzoning across the city uniformly in this way also provided enough capacity to the parcels on our Suitable Site Inventory (SSI) to meet the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) with a modest buffer. The Planning Commission, critical of such a boiler-plate approach to planning, envisioned a more nuanced, holistic approach to upzoning that would more dramatically incentivize housing production in places that would not disrupt existing residential areas full of rent controlled apartments, and which employs additional planning principals along with housing policy. Nor would the approach the Planning Commission had in mind disrupt the community amenities in Neighborhood Commercial districts that are important to quality of life and economic opportunity, consistent with AFFH protocols. By doubling the capacity of most of the city’s commercial districts (adding three or four stories instead of two or three), we replaced baseline feasibility with profitability in those areas, a true incentive, and maintained the affordability and livability in our mixed-income residential districts. But we were not able to fine tune zoning standards to reflect this program in the time we had before the initial HCD filing deadline for the Housing Element.

At its February 2, 2002, hearing, with a response from HCD on certification of our adopted Housing Element still pending, the Planning Commission had completed its homework. A detailed discussion Item 7.A
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3 on distribution of capacity took place. Commissioners agreed on a plan to go much higher than 55’ on our widest boulevards where there are no residents living under rent control to displace and included over 70% of the likely sites listed on our Suitable Sites Inventory (SSI), a list of properties likely to turn over in the next eight years. This approach increased capacity of our SSI to 153% of the RHNAs 8895 new unit target, a significantly larger buffer, and it dramatically increased the likelihood that the already prime development sites on the SSI will in fact turn over and provide housing. All this while not raising height in the Neighborhood Commercial zones that could trigger catastrophic disruption in the city’s most active commercial areas and most diverse residential areas.

In its February 8, 2022, rejection letter, HCD found many faults with Santa Monica first Housing Element submission, of which the non-specific zoning commitment was just one. The Planning Commission-endorsed upzoning plan was further studied and became part of Santa Monica’s subsequently certified Housing Element, but with one key change that the Commissioners did not realize made it into the final, certified draft. The Neighborhood Commercial districts were also upzoned, which the Commission for AFFH, social justice, and other important planning reasons had intended to leave as is. This reversion is the requested amendment to the Housing Element: to return NC zones to their former state, otherwise they will have to be upzoned in the course of implementation in order to remain in compliance. Restoring NC zones will result in a 1% change in unit capacity of our SSI sites. A replacement site can be added to the SSI if HCD considers it necessary for approval.

Below is a documented argument for why this is good planning, the best thing for Fair Housing and diversity in Santa Monica, a way to secure the city’s economic strength, and is part of a robust approach to providing rich incentives for construction of copious amounts of new homes without constraint.

III. Meeting Santa Monica’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment and Beyond Santa Monica’s NC districts cover a total of 71 acres, comprising only 6% of the 1171 acres that have been upzoned as part of 6th Cycle Housing Element implementation to build the 8895 homes required by its RHNA. Housing has been made legal and feasible in every part of the City where it is safe to live. The upzoned areas, which include virtually every other commercial, industrial, and mixed-use zone in the city have been dramatically upzoned, doubled in many cases to ensure not just feasibility for housing but profitability as an added incentive. Some areas have been upzoned even beyond what we proposed in our Housing Element. This shifting of capacity was an intentional strategy of the Planning Commission to ensure that neighborhoods, including the NC districts that run through them, home to rent-controlled tenants and local businesses, including long-time legacy business, are not disrupted by the wave of new growth we are inviting to Santa Monica. This approach makes housing not just feasible, but attractive and likely in the incentivized areas, and ensures a yield of the maximum possible number of inclusionary affordable units in each project. It is likely that this capacity incentive could lead owners of sites not on the SSI to rethink their plans Item 7.A
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4 and choose to build housing as well, adding to the regional supply and perhaps exceeding our housing production requirement.

The Selected Sites Inventory of the Housing Element lists 203 properties of which 13, less than 2% are in Neighborhood Commercial zones. The 13 SSI properties in NC districts represent 165 units after upzoning, about 1% of the 13,600-unit potential of all of Santa Monica’s SSI sites. Twelve of the SSI parcels in NC zones, comprise 5 development sites on Pico Boulevard, and one more site is on Ocean Park Boulevard. In spite of how miniscule an impact the 13 Neighborhood Commercial sites have on our demonstrated capacity to build, we have identified a replacement site for the SSI that could yield more units, should HCD determine that is a necessary condition of approval. This would involve further upzoning in the Bergamot Area of the city, our longstanding industrial zone that according to the Housing Element plan will become a new residential high-rise district adjacent to transit. While traditionally thought to be associated with the historically red-lined Pico Neighborhood, it was in fact entirely industrial during that period without housing, presenting enormous housing opportunities for us to meet today’s crisis.

IV. In Small High-Demand Cities, Market Rate Housing Price Filter Effects Negatively Impact Cultural, Race and Income Diversity Locally
Policy on how to solve the urgent housing crisis in California and beyond relies on a series of welldocumented quantitative studies that generally conclude that all housing is good housing, and the more the better. Increasing availability at any price point that can get funding and be built will relieve pressure on regional markets overall and will create housing opportunity for lower income people down the line as wealthier tenants abandon older housing stock in order to enjoy the amenities of new construction. This idea is known as the supply effect, or filtering down. The affordable housing released from market pressures down the line does not generally appear adjacent to market rate new construction but materializes in other parts of the region over a few years as five or six people have moved into housing vacated in sequence by those who moved into the newest units. This movement of tenants from one home to the next is referred to as a “migration chain” in the study entitled The Effect of New Market-Rate Housing Construction on the Low-Income Housing Market.1
Author Evan Mast shows that for every 100 market-rate units constructed in major urban centers, 17 low-income units were made available in low-income areas in the region. Mast studied twelve major cities in the United States, each with a dense metropolitan core and a surrounding region of neighborhoods catering to a range of housing markets.2 The smallest city he studied, Minneapolis, has a population of 429,954, and a metropolitan area of 7962 1 The Effect of New Market-Rate Housing Construction on the Low-Income Housing Market, by Evan Mast, Upjohn Institute Working Paper 19-307. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2019
2 In particular, Mast studied the following cities. They are listed with their populations as of the 2020 census. Atlanta (498,715), Boston (675,647), Chicago (2,746,388), Dallas (1,304,379), Denver (715,522), Houston (2,304,580), Minneapolis (429,954), New York (8,804,190), Philadelphia (1,603,797), Seattle (737,015), San Francisco (815,201), and Washington (689,545).

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5 square miles. The largest city he studied was New York with a population of 8,804,190 and a metropolitan area of 300.5 square miles. By comparison, Santa Monica has a population of 91,105 and a total land area of 8.3 square miles. It is this density and compactness, the lack of a surrounding “metropolitan area” with a range of housing markets within the city of Santa Monica that highlights a major drawback to this particular approach to mitigating the state-wide housing crisis in a manner that promotes equity and inclusion here in Santa Monica. None of the affordable units released down the migration chain due to market rate housing built in Santa Monica, or anywhere else for that matter, will be in Santa Monica. The housing market in our small city is just too homogeneous.

Mast himself acknowledges his findings point to a regional effect and may have different impacts locally. This is an important fact to consider and plan for, because with only 8.3 square miles, all of Santa Monica is local. Furthermore, Mast reports on the “shortcomings of market mechanisms” once the chain reaches low-income markets several links down the line. Units in low-income areas relieved of market pressure by increased supply of market-rate housing might not actually be low cost “because the private market will not provide housing at below marginal cost.” So, when the units appear in a low-income area, it is likely that costs are already down as far as they are likely to go. But more importantly, when people who can afford to leave a low-cost area move up the chain to newer units, their spending goes with them which can have “important amenity effects. . . such as reduced retail options, school closures, or increased crime” in their old neighborhoods. This basically means that the low-income units that become available can be in areas that manifest some of the more intractable problems associated with poverty. Applied to Santa Monica’s 8.3 square miles in particular, this means the new market rate development in the wrong places could displace Santa Monica’s fragile low-income population, which enjoys the many advantages of living in a very high resource city and segregate them in run-down low resource areas outside of Santa Monica. Mast encourages us to take heed and remember that his findings are a regional effect that is “geographically diffuse” and “new buildings could have different effects on their immediate neighborhood, where they may change amenities or demographic composition.” In Santa Monica we have to be strategic in how we distribute market-rate incentives in order to ensure the results reflect our goals for equity and social justice.

In an often-quoted paper entitled Supply Skepticism: Housing Supply and Affordability, analysis looks at if available land in a tight land market should be reserved for affordable housing, whether the migration chain works, if there will ever be enough supply to meet demand, and if the spillover effect of new construction leads to displacement.3 Supply Skepticism relies on the positive conclusions of Mast’s study by stressing what he found to be generally true, “additions to the housing stock in one submarket can fairly quickly affect prices and rents in other submarkets by alleviating competition that would otherwise be diverted to those submarkets.” But in Santa Monica’s 8.3 square miles, a high resource city with barely discernable interconnected submarkets, this plays out differently, just as Mast warned. Instead, Santa Monica experiences the “filtering up” 3 Supply Skepticism: Housing Supply and Affordability, Vicki Been, Ingrid Gould Ellen, and Katherine O’Reagan, NYU Furman Center, NYU Furman School of Law, 2018
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6 effect where vacated units are all upgraded to market rents. Vacancy in Santa Monica equals gentrification even without redevelopment. Supply Skepticism addresses this by advising subsidized housing programs to fill the gap. But in the meantime, displacement is causing catastrophic change to individuals and families, many of whom are people of color who have been subject to racist land use policies and practices and have made Santa Monica their home for generations. While Supply Skepticism asserts that “adding supply may raise neighborhood rents in some cases, but neither theory nor empirical evidence suggest that will be the norm,” in Santa Monica, it is always the norm.

The Assessment of Fair Housing in Appendix I to the 6th Cycle Housing Element (AFFH Assessment) asserts that “displacement of residents due to economic pressure is a significant factor to Segregation.” It further states that this displacement due to gentrification is widespread in Santa Monica, impacting “low- moderate- and middle-income families and long-time elderly residents,” which is just about everyone.4
Rent controlled apartments have been Santa Monica’s major source of unsubsidized affordable housing for decades. Tenants of those units, according to the AFFH Assessment, are “disproportionately members of protected classes.” In order to reverse the trend towards an ever wealthier and whiter community from border to border, Santa Monica has to be strategic. For these reasons, the Planning Commission’s approach to upzoning in order to accommodate its RHNA and incentivize new housing in general has been focused on areas that don’t include concentrations of rent-controlled properties, or the Neighborhood Commercial areas through their centers that provide services and amenities.

Santa Monica’s AFFH Assessment states that there have not been Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (R/ECAP) in Santa Monica since 1990, for over 30 years. There are no concentrations of deteriorated or abandoned properties in the city because vacated parcels are quickly absorbed by the city’s high-priced, high-demand real estate market. Regionally, residents displaced by redevelopment and gentrification are a “major contributing factor to R/ECAPs,” but since Santa Monica doesn’t have any R/ECAPs, our displaced low- moderate- and middle-income families and long-time elderly residents, which disproportionally represent people in protected classes, are being pushed out of the city and landing in new segregated areas elsewhere in the region.

Taking advantage of the regional effects of the migration chain, while attempting to divert the negative effects it could have locally, is the key advantage of the strategic approach to the upzoning proposed by the Planning Commission, a critical piece of which is to leave Neighborhood Commercial zones as they have always been. 100% Affordable Housing Projects can still occur in NC without upzoning, and already have. Local and state density bonuses have and will continue to ensure that the maximum heights affordable housing providers need to take full advantage of the funding sources available to them is allowed. Our RHNA requires 66% of our housing allocation to be deed restricted affordable, so the approach is careful not to impinge upon feasibility of 100% 4 Santa Monica 6th Cycle Housing Element, Appendix I, Assessment of Fair Housing, City of Santa Monica Housing and Economic Development and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil rights under Law, City of Santa Monica, April 1, 2020 Item 7.A
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7 affordable housing projects, which can tip the balance. Upzoning NC districts is not necessary for affordable housing production.

A report published by the California State Legislative Analyst, Mac Taylor, entitled Perspectives on Helping Low-Income Californians Afford Housing, asserts that “more private development is associated with less displacement,” but by displacement, a strictly quantitative measure is used: the number of low-income units and whether population numbers of low-income residents decline faster relative to the overall population of an area.5 On a strictly numerical basis, it is possible to maintain the number of low-income housing units in Santa Monica because of laws requiring inclusionary affordable housing and the replacement of demolished low-income units on new housing sites. But this measure of displacement does not account for the lives of actual people, many of whom are people of color who have been displaced over and over again by racist laws and policies, who are in fact still being displaced by market rate development and are forced to move to new low-income, segregated areas in the region far from home and family. Quantitative diversity measures applied this way create a new policy that works like the old systemically racist policies we are trying to expunge from our laws. Its clears the way to move vulnerable groups out of the way on the name of progress. It was the same in the 1950s, when eminent domain proceedings that robbed people of color of home and investments was justified with the promise of public housing projects.

It was all for their own good back then too.

Santa Monica is a very high resource area from end to end. Even the Pico Neighborhood where our most rent burdened residents reside, is a high resource area. In Santa Monica, every vacated unit city-wide is upgraded and up priced. Affordable units that become available down the “migration chain” as people move into newly constructed buildings appear somewhere else in the region, not in Santa Monica. Thus, the idea that we must open up every piece of land to dense housing regardless of the value of the current use, going well above and beyond what the RHNA requires us to build, will harm the city by thwarting our goals of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We have shown that Santa Monica will be able to meet the housing production required by its RHNA and will be able to contribute the regionally effective supply effect from building market-rate housing in appropriate places without building more housing where it will do more harm than good.

Next is a discussion of how maintaining existing Neighborhood Commercial districts can contribute to true, economic, cultural, and racial diversity in Santa Monica.

V. Upzoning Neighborhood Commercial Districts Leads to Displacement A number of studies are available on the impact of gentrification of Neighborhood Commercial districts on low-income communities, on community diversity, and on communities characterized by ethnic, cultural, or racial populations that have experienced discrimination. This information 5 Perspectives on Helping Low-Income Californians Afford Housing, by Mac Taylor, California Legislative Analyst Office, 2016 Item 7.A
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8 weighs heavily on social justice concerns related to incentivizing dramatic change in Neighborhood Commercial districts in Santa Monica.

A Solon Magazine article by sociology professor at the University of Denver, Ellen Berrey, who has written extensively on diversity sums up the term this way: “diversity is how we talk about race when we can’t talk about race. It has become a stand-in when open discussion of race is too controversial or — let’s be frank — when white people find the topic of race uncomfortable.”6 When we allow our laws and policies for creating housing diversity to be based on a quantitative analysis, as in the Taylor analysis above, that erases the real-life, direct impacts on communities of color and the economically disadvantaged. We are once again erasing them from the conversation, and our city’s history. This purely quantitative approach disregards individuals, seeing them only as faceless place holders, robbing them of opportunities for generational wealth and the opportunity to choose to stay where they are, rather than limit that choice to where they will move until the next cycle of “colorblind” programs and policies moves them again. Unless lawmakers are sensitive to the real time impacts of new programs on living breathing community members, we are not making lives better.

When our laws tell us that we must Affirmative Further Fair Housing, they are directing us to look beyond just housing production and develop policies that make our neighborhoods diverse and inclusive and to ensure they provide housing opportunity for all. The resulting policies can’t just be focused on making areas that are filled with mostly white people less white but must also make herculean efforts to avoid harming and disrupting the lives of non-white people in the path of these changes who define diversity and have already endured enough harm and disruption. In her 2007 master’s degree thesis, The Dynamics of Multiracial Integration: A Case Study of the Pico Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA, Deirdre Pfeiffer found Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood to be an integrated neighborhood with a fragile balance of white and non-white residents. 7 Pfeiffer found
that the strong sense of community fostered by the stable population has been an important contributing factor to maintaining long-term integration. Generational family ties, long-term neighbors and a feeling of “roots” does as much to attract new non-white residents as it does to keep others from moving away. Buildings and units are not diverse, people are. Pfeiffer credits the city’s rent control ordinance and affordable housing programs for making it possible for low-income people and non-whites to stay in the area. Longtime residents in the Pico Neighborhood today remain connected to family and friends who were displaced by the construction of the Santa Monica Freeway, which bisected the neighborhood over a half-century ago. To this group, the painful displacement of hundreds of families for the freeway is not history, remaining a visceral cloud on their current lives.

A PhD dissertation, Integration without Assimilation: Black Social Life in a Diverse Suburb, by Alan V.

Grigsby examines what diversity looks like in the famously integrated Shaker Heights, Ohio suburb 6 Diversity is for White People: The Big Lie Behind the Well-Intended Word, by Ellen Berry, www.solon.com, October 26, 2015 7 The Dynamics of Multiracial Integration: A Case Study of the Pico Neighborhood in Santa Monica, CA, Dierdre Pfeiffer, A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, 2007
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9 just outside of Cleveland.
8 Grigsby examines what meaningful diversity could look like once people are brought together, and concludes that access to housing alone creates only statistical integration, and will not foster the kind of true integration that chips away at the lasting effects of long-term, systemic racism in America. That comes when people have a chance to interact in places where they all feel a sense of belonging so they can start to see each other as individuals.

Neighborhood Commercial businesses that cater to specific local tastes can create environments where different kinds of people feel comfortable enough to connect, which leads to progress.

Corporation-run business, he found, do not have the flexibility or adaptability to serve this purpose.

Grigsby observes that many Black Americans are emotionally guarded outside of safe spaces among others who share their experiences with “racial microaggressions,” even in supposedly non-racist environments. He also notes that pressure towards cultural assimilation engenders feelings of personal disenfranchisement; people need to be who they are and must feel welcomed for there to be genuine integration. Grigsby concludes that quantitative integration without avenues for true connectivity such as welcoming local businesses, leads to “micro segregation,” which is a zero-sum change.

Taking it a step further, Steven Tuttle’s paper Producing Diverse and Segregated Spaces: Local Businesses and Commercial Gentrification in Two Chicago Neighborhoods, focusses not only on the role Neighborhood Commercial districts play in genuine integration, but also observes the impacts on racial segregation and integration of gentrifying Neighborhood Commercial districts. It begins with the alienation of long terms residents where they once belonged and ends with financial pressures forcing them out.
9 Tuttle’s study took place in two Latino neighborhoods in Chicago, where he looked at “third places” in their gentrifying neighborhood commercial districts.

Functioning like Grigsby’s welcoming local establishments, “third places” are not home, not work, but a third place that is neutral, safe territory. Tuttle observed both segregated and integrated businesses and identified factors that enable them to function as truly integrated places that are welcoming to a range of groups. He saw that low rent cultural enclaves are targets for gentrifiers who see “local flavor” and “authenticity” as an amenity that will enhance the value of their new businesses or developments. The new businesses and developments themselves catered to neighborhood newcomers and did not feel hospitable to those who were already there. To make matters worse, these businesses replaced local legacy businesses that had catered to them, causing feelings of exclusion. Tuttle studied only locally owned businesses because “compared to national chains, locally owned businesses are more closely tied to local communities, more dependent upon them, and are more conducive to socializing.” As the neighborhood transitioned into gentrification, Tuttle encountered with greater frequency long-time residents referring to new businesses as “not for me” indicating a growing sense of alienation in an area where they once felt like they belonged.

As more legacy businesses shuttered, disorientation was replaced with anger and the seeds of a 8 Integration without Assimilation: Black Social Life in a Diverse Suburb, by Alan V. Grigsby, A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Sociology of the College of Arts and Sciences, July 19, 2018 9 Producing Diverse and Segregated Spaces: Local Businesses and Commercial Gentrification in Two Chicago Neighborhoods, by Steven Tuttle, Department of Sociology, Loyola University, Chicago, City & Community, American Sociological Association, Washington DC, December 2020
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10 race and class protest. While it is possible for any business owner to intentionally cater to a range of populations by creating a safe space with a variety of offerings, it is a rare occurrence among those who rent spaces in gentrifying new development. Developers focus on securing the highest and best use in pro forma that secure financing, which means attracting deep-pocketed chain stores, who have a corporate structure to respond and conform to. Tuttle also notes that, “increasing neighborhood-level diversity does not seem to necessarily result in increased integration as segregation may remain at smaller levels of analysis,” which is the same concept as the “microsegregation” reported by Grigsby. To the whites, the differences between the new and old businesses is just about taste and cost, but to the Latino residents in the communities Tuttle studied, the new businesses represent exclusion, the erasure of cultural identity, and finally displacement.

In her study of commercial gentrification in Santa Ana, California, Carolina Sarmiento looks more specifically at how progressive goals for increasing income or racial diversity as part of commercial gentrification actively provides justification for displacement of immigrant and other local businesses by “positioning them as . . . backward.”10 Sarmiento observed in Santa Ana that “[p]lanning and development actors in this case failed to recognize the value of cultural and economic community networks while also diverting attention and resources away from immigrantserving businesses.” Roughshod efforts at creating diversity can just as easily wipe out diversity through displacement, which Sarmiento observed can be intentional or unintentional depending on the actor. Intentional or not, such consequences are supported by programs that use quantitative benchmarks without considering individuals and small businesses directly impacted in the field.

Sarmiento critiques the way diversity is reflected in planning policy where “color blindness” becomes a virtue that “favor[s] status-quo privileges,” in other words, perpetuating systemic racist practice by supporting values that are legacies of systemic racism. For example, when new highvalue businesses create an environment where legacy business must assimilate to survive, they are forced to betray their unique founding cultural characteristics which are undervalued. “Third spaces” in an increasingly competitive business environment disappear. The people associated with them leave the area where there is nothing left for them, just as they did a generation ago when communities were shattered by eminent domain proceedings. Sarmiento shows that diversity policies when applied without regard for those most directly impacted, become just another mechanism for the displacement and segregation of communities of color who are still seen today by overt racists and those who have unconsciously internalized generations of racist indoctrination as bad for property value. As goals for diversity become part of planning policy, we have to be very deliberate to ensure that Black, Mexican, low-income, and other groups not part of the white, gentrified population don’t continue to struggle for equity and inclusion with “diversity” at the center of the onslaught. A terrible irony.

Like everywhere else, in Santa Monica charm, authenticity, and ethnic flavor in Neighborhood Commercial districts are seen as amenities for new infill development taking advantage of the gap 10 Not diverse enough? Displacement, diversity discourse, and commercial gentrification in Santa Ana, California, a majorityMexican city, by Carolina Sarmiento, Urban Studies: An International Journal of Research in Urban Studies, 2022 Item 7.A
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11 between current and potential land values. Land value rises, floor plates enlarge, corporate tenants take over, and the charm, authenticity, and ethnic flavor they came for is destroyed as local businesses are priced out. Yes, new market rate apartment buildings will bring in new housing types to these districts, but at what cost? Does that housing diversity really lead to meaningful population diversity when placed on strips that run through Santa Monica’s established residential neighborhoods? The evidence shows that imposing “diversity” in this way can be destructive, doing more harm than good in promoting social justice. The imposition of too much market rate development in Neighborhood Commercial districts, which are the seams that tie our mixed-income residential districts together is an engine of displacement. It becomes the axe that destroys what it meant to create. It destroys “third spaces” where genuine integration has a chance to develop, sending different groups back to their corners, reverting to “micro-segregation.” Evidence shows that hospitable “third spaces” outside of the structures of home and work require a concerted effort by business owners invested in the community to cultivate. The insertion of new gentrified businesses appears to gentrifiers as presentation of more choices but to the pre-gentrification residents they are an ominous harbinger of the next displacement.

Quantified diversity based on exogenous indicators unsupported by thoughtful programs and finely tuned zoning can break up communities. Leaving NC zones as they are so they continue to incentivize thriving local businesses and continue to provide the possibility for affordable housing is a start. In a high resource, high-demand city like Santa Monica, we have already met the market rate component of our RHNA in proposed projects before we have even implemented our new Housing Element policies, but we are significantly behind in development of deed-restricted affordable units. Over production of market-rate housing, which is a line easily crossed, in our sensitive residential districts moves the city further away from true diversity to place of all wealthy White people. The city’s low-income community, which in many cases includes the city’s people of color are seeing their fears of yet another displacement born out, as community members representing generations of Santa Monicans are pushed out or flee to outlying areas.

VI. Santa Monica’s Four Unique Neighborhood Commercial Districts Pico Boulevard
“The [Pico Boulevard] business improvement district, paired with the award-winning nonprofit Beautify Earth, has adorned buildings here with a variety of striking murals. The people bustling through the area are equally diverse, drawn to a mix of small galleries, live music venues, shops and a variety of restaurants offering temptations for almost any palate.

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12 – Santa Monica Visitor Information11
Since the 1910s, Santa Monica’s non-whites were segregated to an area in up the middle of the city, which they shared with industrial uses including five major brickyards, where many of them were employed. Over the decades, two Neighborhood Commercial strips evolved, one on Broadway and one on Olympic Boulevard where locally owned businesses thrived. Churches, social clubs, restaurants and barbershops tied the community together, which held strong and resilient in the face of racism through the support of those commercial and social institutions. When the Santa Monica Freeway bisected the neighborhood in the 1960s evicting 550 households from the area through eminent domain and cutting the neighborhood commercial districts off from what was left of those it was built to serve, the long-standing social networks crumbled. Today those stretches of Broadway and Olympic Boulevard have more parking lots than buildings. Through various zoning initiatives, single unit dwellings in what remained of the original segregated zone were replaced with apartment buildings in order the accommodate more families moving in from other parts of the city as a result of other condemnation initiatives. This area, between the freeway and Pico Boulevard is what we call the Pico Neighborhood today. The 1970s were a particularly difficult time for the shattered community. Those who were left behind endured crime, gangs, and poverty. It took decades for the strength of the old, unifying social structures to rebuild. The Pfeiffer study outlined above profiles this modern, rebuilt era of the Pico Neighborhood. Eradicating systemic racism means recognizing when we are repeating history.

Pico Boulevard evolved as the new Neighborhood Commercial district and remains the heart of its surrounding community today. The Pico Neighborhood is Santa Monica’s most diverse and integrated district. It enjoys a number of politically active, outspoken groups seeking social justice.

Upzoning of Pico Boulevard is in direct conflict with city policy established in 1983 in response to the original advocacy from the neighborhood during the 1980s when progressive Santa Monica emerged, and re-affirmed several times over the decades, including as recently as 2019. The goals of these policies are to improve conditions in the Pico Neighborhood and protect the city’s most rent burdened residents from displacement. Housing Element AFFH guidance directs cities to make a “diligent effort to include all economic segments of the community” in outreach. For decades, Santa Monica has been hearing from residents of the Pico Neighborhood seeking support and city services long lacking in that district and presenting the need to protect economic opportunities for their constituents on their main commercial street, Pico Boulevard. Above all, they wish to keep running their businesses and stay in their homes. After decades of segregation, discrimination, and disruption through eminent domain, exclusionary zoning practices, red-lining, and other racist real estate practices, gentrification is just another form of displacement. But unlike in the 1960s when the destruction of the community gathering places on the area’s local commercial boulevards resulted in poverty and chaos, in the present real estate environment, it will mean erasure. Plans to provide new services for residents of the Pico Neighborhood that will provide economic opportunity have only recently started to show results with a community kitchen to help support seed businesses (coming soon), and a Protecting Our Diversity program providing rent subsidies for Pico 11 https://www.santamonica.com/experience-santa-monica/neighborhoods/ Item 7.A
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13 Neighborhood residents. The benefits of small-business micro-grants, another new city program, will end at the micro level if affordable retail spaces for them to grow into that are close to their customer bases are no longer extant. Since 2020, 22% of the businesses in Pico’s NC district have newly opened, and 44% have been in business there for ten years or more. A notable 27% of the businesses in Pico’s NC district have been serving for over 20 years.

Some Santa Monica neighborhoods are already diverse, and in particular the Pico Neighborhood, which was formerly segregated, has become significantly mixed income and mixed race and ethnicity over time. The city’s AFFH Assessment notes that “[e]thnic enclaves in particular may help immigrants build a sense of community and adapt to life in the U.S. The businesses, social networks, and institutions in ethnic enclaves may help immigrants preserve their cultural identities while providing a variety of services that allow them to establish themselves in their new homes.” This idea has been well documented in ethnographic studies. The particularly high percentage of legacy businesses on Pico Boulevard is a reflection of the well-established community there, which is in constant danger of displacement.

Main Street
Like the tides of the Pacific just a few blocks away, Main Street is characterized by a slow shift in personalities. By day, it’s a favorite of up-at-dawn locals, who come for breakfast or coffee after a sunrise surf session or to patronize the eclectic collection of businesses with their dogs and children in tow. Visitors can join in, easily filling an afternoon at laid-back patio-lined cafés and indie boutiques. In the evening, trendy restaurants and watering holes glow with a lively mix of options for nightlife lovers. – Santa Monica Visitor Information

Main Street serves the historically redlined Ocean Park Neighborhood in Santa Monica. The location of Santa Monica’s first African American church, the Ocean Park Neighborhood has been home to a varied and eclectic population of Blacks, Mexicans, poor people, LGBTQ, Jewish Holocaust survivors, and immigrants of all kinds. When the effects of redlining and disinvestment began to lift in the 1970s, Ocean Park improved quickly. This was in large part to the Ocean Park Redevelopment Project, which razed nine square blocks of affordable dwellings and replaced them with luxury hirise towers, displacing 1200 low-income households. Several highway improvements also took place in Ocean Park including the widening of the streets the led from the freeway to the new towers.

These changes displaced more residents and devalued the properties of several others, including the African American church, by taking twelve feet of frontage from several blocks of parcels. On the heels of those events, Ocean Park became ground zero of Santa Monica’s nationally recognized progressive movement. Among literally dozens of social service programs that started in the neighborhood was Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM), Santa Monica’s most prolific affordable housing development nonprofit to this day, established with a seed grant from the City of Santa Monica in 1982. CCSM owns and operates 343 affordable housing units on 22 sites across the Ocean Park Neighborhood. Additionally, there are approximately 170 units of deed restricted Item 7.A
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14 affordable rental units for seniors in Ocean Park. According to the 2021 Santa Monica Rent Control Board Annual Report, 4,684 rental units in Ocean Park are subject to local rent control (17% of the citywide total, on 10% of the land area of the city).12 The neighborhood elementary school is racially and ethnically integrated with almost sixty percent (60%) of students identifying as non-white.

Ocean Park’s proximity to the beach contributes significantly to its appeal, putting constant displacement pressure on low-income and long-term residents. This results in the highest risk of turnover of rent controlled units affordable to low- and moderate-income residents in the city according to the city’s AFFH Assessment. The affordable, locally owned, and community serving businesses on Main Street still serve people of all income levels who rub shoulders there in a true “third space” community-building environment. Many of the businesses are found in Main Street’s 33 historic resources, which help attract clientele from all over the region to make the street a success. A BID and a strong Merchants Association have worked hard to keep Main Street vital through the city’s economic downturn and subsequent Covid-19 shutdown impacts. Today Main Street enjoys a respectably low 9.4% vacancy rate among its ground floor commercial spaces (compared to approximately 28% vacancy on the Third Street Promenade). 13 Of the current
business licenses issued in the Main Street NC by the City of Santa Monica, 35% have started up since 2020, and 36% are legacy business in place for ten years or more.14 In this time of economic stress for brick-and-mortar shopping streets, Main Street remains a vibrant and appealing place of authentic diversity because everyone feels welcome. Main Street is also vital to the struggling economy of the city because of its rate of recovery. Immediately adjacent to the west of Main Street is a large city-owned site, currently serving as parking lots. A program in the 6th Cycle Housing Element will provide over 600 100% affordable deed-restricted housing units there. The residents of those units will also be served by the businesses in the NC zone on Main Street if they remain affordable. With careful planning, we can maintain the mix of businesses, so it continues to have something for everyone.

Ocean Park Boulevard
Ocean Park Boulevard boasts an authentic local vibe, a crop of talked-about restaurants and “Where did you get that?!” boutiques and shops. Accentuated by spacious Clover Park, the neighborhood is also home to Barker Hangar, which has hosted many awards shows like the Kids’ Choice Awards, People’s Choice Awards and more; the Santa Monica Airport and Ruskin Group Theatre Co.; and the Museum of Flying as well as neighboring Spitfire Grill. The airport’s observation decks, eco-friendly gardens and twice-monthly antiques market are also big draws.
– Santa Monica Visitor Information
Ocean Park Boulevard’s Neighborhood Commercial district is in the Sunset Park Neighborhood. Its vibrant businesses serve immediate neighbors as well as drawing patronage from the Pico 12 Santa Monica Rent Control Board Annual Report, City of Santa Monica, California, 2021, https://santamonica.gov/departments/rent-control 13 Main Street Merchants Association 14 Business License Spreadsheet, Santa Monica Department of Economic Development, 2022 Item 7.A
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15 Neighborhood and citywide. Sunset Park was the last area of the city to see development, which began very slowly in the 1920s primarily with small bungalow courts that appeared near the new Santa Monica Airport and its primary user, Douglas Aircraft. The airfield was considered a recreational site, so it included a golf course and a shooting range, which were profitably managed by the city to help pay for the land. In spite of these amenities, development didn’t take off in Sunset Park until the 1930s when FHA loans made home ownership accessible, but only if the loan applicant was Caucasian. In the 1960s after deed restrictions could no longer stop them, some pioneering middle class Blacks from the Pico Neighborhood began to move into homes in Sunset Park, though the area remains predominantly White. Today there are approximately 7,000 housing units in Sunset Park. Of these, 3,309, 47%, are rentals subject to local rent control and affordable to people of low and moderate incomes. These units are primarily located adjacent to the Neighborhood Commercial zone. The two elementary schools in Sunset Park, which also serve the Pico Neighborhood, are among the most ethnically and racially diverse schools in the city.

Immediately adjacent to theeastern portion of Ocean Park Boulevard’s Neighborhood Commercial zone is an area of about 55 acres zoned as Office Conservation (OC). This is an area that has never allowed residential development in the past, but as part of the implementation of Santa Monica’s 6th Cycle Housing Element will not only allow housing but will incentivize housing projects with enhanced capacity. The new residents in OC will be served by the vibrant neighborhood businesses nearby. Of all the businesses operating in the Ocean Park Boulevard NC zone, 27% have been added since 2020, and 39% have been in operation for ten years or more. The vacancy rate of 7% reflects standards of a healthy business district.

Montana Avenue
Montana Avenue, which sits at the city’s northern edge, is home to a stretch of more than 150 restaurants and retailers. Though it’s just a short walk from Downtown Santa Monica, it feels removed from the hustle and bustle of the Promenade and Pier. Late-night options may be limited, but from sunrise to sunset, a steady stream of shoppers browse the surrounding storefronts amid a relaxed crowd of A-list celebrities, out-of-towners and parents pushing strollers, none of whom seem in a hurry to leave the wealth of juice bars, latte vendors and outdoor cafés.
–Santa Monica’s Visitor Information
Montana Avenue, like Main Street has regional appeal, making it a valued piece of our local economy. It is the connecting fabric between the highest of the high resource neighborhoods of the city, North of Montana (NOMA), and the Wilmont Neighborhood. Wilmont is home to 10,481 rentcontrolled apartments affordable to low and moderate incomes, comprising 38.2% of the city’s total rent-controlled housing stock. Montana Avenue provides a number of shopping and dining choices, which bring residents from a number of different backgrounds together in a welcoming “third space” environment. Much of the appeal is attributed to the long-nurtured atmosphere of community created through several annual events hosted by its BID and Merchant’s Association. Of active business licenses on Montana Avenue, 26% were granted since 2020. Legacy businesses in place for ten years or more comprise 37% of the licenses, and the NC district has about a 10% Item 7.A
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16 vacancy rate, which indicates that like the other three NC districts in the city it too is making great strides towards full economic recovery that can help carry the city through a very difficult financial period. Through robust incentive programs in the 6th Cycle Housing Element for ADU’s, lot splits, and duplex development, housing opportunity in the North of Montana district will increase over the next several years. Ensuring that this growing area will remain a complete neighborhood served by a well-established commercial street will help the city achieve sustainability goals by reducing car trips as the next-closest commercial street in the city is a half-mile to a mile or more away from most residents.

VII. Conclusion
A strategic effort to retain the long-standing zoning in Santa Monica’s Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard, Main Street, and Montana Avenue was omitted in the final certified Housing Element, but is critical to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing in the city. For diversity to be meaningful, it must be qualitative. In an increasingly White and wealthy city like Santa Monica, that means protecting actual people and actual local business from displacement. Using only statistics to measure displacement dehumanizes at risk residents and subjects ethnic, racial, and cultural communities to yet another involuntary exodus from the city.

We can’t be selective about which racist narratives we respond to. Single-unit zoning had terrible racist implications in the past, and global upzoning today will be just as harmful. Existing locally owned small businesses thrive in well-established local-serving retail hubs that make Santa Monica’s residential districts walkable, complete neighborhoods and are the driving force for Santa Monica’s future economic health.

Nina Fresco
February 2023
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February 13, 2023
Re: Neighborhood Commercial Zoning
Dear Santa Monica City Council:

We urge you stick with our Housing Element promises. Allowing housing in more areas of Santa Monica, including next to our highest resourced neighborhoods by legalizing apartments on streets like Ocean Park and Montana, was a central pillar of our Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) commitments. To back out now, just four months after our Housing Element was certified, and after more than two years of public process putting our Housing Element together, violates state housing laws, will likely trigger the ire of HCD, and potentially risks bringing the Builder’s Remedy back to Santa Monica.

As City Staff has explained, Santa Monica’s Housing Element was previously rejected multiple times because of insufficient efforts to address AFFH requirements. HCD did not believe we were doing enough to address historic patterns of segregation and discrimination and implored us to do more.

So City Council made a compromise. There wouldn’t be any rezonings in single-family neighborhoods but instead on parcels NEXT TO single-family neighborhoods. Main, Montana, Ocean Park, and Pico (along Sunset Park). These parcels have some of the highest retails rents in the city and almost all of them abut single-family homes which sell for $3M+, and along Montana $5M+. By legalizing new mixedincome housing on parcels next to these homes, Santa Monica made a decision to create housing opportunities for more people. No longer would newcomers need at least $3 million dollars or more to live near these streets.

This plan met state law requirements. But now we’re trying to take another bite at the apple by reopening our Housing Element. And unlike last time, this attempt to change our Housing Element is being done with no meaningful effort to consult local businesses, no effort to consult all economic segments of the Santa Monica community, and certainly no effort to come up with an alternative AFFH plan to address historic patterns of segregation and discrimination. Instead, all we see is a rushed and panicked attempt to avoid following through with our own promises.

HCD has specific requirements for AFFH. These requirements are clearly laid out in multiple publicly available documents on HCD’s website. Requirements include robust analysis on existing patterns and trends, ample outreach to all economic segments of the community, and “meaningful, frequent, & ongoing community participation” with groups such as community-based organizations, lower income Item 7.A
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community members, and households that include persons in protected classes. This attempt to back out of our Housing Element promises satisfies none of these requirements.

HCD AFFH Guidance - Examples
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Based on HCD’s prior rejections of our Housing Element, and based on HCD’s publicly available AFFH guidance, we believe this effort to back out of our Housing Element promises is doomed to fail.

Especially after Staff has said they’ve discussed with HCD and HCD said they will very likely say no.

And remember – AB2011 will do much of this anyway. When paired with Density Bonus Law, a builder submitting a project under AB2011 can achieve up to 4-6 stories of height along our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. So even if HCD says yes (which we are confident they won’t) you still will have accomplished nothing because AB2011 creates similar opportunities anyways.

Housing Element law is complex. If we make any mistake with implementation, Santa Monica could quickly fall out of compliance and become subject to the Builder’s Remedy once again. Knowing this, why would we devote our limited staff resources toward an effort that will almost certainly fail? In Santa Monica Forward’s view, better to have Staff focus on faithfully implementing our Housing Element so we do not fall out of compliance once again.

Sincerely,
Santa Monica Forward
Resources

1. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/community-development/affh/docs/affh_webinar_slides.pdf

2. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/community-development/affh/docs/affh_document_final_4-27- 2021.pdf

3. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/community-development/housing-element/housing-elementmemos/docs/ab686_summaryhousingelementfinal_04222020.pdf Item 7.A
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Dear Mayor Davis, Vice Mayor Negrete and Councilmembers:

The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council request the approval of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to amend Program 1J of the City’s certified Housing Element (2021-2129) in order to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives and to protect small, locally owned businesses and service providers The proposed amendment would finetune the program by retaining the City’s long-term commitment to providing access to housing opportunity while ensuring we maintain complete neighborhoods that provide access to economic opportunity and address vehicle miles traveled concerns. Specifically, the proposed amendment would retain the existing heights and Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NC) on Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue, rather than increasing them as proposed in the current language of Program 1J.

The Planning Commission also recommends that the City request HCD’s guidance as to whether the SSI should be amended to remove the thirteen properties in the Neighborhoods Commercial District and to add (a) Replacement Site(s) that is (are) necessary to compensate for the 165 housing units projected for development in the NC District.

Finally, the Commission recommends that the City request HCD’s approval for adoption of an Interim Zoning Ordinance (IZO) for the purpose of upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial Districts and meeting the October 2023 deadline for implementing Program 1J of the Housing Element. The IZO would be worded to sunset upon the earlier of (i) the amendment of the Housing Element if HCD approves the amendment, in which case the existing zoning for NC Districts would remain; or (ii) the adoption of permanent Zoning Ordinance amendments to upzone the NC District if HCD denies the amendment request.

This request for approval to amend Program 1J is based on the following:

1. The Commission understands that the State is concerned about accomplishing AFFH goals by upzoning the NC Districts. The City has found through on-going analysis that this upzoning is not necessary to accomplish the City’s RHNA goals nor to further AFFH objectives. The City believes that AFFH goals are being reached in all the neighborhoods served by the NC Districts, or will be reached through the implementation of new programs mandated by the Housing Element..

2. The upzoning of our NC districts will causethe displacement of locally owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to residents. In fact, the loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will be in direct conflict with AFFH objectives. Many of these small businesses are minority-owned. Further, NC Districts currently offer entrepreneurial opportunities for local residents, many of whom are people of color.

3. Proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments would remove the requirement that the ground floors of new projects on Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards include commercial space. This proposed zoning change recognizes the inability of local businesses to afford the rents in Item 7.A
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these new buildings and the fact that these two neighborhood commercial streets would not attractsufficient regional interest to attract non-local retailers, which could afford the new, higher rents. The result of this would be the removal of all convenient, walkable commercial opportunities in Sunset Park and the Pico neighborhood.

4. The NC Districts include many designated Landmarks and other significant historic resources. This fact reduces the overall development capacity of NC areas.

5. A Replacement Site that can accommodate more than the 165 units projected for the upzoned NC areas has been identified. With even greater capacity than those sites, it will actually increase the number of affordable and market rate units produced during the 6th Cycle.

6. The Replacement Site will locate new residents close to the Expo Light Rail Line, offering access to numerous job nodes throughout the region. Access to high quality transit is critical to the economic health of many residents, especially lower incomes.

Data Demonstrating AFFH in Neighborhood Commercial Districts The proposed Housing Element amendment will not have negative impacts on the State’s AFFH requirements because each neighborhood surrounding the NC zones currently offers or will offer a variety of housing types and affordability levels during the 6th Cycle.

Main Street
The NC district on Main Street is the major commercial area serving residents of Ocean Park. The historically red-lined Ocean Park community has always provided a variety of housing types and a range of affordability levels. Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM), Santa Monica’s most prolific affordable housing development nonprofit established with a seed grant from the City of Santa Monica in 1982, owns and operates 343 affordable housing units on 22 sites across Ocean Park. Of these units, 44 are on Main Street, just north of Main Street’s NC District. Across the street from this CCSM project on Main Street is a mixed income rental housing project with approximately 60 units. This existing housing has been developed using the zoning standards of the General Commercial District, which has a lower FAR and height limit than that proposed in the Housing Element for the NC portion of Main Street.

There are approximately 170 units of deed restricted affordable rental units for seniors in Ocean Park.

According to the 2021 Santa Monica Rent Control Board Annual Report, 4,684 rental units in Ocean Park are subject to local rent control (17% of the citywide total). The median monthly Maximum Allowable Rents for these units range from $1,521 for a studio apartment to $2,466 for a three-bedroom apartment. These rents are affordable to moderate income households and include units with long term tenants and those that have been decontrolled to market rate levels.

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The feasibility of developing housing with the existing NC development standards has been demonstrated by a recently approved market rate rental housing project with ground floor retail in the NC District. This project demonstrates that housing can be feasibly developed with a retail component on this NC portion of Main Street.

Ocean Park is a diverse community from the standpoint of income levels and demographics. John Muir Elementary School is located in Ocean Park and serves the majority of children who live in that community. It is currently closed for remediation purposes. When in operation, the school is a Title I school, meaning at least thirty five percent (35%) of its students are from families living at or near the poverty level. Forty seven percent (47%) of the students are from low-income families. John Muir is also racially and ethnically integrated with almost sixty percent (60%) of students identifying as non-white.

The Ocean Park housing market also includes many single-family houses and condominiums with values well into the millions of dollars.

The City believes that upzoning the NC District on Main Street is unnecessary because Ocean Park is already a model community for meeting AFFH objectives.

Ocean Park Boulevard
The NC area on Ocean Park Boulevard is the major neighborhood commercial district for the Sunset Park community with locally owned businesses and necessary community retail and essential services. A common misperception about the Sunset Park community is that it is primarily populated by single family homeowners in R1 districts. Similar to Ocean Park, Sunset Park offers a wide variety of housing choices and affordability levels. There are approximately 7,000 housing units in Sunset Park. Of these, 2,634 are on R1 properties, and 3,309 are rentals subject to local rent control. The median Maximum Allowable Rents for these rent-controlled units range from $1,140 for a studio to $2,298 for a three-bedroom unit. These rents are affordable to low and/or moderate-income households. CCSM owns and operates 310 deed restricted affordable rental units in Sunset Park. The balance of the units in Sunset Park (747) are condominiums and post-1978 apartments.

Another interesting fact about Sunset Park is that one of its two elementary schools (Will Rogers) is among the most ethnically and racially diverse schools in the district. It serves the Pico and Sunset Park neighborhoods west of 17th Street. Thirty three percent (33%) of the students identify as white, forty five percent (45%) as Hispanic, nine percent (9%) as black, and thirteen percent (13%) as members of other racial/ethnic groups. Will Rogers is designated as a Title I school. John Adams Middle School, which serves the Pico Neighborhood, Sunset Park and Ocean Park is also a Title 1 school. No feasibility analysis showing the need to increase FAR and height in the NC District of Ocean Park Boulevard was performed, but existing conditions demonstrate the district’s ability to offer housing opportunity at a wide range of affordability.

Montana Avenue
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The Montana Avenue NC district is the major neighborhood commercial area for the neighborhoods north of Montana Avenue and between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Although the north of Montana neighborhood is primarily R1 with extremely high property values, it is bound by streets with hundreds of units of multi-family housing. The certified Housing Element proposes furthering AFFH objectives in the R1 District north of Montana through active encouragement of ADU construction and enactment of zoning changes that encourage the development of duplexes using SB9.

The neighborhood between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard is almost entirely developed with multi-family housing and has the highest percentage of the City’s rent-controlled housing supply (6,012 units). These rent-controlled units are affordable to and serve all income groups.

Pico Boulevard
Businesses in the Pico Boulevard NC District serve residents of the Pico Neighborhood and the northern section of Sunset Park with a variety of affordable retail and service options. Although designated a High Resource Area like the rest of the city, the Pico Neighborhood is home to its lowest income and most rent burdened residents. The neighborhood also has the highest concentration of people of color and is the community most at risk because of gentrification and its resulting displacement. Planning for this area is a delicate balance between encouraging diversity and protecting existing residents and the commercial facilities that serve them.

Beginning with the Pico Neighborhood Community Plan in 1983, the residents of the Pico Neighborhood have advocated for fair housing, appropriate commercial/industrial development, to reduce crime, support youth, and for public services in their district. Spurred by new energy from the community in 2016, the city began an update of the Pico Neighborhood Plan that focused specifically on the NC district. Community advocates brought strong support for maintaining and supporting the ethnic and cultural character of the Pico Neighborhood, protecting residents from displacement, and developing new ways to support business opportunities for local entrepreneurs in the NC district on Pico Boulevard. In 2019, targeted adjustments were made to the city’s zoning regulations for NC on Pico Boulevard to support local economic development. For example, a community kitchen that supports seed businesses in food service is under construction. The City also gives micro-grants to local entrepreneurs seeking to start small businesses. And, a Protecting Our Diversity program provides rent subsidies for Pico Neighborhood residents.

The Pico Neighborhood also includes an area north of the I10 Freeway, which was severed from the southern portion of the neighborhood by construction of the Santa Monica Freeway in the 1960s. It encompasses the Bergamot Plan area where hundreds of new mixed income housing units are expected because of the upzoning planned for in the City’s Housing Element. This is also where the proposed Replacement Site is situated. This aggressive development scenario will Item 7.A
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maintain the cultural and economic diversity in the Pico Neighborhood, while adding a robust program of new housing choices adjacent to transit.

Conclusion
The Neighborhood Commercial District zones support Santa Monica’s most diverse communities with locally owned, legacy businesses that have been serving their neighborhoods for decades.

Many of these businesses are minority owned. These businesses include laundromats, shoe repair shops and affordable grocery stores, restaurants, and family entertainment options The Venice Family Clinic is located in the NC District of Pico Boulevard. Its displacement would eliminate affordable health care for the many lower income families in the community. NC areas define “community” for many current and future residents of Santa Monica at all income levels.

Business owners are also neighbors who often know their customers by name. They provide daily neighborhood gathering opportunities, support for neighborhood organizations and schools, and job opportunities for local youth and Santa Monica College students.

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requires a holistic approach to meeting housing needs and providing neighborhood-serving and affordable businesses, employment opportunities, and the kind of community cohesion that ensures safe and vibrant places for people at all income levels in Santa Monica. The city’s Neighborhood Commercial districts on Main Street, Pico Boulevard, Montana Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard provide these opportunities. The Commission believes that protecting these resources is consistent with AFFH objectives.

Sincerely,
Jim Ries, Chair
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Beverly Gray <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
As 30-year residents of Sunset Park, we are dismayed by the proposed upzoning measure that would significantly increase building heights on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. We have long been glad that we live in a friendly community where local shop owners can thrive. On an almost weekly basis, we patronize Ocean Park Pharmacy, The UPS Store, and Executive Cleaners. We enjoy our nights out at restaurants like Il Forno, The Counter, Society Kitchen, and Crimson. We buy bread at Jyan Isaac, coffee at Estate, and flowers at Edelweiss. We would not want to see these local merchants and restaurateurs displaced by impersonal big-box storres, nor would we be comfortable with the increased traffic that bigger buildings would certainly bring.

Please consider the needs of this family-centric neighborhood and reject this ill-conceived proposal.

Many thanks!
Beverly and Bernie Bienstock
2618 31st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Janet Alison Hoskins <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:51 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra Subject: I oppose Upzoning Ocean Park

EXTERNAL
Dear City of Santa Monica leaders,
I have been a resident of Santa Monica since 1989, and oppose upzoning areas like Ocean park, which have many valuable local businesses. I love walking to Bobs, to Santa Monica yoga, to Thyme and to many other small shops that keep the character of Santa Monica friendly and accessible. If we lose that character, we lose what is best about our city.

Sincerely,
Janet Hoskins
1118 Marine Street
Santa Monica 90405
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am very opposed to upzoning business districts on Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica.

Thank you,
Joyce Dvoren
Santa Monica resident
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From: Jasmin Manner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I just learned about the upzoning project in my Ocean Park and Pico Blvd neighborhood and am shocked! I bought a condo in this neighborhood for the sole reason that it is a very walkable neighborhood with beautiful small businesses.

Upzoning would destroy small businesses and the charming appearance of the neighborhood.

Please do not support the upzoning of Santa Monica in this neighborhood! Thank you.

Best regards,
Jasmin Manner
--
Jasmin Manner
cell: +1(480)280-4420
email: [email protected]
profile: www.linkedin.com/in/mannerjasmin
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From: David Blackman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I am a 20 year resident of the Ocean Park and Sunset Park area. I know you are considering changing the development requirements to allow taller buildings. I strongly believe it will have a negative impact on our community. I urge you to keep the current requirements and not allow the taller buildings in this neighborhood.

I'm certainly not against progress or development, but one of the great attributes of Santa Monica is its local, community feel. One of the reasons my family loves living here is we run into our neighbors at Bob's Market, my son's soccer team at Ghisallo, schoolmates at the library, and all the other local businesses. This gives us a real feeling of home and a sense of community. Santa Monica is already facing enough issues with overcrowding, traffic, crime and how to successfully tackle the many unhoused people living here. We're hoping the council uses its time and energy to take on the multitude of existing problems and not destroying community and creating new ones.

Thank you for the time and consideration.

Best,
David Blackman
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From: Lian Gill <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Subject: 2/14 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
As a resident of Santa Monica since 1983, we oppose any proposition to “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Avenue.

Please maintain existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

Lian Gill
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Sylvie Rokab <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a - NO upzoning

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
It was brought to my attention that you are planning to discuss whether to “upzone” Santa Monica commercial districts such as Main Street, Ocean Park, Pico Blvd, and Montana.

I strongly disagree with the idea of upzoning our commercial streets. What makes our city precious is the small town feel, the sense of community, and the small businesses whose owners we know by name.

Please don’t allow the spirit of our neightborhoods to be replaced by a metropolis design that would turn us all Santa Monicans into mere numbers on crowded streets.

Thank you for your careful consideration,
Sylvie
"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth" Rumi Sylvie Rokab, M.A. (she/her)
Mindfulness Teacher / Nature Therapy Guide / Filmmaker
P. +1-310-570-7374
Santa Monica, CA, USA
Land of the Tongva People
www.lovethynature.com
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From: A. Harewood <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Councilmembers:

It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special. Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets. Upzoning of our NC districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. has the strong potential to displace locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents. The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives. We do not have to keep “growing” until we block out the sun!
Adrian Harewood
Santa Monica resident and homeowner since 1980
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From: Kate Beauchene <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:11 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Greetings city council members,
I am writing today to express my strong opposition to the proposed “upzoning” of Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that includes Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

The demolition of existing buildings that this would entail would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses that I have depended upon and made use of most of my life. The subsequent replacement of the aforementioned business with higher-rent tenants like chain stores, would undoubtedly destabilize the surrounding neighborhoods, thus reducing residents’ quality of life, increasing traffic and parking woes. Further gentrifying the downtown areas of our formerly idyllic beach town would degrade its character and dilute its diversity. Not to mention obscuring the ocean views that are a quintessential part of our beautiful city.

Sincerely,
Kate Beauchene
Kate Beauchene, MA, LPC, LPCC
Clinical Psychology PhD Candidate
[email protected]
(310) 804‐3634
Pronouns: she, her, hers
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From: Nikki Kolhoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:07 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: David White; Susan Cline; David Martin; Jing Yeo
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 7.A.

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council -
I support the position of SMCLC in the email below and ask that you do NOT upzone our Neighborhood Commercial zones. Your own Planning Commission has told you this is a bad move for our neighborhoods. Planning Commissioner Leslie Lambert told FOSP that it was a "staff error" to have included this in the Housing Element. I doubt that. This is the same staff that brought us the ALot conversions and to this day we still have not been told who made that change. I also urge you to direct the City Manager to investigate who is responsible for these continued "errors" that go against the residents and the direction of City Council.

I also support the request by NEN not to allow the increased lot consolidations in Neighborhood Commercial that will bring in larger retailers and make spaces unaffordable to small businesses.

Finally, the parking off Main Street must be maintained and not converted to housing in order for Main Street to survive.

All three of these are needed to maintain and preserve our neighborhoods as required by the LUCE.

Regards,
Nikki Kolhoff
Santa Monica Resident
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 01:43:59 PM PST
Subject: URGENT ACTION: Protect our neighborhood streets from UP-ZONING! February 12, 2023
Dear SMCLC supporter,
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4 This Tuesday the City Council will be discussing whether to “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighbor “Upzoning” would allow these unique Streets to be developed with new five or six-story proje with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents Also being considered is whether to allow lot consolidation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Bo When our Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, well-suppo commercial districts. Read the Planning Commission letter here:
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=14074&MeetingID=1353 These four walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses residents us just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa We agree with the Planning Commission and will urge the City Council to protect these neighb The City Council needs to hear our voices. If you agree it’s important to “buy local” and support these sm protect these Streets.

Please refer to 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a in your email subject line and send it to:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], oscar Thank you,
Victor, Diana, Sherrill and Jeff
Please forward this email to your friends and neighbors to sign up for updates and join in our efforts.

Santa Monic
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From: Anne Coscarelli <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upcoming

EXTERNAL
Dear city council members,
I understand that you would like to take under consideration the idea of being allowed to have taller buildings on pico and Ocean Park Boulevard in the Sunset Park area. I live in this area and I’m totally opposed to this idea. This will take away some of the mom and pop type stores that exist there that many of us are used to shopping at and supporting locally. It will also change the nature of the neighborhood as well as bring in hire traffic to an area that is dense with schools in which parents and children are walking the neighborhood all the time. We are not supportive of this action. In fact, we are strongly opposed to it in our household. Many of my neighbors have expressed the same kinds of issues and do not want this to happen. Please vote now on this proposal.

We feel that there is already too much large development around the city, and it has changed the nature of the city in which we live and not for the better. The traffic is getting much worse and we do not want buildings taller than two stories in our neighborhoods in the commercial districts. Please note that I am writing but I speak for many people that I know in the neighborhood.

Anne Coscarelli
1120 Grant street
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From: Charles Fox <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please restrain the "upzoning" of the present Santa Monica areas. Retail has not been a great winner for us over the almost 50 years we have lived here. And it certainly doesn't lend any charm or neighborhood feeling when it's suddenly as many as three stories higher. "Tokyo on the Pacific" is a description we have been dreading to see applied correctly to us ever since we escaped that monstrosity of a city to settle here.

Don't louse it up, no matter how much is offered. There are better ways to earn what we need.

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From: Valerie Alter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I write in connection with 2/14/23 agenda item 7‐A and in opposition to upzoning on Pico and Ocean Park. I have lived in Santa Monica since 1983, and in Sunset Park specifically since 2008.

One of the things that we love about our neighborhood is its walkability and our access to family‐owned shops and restaurants‐‐for example, Gilbert's, Blossom, Lunetta, Lazy Daisy, and Vito, where my family has gone for 30+ years. These restaurants are part of our local community. When we needed hot chocolate for 24 to bring to a holiday party at Grant Elementary, Starbucks wouldn't do it. We called Lo/Cal Coffee with less than an hour to spare. Originally, they said they couldn't make it work, but then the barista pulled my number off the caller ID, called me back, and said they'd figured out a way to help us ‐‐ could I come by in 20 minutes? This is what makes Sunset Park unique. The proposed upzoning has the potential to threaten these local businesses and the character of our neighborhood. We don't need more big‐box retailers or massive chain restaurants.

Moreover, traffic in our neighborhood is already at a choking point. We cannot go east on a weekday after 3:30. Sometimes we drop our daughter off at JAMS for soccer practice, and the traffic is so horrendous on both Pico and Ocean Park‐‐and even Pearl Street, which is supposed a residential street, not a rush ‐hour thoroughfare‐‐that we park midway through the 1.6‐mile drive home and walk because there is so much traffic. Our infrastructure is not built to withstand the density that the proposed upzoning would entail, and we don't need it. We have a 7.7% vacancy rate right now.

Please do not upzone our neighborhood.

Thank you for your consideration,
Valerie Alter
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From: Robert Konecki <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:39 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick Cc: Zina Josephs
Subject: “2/14/23 agenda item 7-A”

EXTERNAL
We urge you to call or email City Council members right now to express your opinion on upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd.

Please put “2/14/23 agenda item 7-A” in the subject line or your email.

Send to:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], oscar.d [email protected], [mailto:[email protected],%20][email protected], [mailto:[email protected],%20][email protected], caroline.torosis@santamonica .gov, [email protected]
Emails must be received before 12 noon on Tuesday, February 14.

Please cc us at [email protected] so we can track our neighborhood response.

Tell our Councilmembers what makes our local businesses special to you and your family and how you feel about upzoning the streets.

Sample short email:

It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Below is the letter the FOSP Board sent to the Planning Commission back in January with more detail. Feel free to include the information in your email.

Thank you! Robert Konecki and Merlee Konecki
Santa Monica Residents since 1968
1325 Sunset ave.

SM.CA. 90405
Tel 310 392 0901
Santa Monica Residents since 1968
Robert W. Konecki
Mobile: 310-570-3024
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2 skype: robert.konecki4
emails: [email protected] [email protected] DISCLAIMER: Sender is a Consultant and makes no warranties or representations as to the Client, Buyer,Seller and/or Contemplated Transaction. All due diligence is the responsibility of the Client, Buyer and/or Seller. This E‐mail letter and the attached related documents are never to be considered a solicitation for any purpose in any form or content. Upon receipt of these documents, the Recipient hereby acknowledges this Disclaimer. If acknowledgment is not accepted, Recipient must return any and all documents in their original receipted condition to Sender. This electronic communication is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, Codified at 18 U.S.C 1367,2510‐2521, 2701‐2710 , 3121‐3126 . Also see: http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/glbact/glbsub1.htm Gramm‐Leach‐ Bliley Act 15 USC, Sub chapter1, Sec. 6801‐
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From: ALICE WEXLER <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:39 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2.14.23 City Counciul Agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am writing to support the recommendation of the Santa Monica City council to oppose upzoning the commercial streets of Santa Monica! We need our local businesses that are accessible to walkers and bikers as well as drivers! These are the businesses that make Santa Monica such a desirable place to live and work! Please vote against upzoning these streets and spoiling our neighborhoods!
Thank you!
Alice Wexler, Santa Monica resident at 1930 Ocean Avenue, SM 90405. Resident since 1994. ‐‐
To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. (20% discount code CUP20) https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the‐analyst/9780231202787 Item 7.A
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From: kelly capp <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
We agree with the Planning Commission and will urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Thank you,
Kelly Snopek
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From: Sharon Everitt <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
As a 20 year resident of the Sunset Park neighborhood, I speak for myself and my family in opposing the ‘upzoning’ of Ocean Park Blvd.. This area is already at capatcity. There is nowhere to park on weekends, and there are lines around the block for two of the new restaurants. Adding more traffic or construction to this area is unteneable without increasing street sizes and building city run parking structures.

The city continues to grow in vertical size without any concern to incrased number of car trips and lack of parking.

Building vertically also impacts natural light, space, and privacy for existing tenants and owners. There is no upside to this ‘upzoning’ for residents of the city ‐ the only benefit is to create more money for taxes and generate profits for developers.

Please put an stop to this uncontrolled growth.

Thank you,
Sharon Everitt
1360 Ashland Ave. Santa Monica
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From: Helen Corrigan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members:

I want to register my opposition to "upzoning" Santa Monica's main commercial arteries of Main Street, Montana Avenue, Pico Boulevard, and Ocean Park Boulevard with new five or six‐story projects. Upzoning allows for the introduction of big box stores and increased heights that will destroy the unique character of Santa Monica that draws tourists and locals to these neighborhoods and is an ongoing source of income for the city.

Enough commercial development for now! Let's not become Downtown Los Angeles. No more mega projects on Ocean Park, Pico, or Montana.

Please protect our walkable streets and local businesses. We're counting on you.

Sincerely,
Helen Corrigan
2500 4th Street #8
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Judy Branfman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock
Subject: Feb 14, 2023 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to oppose any ‘upzoning’ on our unique small business centers, specifically Pico, Ocean Park, Main, and Montana. These are special places to shop and visit, where you can ‘buy local’ and even ride your bike to do your errands. These areas attract both local residents and many out‐of‐towners. The example of downtown Santa Monica, where I live, should be enough to prevent any thought of upzoning elsewhere – dark sterile streets under towering buildings, an overabundance of (empty) upscale housing, a complete lack of affordable amenities, and, every day, fewer small, local businesses.

There are many problems with the upzoning proposal. One is the false promise of affordable housing. It’s easy to see how the glut of market rate, luxury housing has failed to produce enough affordable housing in Santa Monica ‐ and many of the rent controlled properties lost to the Ellis Act in areas zoned for multifamily residences have actually been redeveloped either as luxury condos or single family homes.

In addition it seems the city has only limited lot consolidation on Main street but are leaving the other areas open for free‐for‐all over‐development.

We need to value the scale of life and small business districts we have in Santa Monica. You must think much more creatively about providing the NEEDED housing and community life in Santa Monica.

Sincerely,
Judy Branfman
Santa Monica CA 90401
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From: Tim Hanson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members,
Please do not approved the upzoning of Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. With the loss of so many local businesses and the rampant construction of high density high-priced mixed use developments, we have already lost so much of what made Santa Monica special and liveable. Please do not continue this trend. Protect Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

Thank you,
Tim Hanson
Strand St.

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From: Lynn Sturgis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:51 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
As an almost 30 year Santa Monica resident, I’m writing you to show my opposition to any change in zoning for the Ocean Park, Pico, Main or Montana Street commercial neighborhoods.

I understand that when the Planning Commission recently reviewed these proposed changes it made a strong, well‐ supported recommendation to Council against upzoning these streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts Part of the charm of our little city is it’s small neighborhoods. Please preserve them.

Lynn Sturgis
2427 Pearl Street
Sent from my iPad
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From: Sim Borodach <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
Please do not psas this! I attend incredible yoga sessions at Santa Monica Yoga. I love it there. THe neighborhood is quaint. Keep SM small as much as possible!
Thank you for your hard and dedicated work!
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From: Psk.susan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
City Council Members,
It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do NOT throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

Thank you,
Susan Kagiwada
homeowner of 2509 23rd Street Santa Monica 90405
Partial list of Sunset Park businesses:

Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th:
 Merrihew's Sunset Gardens
 Hair Brains salon
 Ghisallo (bread baked on the premises)
 Bicycle Workshop
 Santa Monica Yoga
 Bob's Market
 Yoga-urt (plant-based soft serve)
 Antequera Bakery
 Edelweiss Flower Boutique
 Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world)  Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe
 Local Kitchen & Wine Bar
 Thyme Café & Market
 Café Bolivar
Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela:
 OP Market
 Ocean Park Pharmacy
 Classic Tailors
 Juice Crafters
 Blossom Vietnamese
 Bubble Boba
 National Mailbox Center/FedEx
 The Counter
 ll Forno Trattoria
 Hurry Curry of Tokyo
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 Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs)
 Enzo Caruso Custom Tailor
Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th:
 Andy’s Cleaners
 Cosmoprof (cosmetics)
 Byron Woodley Tire
 Nostalgia Bar & Lounge
Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: to Centinela:
 Campos Famous Burritos
 Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers)
 Santa Monica Lock & Safe
 Computer Business Center (computer repair)
 Kick/Goju Ryu Karate
 Westwood Appliances
 Lo/Cal Coffee & Market
 Lazy Daisy Cafe
 Sundance Physical Therapy
 Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair
 Z Garden Mediterranean
 Lunetta
 Sunset Car Wash
 Gilbert's El Indio
 Paws & Effect Pet Spa
 Tim Clarke Design
 Eco Heads Salon
 Laura's Nails
January 16, 2023

To: Planning Commission
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 1/18/23 agenda items 9-A
Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element Programs Agenda

The FOSP Board supports the letter in agenda item 9-A from Planning Commissioners Nina Fresco, Leslie Lambert, and Jim Ries.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Item 7.A
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5 and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

The NC districts are the following areas on
 Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Hair Brains beauty salon, Ghisallo (bread baked on the premises), Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga-urt (plant-based soft serve), Antequera Bakery, Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, Café Bolivar
 Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, Bubble Boba, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor
 Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th: Andy’s Cleaners, Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, Nostalgia Bar & Lounge
 Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, Laura's Nails Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.

The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts. (This is an overstatement of NC capacity, given the number of historic resources and rent controlled housing in them.)
Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals.

1. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level.

4. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary.

Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd.

1. Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned.

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From: davidaleal <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:51 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: “2/14/23 agenda item 7-A”

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I just received a very distressing memo about agenda item 7-A requesting upzoning buildings along Ocean Park from two stories to five stories. At present our city is completely overbuild. Downtown Santa Monica is a excellent example of overbuilding in our community. It is next to impossible to drive anywhere around downtown Santa Monica. Half of the available storefront on the Promenade are closed. In addition Lincoln Blvd is home to massive development. So many of the small unique businesses have been run out of our city. There are many of us who have lived in this community when Ocean Ave was home to rows of beach bungalows. While progress and development is inevitable, it should be handled with care and consideration for the integrity of the community. That community includes the small businesses that are being run out of town in droves. So much of what made our community one of the jewels of LA is lost. It is time to treat this city with the love and tenderness it deserves and cease mass development.

The last city council election was a statement from the people that they did not like how our city was being managed. We voted out many of the incumbents with the optimism that new members would actually act in the best interest of their constituents, and not the developers.

With Consideration,
Davida Raffa
Long time resident over 43 years
It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets.

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From: ANGELA DEMOTT <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:49 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Angela de Mott
tel. 310.450.7025
www.angelademott.com
PLEASE listen to the Planning Commission and protect our neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning that protects us, and doesn’t allow lot consolidation enabling larger mega projects.

Why do you think we chose to live here? We love our walking streets and local businesses which we count on.

We don’t want your overbuilt projects crowding us in with even more traffic and air pollution. Upzoning new five or six story projects will decimate the character of our neighborhoods! Sincerely,
Angela deMott
2338 21st. St.

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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: FOSP: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- OPPOSE upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts

EXTERNAL
February 13, 2023
To: Mayor Davis and Council members
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element Programs
Agenda: https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com//Citizens/detail_meeting.aspx?ID=1353 The FOSP Board supports the January 23rd letter from the Planning Commission in Attachment F and opposes upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Main Street, Montana Avenue, and especially on the two Neighborhood Commercial districts in our neighborhood: Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd.

It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and and the south side of Pico Blvd. that "make" the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts.

We want to retain the existing heights and FARs in the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

Upzoning of our NC districts has the strong potential to displace locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32 ft maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55 ft maximum height.

The NC districts in our neighborhood are the following areas on:

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9 Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Ghisallo (wood fire pizza and bread baked on the premises), Hair Brains salon, Brooke Rodd Boutique, Wild Moon Kids, Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga-urt (plant-based soft serve), Antequera Bakery (Mexican breads, cakes, cookies, and tamales), Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, The First School (relationship-based, developmental preschool & transitional kindergarten), and Café Bolivar (coffee, sandwiches & South American arepas)
Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, Miyako Sushi, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, and Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th: Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, and Nostalgia Bar & Lounge
Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, and Laura's Nails Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.

The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts.

Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals.

1. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level.

4. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary.

Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd.

1. Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned.

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From: David Finch <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Against upzoning

EXTERNAL
Hello! We live in the Sunset Park neighborhood and are against upzoning; this would greatly erode the charm of the neighborhood as well as disrupt well‐established local businesses. Thank you for your consideration.

David, Nancy and Michael Finch
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From: Georgia Jessup <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Please vote NO, SM is being destroyed by developers! We are better than this.

Georgia Jessup
SM
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From: Louise Stanton <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:41 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please don't over load the Bergamot area with more housing. We are already a housing dense area, and we don't need more traffic on our residential streets. Housing on big commercial streets that are built for traffic would be much better and housing on these boulevards can address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience.

Thank you,
Louise Stanton
[email protected]
1640 Berkeley St
Santa Monica, California 90404
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From: Allon Percus <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please maintain the city's Housing Element that allows for more housing on our commercial boulevards. Santa Monica urgently needs this, in order to address our housing crisis while allowing people to live in close proximity to their local shopping and retail needs.

I support building more housing in the Bergamot area, but this should be in addition to and not instead of what is currently in the Housing Element.

Our housing situation is desire and our sprawl is untenable. We have an opportunity to help solve both problems. Let's please take advantage of it and not turn back the clock on our city's Housing Element.

Sincerely,
Allon Percus
Allon Percus
[email protected]
1105 Centinela Ave.

Santa Monica, California 90403
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From: John Zinner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council:

As a former Planning Commissioner and long-time resident, I urge that the Council not support the proposal to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards.

Santa Monica needs to do everything it can address the housing shortage, especially for affordable housing. More housing around Bergamot should be added to the current Housing Element, not a substitute. This city has terrible traffic, partially because of the lopsided jobs/housing balance. Only new housing can address this and many other needs.

Thank you,
John Zinner
John Zinner
[email protected]
528 21st Place
Santa Monica, California 90402
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From: Neil Cohen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:00 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To the Councilmembers,
Stop it, please: stop it. Re: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a, please follow the lead of the Planning Commission and do NOT upscale Montana Ave, Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard or Pico.

I ask you to take a five minute drive west to West Los Angeles/Brentwood and 'experience' Wilshire Boulevard between Bundy and Federal - years ago there were abundant small shops and there was street life, but now among the megadevelopments there is nothing here that is 'human scale' and thus there is no pedestrian life to be found. West of "Big 5" along Wilshire, among the 'consolidated' parcels and their large dull buildings it is a virtual dead cityscape only broken up by ramps to underground parking garages. Is this what we want for Santa Monica? As a Santa Monica resident since 1988, and a business license holder, please do not UPSCALE our walkable neighborhood streets; if we upscale and allow for parcel consolidation you know the result will be the driving out our remaining small businesses that work so hard to serve our communities.

Thank you,
Neil Cohen
California Avenue
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From: Babak Mozaffari <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Please do not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone our Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. We have a serious housing shortage and should be allowing more housing on these boulevards to address the housing shortage and create a more vibrant, local serving retail experience. Allowing more housing in Bergamot, shouldn't be an alternative, it should be done in addition to what's already been included in the Housing Element. Please stop treating new housing like it is some kind of evil that needs to be accommodated--this attitude and the policies that result from it are exactly why we have a housing shortage. Bad city leadership across the state has prevented the housing we've needed to be built for decades, now is our chance to change course.

Thank you,
Babak Mozaffari
[email protected]
525 Santa Monica Blvd, 404
Santa Monica, California 90401
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From: danielle moosbrugger <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:44 AM
To: Phil Brock
Cc: Caroline Torosis; [email protected]; councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]; Oscar de la Torre
Subject: Re-Zoning of Ocean Park Blvd and Pico blvd
Hello all,
I am a lifelong resident, born and raised in Santa Monica. I am also a small business owner in Santa Monica. I would like to express my STRONG disapproval of the rezoning of Ocean Park Blvd and Pico Blvd to allow structures to be permitted to go up higher for housing projects.

As you know, replacing small businesses on Ocean Park Blvd and Pico Boulevard would force the current established businesses to go out of business. The rents would skyrocket; look at our downtown Santa Monica area now! Empty units, no one can afford the rent. Homeless people scattered amongst the residents and visitors. The downtown businesses stay for short periods of time and then have to leave because the rent is so high. People that live here love the small mom and pop businesses. The business owners are also residents many just down the street from their businesses. There are businesses on Ocean Park that took many years just to get all the permits and had to come up with how much money???? just to get a little a tiny bagel shop put in. If Ocean Park is rezoned big corporations are going to come in and tempt the owners with a big pay out to sell their property. That means all the people that just established their businesses will have to leave. It will also increase rates on everything that would be sold for the new businesses coming in to offset their rent. there are just so many reasons I am strongly opposed from this happening.

Please listen to the people that live here and vote for you.

Sincerely,
Danielle Moosbrugger
2618 16th street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
‐‐
Danielle Moosbrugger
@danielle_moosbruggerjewelry
www.daniellemoosbrugger.com
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From: Jamie Grossman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:38 AM
To: Gleam Davis; Council Mailbox; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]; councilmtgitems; [email protected]; Lana Negrete
Subject: Don't change the zoning
Do not mess with what is currently working and getting more people out.

1. Changing the zoning on Ocean Park will be a nightmare, there is already too much traffic and with 2 schools in the area more accidents are going to occur.

3. We have way too many high rises that are either already on Lincoln or will be going up. It’s important to fill these locations before adding more.

4. Since pulling seating on the streets on main street, people go to Main Street. While there is still a good deal of vacancies, this area now has a life and is now a place people come to from other areas. Asking small businesses to pay more for outdoor seating is going to put them out of business and only hurt the street more as it will be empty once again.

Solution Options:

Convert all the empty office spaces into residential ones. This would be so much more cost‐effective, and environmentally friendly, and not change the structure of our beautiful city.

The empty restaurant on Ocean Park and Centinela should be converted asap.

Make the Santa Monica Mall into a residential on the top floor. The mall is empty with a ton of space and parking is already available.

If you change the zoning to allow all the development issues you will be ruining this amazing community. You have so many issues that need to be addressed with the developments today.

Please do not pass this bill when there is so much space already not being used to it's fullest. Do not take away our Main Street parklets requesting small businesses to pay fees that cannot afford. We must look after our own.

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From: Nancy Richler <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 12:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: FEB14 2023 City Council Agenda Item 7a : OPPOSE upzoning As your constituent, I urge you to vote NO regarding concerns covered in Item 7a on the FEB 14, 2023 agenda.

I have lived in Ocean Park for 41 years. I urge Council to OPPOSE "upzoning" our neighborhood commercial districts, ESPECIALLY Main St. and Ocean Park Blvd.

OCEAN PARK is Santa Monica's ORIGINAL NEIGHBORHOOD. I tend to agree with the Planning Commission that we need to keep the current zoning and NOT allow lot consolidation so we can preserve the charm of this special area.

While these items are under consideration, I'm wondering what visions you may have to encourage and extend the art‐ vibe we feel on the vibrant thriving Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Respectfully,
Nancy Richler
Santa Monica, Ocean Park resident for 41 years
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From: Neal Payton <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:42 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
I am a resident of 1211 Grant Street, in the Sunset Park neighborhood. I am also an architect and urban designer, and in that role had the opportunity to be the City's principal consultant on the Downtown Community Plan.

However, today I write to urge you to not support the calls to ask the state to allow us to downzone the City's Neighborhood Commercial boulevards. These underdeveloped boulevards hold the possibility of significant capacity to address the housing shortage without disrupting the residential neighborhoods behind them. Moreover, more residential density and mixed-use development along these corridors, will actually help create the critical mass to create more walkable neighborhoods and a more vibrant serving retail experience.

The City's corridors are actually fairly wide, and allowing taller buildings along them will provide a more coherent edge condition and a better sense of 'spatial enclosure' which will actually make walking more pleasant, especially, if the buildings are setback to allow at least 15' from curb to building face. and are accompanied by street trees. Additional housing along these boulevards will also provide more 'eyes on the street' a key component Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED).

It is my understanding that the alternative being floated is to allow more housing in Bergamot.

While I also support more housing there as well, particularly to leverage the value of the LRT station, this is not an alternative, but part of a larger strategy, i.e., both/and.

In thinking of new housing, we might consider how it can support the making of a sustainable urban environment. A shorthand way to think of this is with the four Ds: Density, Diversity, Design and Destination. If we treat the addition of new housing according to these four criteria, we have the potential, to make a more walkable, equitable, sustainable, diverse, and vibrant Item 7.A
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5 city than we have a present. So, let's stop treating new housing, as something to run from, but something to embrace.

Thank you,
Neal I. Payton, FAIA
Neal Payton
[email protected]
1211 GRANT St
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: greg chasen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 2:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards Council Comments ,
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and members of the Santa Monica City Council,
Allow more housing on Neighborhood Commercial boulevards! Allow these streets to evolve into vibrant walkable neighborhoods filled with both residents and more local businesses. My own neighborhood close to downtown has been positively transformed by nearby mixed use development - allowing me to walk and bike to take care of most of my daily needs - reducing traffic and pollution. More housing is needed so my own kids can live in the area - legalize more housing everywhere!
Thank you,
Greg Chasen
greg chasen
[email protected]
1318 10th St
santa monica, California 90401
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From: fabrizio giorgi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Re: Upzone Oppostion

EXTERNAL
To the Santa Monica City Council Members,
I oppose “upzoning” on Ocean Park Blvd, Montana Ave, and Main Street. I support the small businesses and want to maintain the quality of these walkable streets. I urge you to protect these streets. I also oppose the personal guarantee and water waste capital fee imposed on restaurants who want to continue to provide outdoor seating options for their patrons on these streets.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Fabrizio Giorgi
1352 HILL ST
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: Kirsten Campisi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzone Oppostion

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Kirsten Campisi
1352 HILL ST
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please oppose any "upzoning" of Ocean Park Blvd. We are proud of the small businesses in our area (specifically between 16th and 18th Streets), and certainly don't want high rises to be built instead, which would change the whole feel and atmosphere of our neighborhood to the point that we would not want to live there any longer! Thank you. Stephen Manes and Dr. Marta Vago (2929 16th Street, Santa Monica)
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From: Julia Pratt <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:05 PM
To: Julia Pratt
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
As a life long Santa Monica resident I am writing to express my OPPOSITION to the upzoning of our neighborhood commercial districts.

Julia Pratt‐Elkus
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From: Katy MacLeod <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 8:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 7.A.

Dear Mayor Davis and Esteemed Council Members,
As a long time Santa Monica resident, please respect the Planning Commission and do not vote to upzone our NC areas (Pico, Ocean Park, Main Street and Montana Avenue). Having 5‐ 6 story buildings in these areas will threaten local businesses, livability, air quality, conservation, water sustainability and so much more. Let's keep the character and livability of our great city. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Catherine "Katy" MacLeod
13 Year Santa Monica Resident
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From: Anne Giammarco <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 6:35 AM
To: Phil Brock
Cc: Gleam Davis
Subject: Zoning Project
Good morning,
I recently read about a meeting for a new zoning project that would make 2 story buildings into 5 story projects on Pico & Ocean Park Blvd.

A great part of the appeal of our area are the small Mom & Pop shops which have acquired great followings, and are also wonderful for tourism.

I definitely do not want to see higher buildings in our area. It would be physically unattractive, potentially block some views, and harm community businesses that have worked so hard to stay afloat. Plus, locals would not want the noises of construction as projects like this can take a lot of time.

Please keep our buildings as they are and do not go through with this zoning project.

Thank you kindly!
Annie
Sent from my iPhone
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Meeting 2/14/23 - Item 7A - Do not allow changes to NC districts that will eliminate local and small businesses.

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and City Council Members,
As a resident of Santa Monica and Sunset Park, I do not want my Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard and Montana Avenue to be upzoned which will eliminate our unique small and local businesses. Neither do I want a change in zoning to allow lots on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard or Montana Avenue to be consolidated which also will eliminate small and local businesses that provide for residential needs.

You have repeatedly stated the value of our small neighborhood businesses. I often hear that we want a walkable city. Please do not implement destructive policies that will eradicate these walkable resident resources in the name of the absurd RHNA targets that Council, and this Mayor, had the opportunity to contest and chose not to.

Respectfully,
Marc Verville
Sunset Park
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Council Meeting 2/14/23 - Item 7A - Do not allow changes to NC districts and Parking behind Main Street that will eliminate our historic local and small businesses.

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and City Council Members,
As a resident of Santa Monica and Sunset Park, I do not want my Neighborhood Commercial districts on Main Street to be upzoned. I also implore you not to eliminate the parking lots between Main Street and Neilson Way. Effecting such changes will eliminate our walkable unique small and local businesses.

Main Street is the definition of a walkable city district. Please do not implement destructive policies that will eradicate these walkable resident resources in the name of the absurd RHNA targets that Council, and this Mayor, had the opportunity to contest and chose not to.

Respectfully,
Marc Verville
Sunset Park
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From: Gretchen Goetz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:39 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: David Goetz
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
As a 35 year Sunset Park home owner on Pine Street near 14th Street, I strongly oppose “upzoning” on Ocean Park Blvd and Pico Blvd.

We need to protect and support our unique, local businesses and the existing heights and densities of our neighborhood commercial districts.

Our neighborhood is walkable, livable, friendly and seemingly thriving.

Please do not support upzoning that would drastically change that! Thank you,
Gretchen Goetz
Gretchen Goetz
t 310‐452‐4278
c 310‐386‐2240
[email protected]
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From: Clare Driscoll <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Hello,
I am a resident in the Ocean Park area, and I agree with the Panning Commission and urge the City Council to protect these neighborhoods and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Please keep our neighborhoods unique and local with our small businesses and retain what makes Santa Monica special.

Sincerely,
C. Driscoll
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Megan FitzGerald <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:33 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Councilmembers:

It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special. Please do not throw these businesses to the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on these two streets. Upzoning of our NC districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. has the strong potential to displace locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents. The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives. We do not have to keep “growing” until we block out the sun!
Megan FitzGerald
Santa Monica resident and homeowner since 1980
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From: Catherine Gentile <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council Item 7A- Support Housing on our Neighborhood Commercial Boulevards

Thank you,
Catherine Gentile
Catherine Gentile
[email protected]
1128 Ocean Park Blvd., #312
Santa Monica, California 90405
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From: Wendy Dembo <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:28 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a -- Don't Ruin Santa Monica

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Sunday morning I walked with my friend on Montana Avenue. I returned some books to the library. We got a coffee at one place and then a bagel at another. I ran into one of my neighbors and chatted with her. And my friend saw her son's soccer coach. We stopped to chat. We commented on how lovely it is to walk on Montana Avenue. Besides walking on the beach or on La Mesa, it is one of my favorite walks in Santa Monica. Montana Avenue has character, interesting stores, and cute cafes. They are not all multinational chain stores.

I walked 12 blocks to the Aero on Saturday night to see "Boogie Nights" in 70mm. Paul Thomas Anderson spoke before the screening.

If you upzone Montana, the first thing that will go will be the Aero. Which would be a huge loss to Santa Monica and really the Westside.

Ocean Park from 18th to 16th street has become a destination. There are now great coffee, pizza, and bread spots.

Lincoln from the 10 up to Broadway and beyond, is not an enjoyable place to walk. It is a canyon of boxy buildings. It has no character. My friends, who live close enough to walk to the new Trader Joe's, drive to the one on 23rd and Wilshire.

That whole area is void of character and community. For a friendly beach community, it is incredibly dystopian. Were City Planners involved at all?
There is so much empty commercial real estate in Santa Monica. We don't need any more. We do need more housing, but we don't need expensive housing that people from other countries use as a place to park their money.

I live on 21st and California. In the near future, there are going to be three new GIGANTIC buildings on Wilshire near me.

It is going to create so much more traffic on 20th street (where by the way, there is still no left turn light from Wilshire onto 20th. It is so dangerous).

Wilshire, Santa Monica, and Lincoln Boulevards are already being turned into homogeneous ugly blocks of 4 and 5‐story buildings with empty first floors.

Please don't take away what little character Santa Monica still has.

Please oppose the upzoning.

Thank you,
Wendy Dembo
Santa Monica Resident
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From: Susan Alinsangan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Zina Josephs
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Please do not upzone our neighborhood commercial districts on Ocean Park Boulevard and Pico Boulevard.

These small, locally‐owned businesses are an intrinsic part of our Sunset Park community. They primarily serve our neighborhood on a daily basis. By up‐zoning you’ll force out these small businesses that are the backbone of our local economy‐‐and our community. And in their place we’ll get the types of businesses that can actually afford the kind of overhead a new 5‐story building would charge. Businesses that don’t enrich or contribute to our neighborhood and we really don’t need around the corner: like a Gap, or Lululemon. Maybe even a Sephora.

And calling Ocean Park a boulevard is a misnomer if there ever was one. Ocean Park is ONE LANE in each direction. With 5‐story buildings on both sides it will appear as if it were a wide alley. And there goes that iconic Ocean Park view driving west toward the ocean. 10‐20 years from now people will wonder why the street is even named Ocean Park.

I understand that Santa Monica needs more housing, but what we need is more “affordable” housing. New construction has so far not provided that. Case in point: 2903 Lincoln Boulevard, 47 units of which FOUR are affordable housing.

Those aren't compelling numbers, and that’s just one example. I’m sure that if we look at other Santa Monica new housing construction data we might find more truths. And I’m not sure how new construction on Ocean Park and Pico could or would, buck this seeming trend.

So if we’re looking to get creative with zones, let’s look at re‐zoning some office buildings that have an over‐abundance of available space. What about zoning some of that existing infrastructure for residential (entire buildings can be a combination live/work zone) and letting some of the go‐getter developers wrap their heads around that? I also get that the idea is to flood the city with so much housing that it forces the per unit price down. But other cities have tried this and failed. New York, San Jose, Maimi, Boulder, San Diego, Portland, Washington D.C., Austin, San Francisco and many other cities have discovered one common truth: the same tide raises all boats. Said another way:
the same rising cost of living raises all costs. Even housing.

While much of the nation is embroiled in a housing shortage, we’re not likely to come out of it soon. Especially here in Santa Monica. Who wouldn’t want to live in a beach city? We should play the long game and build‐‐but we need to build for posterity not out of anxiety. Because like the saying, as long as we build, they will come. And people will keep coming because Santa Monica is a nice place to live, so our housing shortage woes will never end.

Turning Ocean Park and Pico Boulevard into literally, Ravine Street is not conducive to “populous felix in urbe felici” or “a happy people in a happy city”.

Otherwise known as the motto for the City of Santa Monica.

Kind Regards,
Susan Alinsangan
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From: Amy Anderson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis
Subject: Item 7A - Housing Element Study Session

EXTERNAL
Mayor Davis and Councilmembers,
Congratulations to staff and to Council for moving so expeditiously to implement the programs in the City’s State‐ approved Housing Element. Item 11A captures why quick adoption of the zoning and regulatory changes recommended by the Planning Commission are crucial – we are in a housing affordability crisis. Decades of underbuilding and policies discouraging housing growth mean that all sorts of households struggle to find housing options. It’s great that Santa Monica recognizes how it can play a role in easing both the local and regional housing shortage with these new rules.

I’m proud to be part of a community that is leading in the adoption of pro‐housing regulations. Recognizing that ‐ ‐ Where someone lives is the greatest determinant of economic outcomes, ‐ Living in a high‐resource community, like Santa Monica, offers unparalleled opportunity for families and individuals to thrive, and
‐ Building housing in our jobs‐rich city can reduce traffic and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

I urge you to approve the official recommendation of the Planning Commission, including upzoning of Montana, Main, Ocean Park and Pico. These are ideal locations for new residential development, given their adjacency to transit and services, and the increased business and vibrancy that new residents could bring to these streets.

Thanks.

Amy Anderson
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From: Troy Parr <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
I am writing to voice my opposition to the upzoning of commercial districts up for consideration.

We do not need additional 5 story cookie cutter massive buildings. Santa Monica is quickly becoming an unrecognizable mass of giant apartment/commercial buildings. Our city is losing its charm to these oversized developments. We need to support our small businesses and stop replacing them!!
Sincerely,
Troy Parr
(Voter)
Sent from my iPhone
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From: Lora Cicconi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:10 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Hi,
I am a Sunset Park resident writing about the above agenda item to allow more commercial development on South Pico and Ocean Park Blvds. I strongly urge you to keep the current zoning limitations, since any more development will push out local businesses which are already struggling. I personally visit many local businesses on both streets, including Thyme Cafe at least once a week, Merrihew's Gardens every couple of months, Beadahs, as well as my capoeira studio, Capoeira Besouro. I love going to each of these places, especially my capoeira studio. If you aren't familiar with it, Capoeira Besouro is an amazing community space on 21st and Pico. Mestre Batata used to have his studio on 29th and Ocean Park for many years before the rent became too high, then he moved to a far inferior space in Venice for five years, and I feel so lucky to have him back in Santa Monica in a beautiful space on Pico. The rent is high, but he is able to make it work but renting the space out to other local dance instructors (salsa, hip hop) and even some photographers when he is not using it. Everyone who comes by absolutely loves the studio, and those of us who attend class regularly are really like a large family--it brings people together from all different walks of life with this one shared interest. People often walk by and see us playing music and dancing and want to join in, especially on Saturdays with the farmers market across the street. I am almost certain that Capoeira Besouro and other local businesses would not be able to afford this neighborhood if it became overtaken by 5-story buildings that only big companies could afford to rent. Please keep this neighborhood a place where local businesses that bring communities together still have a chance.

I'm happy to answer any questions if it would be helpful.

Sincerely,
Lora Cicconi
3108 Pearl Street
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From: Susan Freiman Ross <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; [email protected]; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Proposed Zoning Changes to Montana Avenue

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members Brock, Davis, DeLaTorre, Negrete, Parra ,Torosis and Zwick, I am writing in opposition to the proposed zoning changes to Montana Avenue. A proud Santa Monica resident, I have lived walking distance from Montana Avenue for nearly four decades. My children were raised here, in what once was a sweet, modest neighborhood, and now I’m helping rear my grandchildren in this area as well.

Our neighborhood has changed vastly over these past years. I have watched gas stations give way to shopping plazas, our hardware store become a nationally known retail store, and local diners replaced by Starbucks. Sadly, the children’s bookstore we used to frequent, the toy store, and most of the children’s clothing boutiques have given way to mattress stores, hydration therapy stations, facial salons, waxing salons and nail salons.

Although I bemoan the loss of the sweetness Montana Avenue held for me, it still has the feel of a unique, fairly safe neighborhood, even though whereas it was a rarity to see a homeless person, now it is commonplace. Another concerning change I’ve noticed is that traffic has increased significantly on Montana Avenue. It has become much more dangerous to cross the street, and finding a parking spot is nearly impossible, especially since we lost spaces to outdoor dining venues.

Most importantly, please keep in mind that there are two large elementary schools and two preschools on Montana Avenue, making the stretch from 7th to 24th Street very heavily trafficked by young children, especially during drop off and pick up times. Well over a thousand children are either walking, riding bikes, riding scooters, being pushed in strollers or being driven to these Montana Avenue schools.

Increasing the volume of businesses and/or residential units along this already busy corridor is highly ill advised. We have already lost so much of what has made our neighborhood safe and special. Encouraging increased density will increase traffic and will further decrease our safety and potentially put our children at greater risk.

I urge you to make the responsible decision to protect our children and to preserve our neighborhood for future generations.

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Susan Freiman Ross
Retired Santa Monica‐Malibu Unified School District Special Education Teacher Long Term Santa Monica Resident
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From: JANET RICHARDSON <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning Montana Avenue

EXTERNAL
To All City Council Members and The City Manager:

I’m so against upzoning on Montana Avenue, and the negative impact that will have.

Further, lack of parking is already a nightmare for residents near Montana Avenue. This just makes a bad situation even worse.
‐Why would you allow an increase in height? Because that’s what developers want? ‐With so many empty and shut‐down businesses in Santa Monica, why would you add more commercial space? That is extremely irresponsible.
‐Most of the apartments just South of Montana Avenue don’t provide adequate parking, and it’s a nightmare for residents. Why would you make matters even worse for residents? Have some respect for the residents you supposedly represent. Do not increase height restrictions on Montana Avenue.

Janet Richardson
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From: Nora Reynolds Lerer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear council members;
I support the recommendations made by the Planning Commission, to not allow the upzoning of the areas of Main Street, Pico and Montana.

I urge the City Council to protect our neighborhoods and businesses by keeping the current zoning and not allowing lot consolidation.

Please stop the destruction of our beach community and neighborhoods.

Thank you,
Nora Lerer
Santa Monica, Ca.

Sent from my iPhone
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From: Bernice Glenn <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Protect ALL of our neighborhoods!

EXTERNAL
We who have lived in Santa Monica have used our local business for many years. We lost some of them when the Downtown Mall opened its gate to national and world wide chains that do not serve the Santa Monica population!!! They do not serve our local demographics! They do not serve tourists who do not need to see stores that are open nationwide.

We need our LOCAL restaurants LOCAL clothing stores and LOCAL services!!!! Local serves not only those of us who LIVE IN SANTA MONICA, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A SANTA MONICA EXPERIENCE TO OUR VISITORS.

I have lived in Santa Monica for fifty years and seen the Downtown degraded to a host of chain restaurants and clothing stores that have no attachment to Santa Monica, and has become a hollow version of its past presence.

I have seen a hidden racist and higher income preference for the Montana district in its open Montana library choice over libraries in lower income and mixed white brown and Black demographics.

I have seen a Santa Monica Council that persisted over time in calling the brown/black demographics evenly mixed throughout the City, even when the US Cencus clearly showed otherwise! While some Council members are breaking the old Council members voting preferences, the Santa Monica City Council needs to work on major long‐term planning for all of Santa Monica needs and issues: and work with planners who have the knowledge and education in these areas that members are lacking.

Bernice Glenn
a 50 year resident in Ocean Park, Santa Monica who has seen the degredation of the Downtown Mall, and the preference of Council for North of Arizona solutions over the districts Pico and south! Item 7.A
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From: MinnieT's <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 11:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
To All Whom it May Concern,
We at Minnie T's are strongly opposed to the "Upzoning" of Ocean Park Blvd. As a shop owner at 1624 Ocean Park Blvd for 10 years, I have cultivated a clientele that is predominately local and have experienced a unique sense of community that is slowly being wiped out of Los Angeles with each new redevelopment project. I can honestly say that all who come in our store, whether local or coming from across LA, are strongly against this proposal. Please think of the community and the wishes of all those involved and vote against this soulless venture.

As our good neighbors at Santa Monica Yoga so perfectly put it, "Upzoning” would allow these unique Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

To allow this to happen would be a tragedy.

Best Regards,
Barbara Phillips, Stacy Wright, Cari Cantrell
1624 Ocean Park Blvd
Santa Monica CA, 90405
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From: Carolyn Cohen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Council agenda item 7A

EXTERNAL
Regarding the proposal to change and “up zone” several of out favorite walking streets: I think it’s a terrible idea. It will eliminate the charm, add to traffic and take away our desire to buy local. Please don’t do this Thank you
Concerned citizen,
Carolyn Cohen
Stanford street 90404
Sent from my iPad
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From: Adam Gross <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I’m writing to strongly oppose upzoning along Pico and Ocean Park, which is being discussed as 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A. I have lived between Pico and Ocean Park since 2008 and watched traffic get worse and local businesses slowly go out of business and be replaced with empty storefronts. New buildings have not filled their ground floor retail with small businesses and usually sit empty, which is not just my observation but is supported by the 7.7% vacancy rate. This upzoning will not result in a vibrant local street culture.

Traffic now spills onto Pearl every night while Ocean Park and Pico are filled. These aren’t local residents but commuters leaving Santa Monica. Building larger buildings won’t result in these people leaving comfortable homes to move into expensive and cramped Santa Monica apartments. Instead, it will result in more traffic.

Please do not upzone our neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Adam Gross
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From: Lisa Priestley <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Oppose Upzoning Neighborhood Commercial zones - 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021-2029) Housing Element Programs

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:

It has just been brought to my attention that the city council is considering upzoning several neighborhood commercial zones including my direct neighborhood bordered by Pico and Ocean Park Blvds. My husband and I who have lived in this neighborhood since the early 1990s STRONGLY OPPOSE upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts - 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A: Study Session on Implementation of the 6th Cycle (2021- 2029) Housing Element Programs Agenda. And AGREE with the letter submitted by the Friends of Sunset Park and other neighborhood businesses.

The upzoning in our community especially on the two Neighborhood Commercial districts in our neighborhood:

Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd will harm our neighborhood local businesses and is unnecessary. We agree as stated by FOSP that “It is the small locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and and the south side of Pico Blvd. that "make" the Sunset Park neighborhood.” Please do not give away our community to developers and greed by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts.

Please leave the height restrictions as they stand rather than increasing them, as proposed in the Housing Element. Upzoning will push out small locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents not to mention many of these have been part of the community for many years.

We agree with FOSP letter :

The loss of these neighborhood businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives. The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32 ft maximum height to an FAR of 2.5 and 55 ft maximum height.The NC districts in our neighborhood are the following areas on:

Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Ghisallo (wood fire pizza and bread baked on the premises), Hair Brains salon, Brooke Rodd Boutique, Wild Moon Kids, Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga-urt (plant-based soft serve), Antequera Bakery (Mexican breads, cakes, cookies, and tamales), Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goods from around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, The First School (relationship-based, developmental preschool & transitional kindergarten), and Café Bolivar (coffee, Item 7.A
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7 sandwiches & South American arepas) Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, Miyako Sushi, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, and Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor Pico Blvd. south side from Euclid to 16th: Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, and Nostalgia Bar & Lounge Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Lazy Daisy, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, and Laura's Nails Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.There are 203 properties on the City’s SSI, of which 13 are in Neighborhood Commercial Districts. 12 are on Pico Blvd. and one is on Ocean Park Blvd. (the NE corner of 17th & OPB). The total housing unit capacity, if the SSI sites are developed, is 13,000+ units. Of these, only 165 are in the NC Districts.The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts. Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals. 1) 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level. 2) Two Sunset Park schools (Rogers & JAMS) qualify for the Title 1 Federal lunch program, meaning that at least 35% of students are from families at or below the Federal poverty level. The majority of students in both schools are children and youth of color. 3) Of the approximately 7,000 housing units in Sunset Park, 3,309 are rent controlled apartments with median rents affordable to households at moderate income and below; 2,645 are single family houses; and the remainder are condominiums or post-1979 apartment units. 4) The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary. Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. 1) Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned. 2) Loss of the commercial district altogether since ground floor commercial space will not be required for new projects given the likely unmarketability of this space for neighborhood serving businesses.

Although housing MAY be an issue there are already many new developments and the upzoning in these areas will cause more harm than benefits FOR THE COMMUNITY! Please put the community, both residents and long time contributing local businesses ahead of this push for unwarranted development in our already congested neighborhood.

Sincerely
Residents
Elizabeth Priestley & John Wintersteller
2250 23rd Street
Santa Monica.

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From: Tracy Lewis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:34 PM
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica Council Member:

I am a longtime Sunset Park resident who is very concerned about any potential change in zoning for Santa Monica. I am very against 2‐story buildings being demolished and replaced by 5‐story projects. We need to protect and support the existing businesses on Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd and Montana Ave! Please protect Santa Monica's small businesses, local residents and the character and uniqueness of our community by voting NO to this zoning change! Sincerely,
Tracy Lewis
71 VIllage Pkwy,
Santa Monica, 90405
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From: Jenny Steadman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 3:16 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City council 2/14 agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear representatives,
I’m a 22 year resident of ocean park and a 5 year resident of the Montana Ave area. I can assure you my neighbors agree with me. To upzone ocean park, pico, and Montana is to destroy the remaining charms of our coastal city. Those streets are not downtown but they are for locals and small businesses. If you want giant multiplexes you should focus on the promenade and leave our local, small businesses alone. It doesn’t make any sense to create that traffic, congestion, and invite a bunch of chain stores while the promenade remains a disaster.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Steadman
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From: Teri Meyer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 1:17 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning Sunset Park

EXTERNAL
To All Parties Involved,
I’m writing you this morning at 1:00am because I am very troubled by the idea of upzoning my community. I have lived on Oak Street between 17th & 18th street for 56 years street and I am greatly opposed to this idea. This is my community and all of the businesses on OP that would be affected by the upzoning are apart of our daily life. We support all of the small businesses. Goods, all of Brook Rodd stores. The Mexican Bakery, Santa Monica Yoga. We eat at Local and Thyme, get out pizzas from Ghisallo and get our fresh bread from Juan Isaac and just recently bagels from laylas. All of these small business are supported by my neighbors and the community. Closing any of these small business would be losing a part of Sunset Park. Please vote NO on the upzoning.

Kindly,
Teri Meyer
Have a nice day!!!!
Have a nice day!!!!
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From: Lynn Gephart <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:50 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members -
When my family first moved to Sunset Park, it was very specifically the proximity to Bob’s Market that sold us. I can’t imagine Sunset Park without Tel’s, Merrihew’s and others. It’s these small locally-owned independent businesses along Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make the Sunset Park neighborhood special.

I ask you to retain the existing heights and FARs in the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

Not every square inch of Santa Monica needs to be filled with 5 story mixed use projects.

Thank you,
Lynn Gephart
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From: A NORRIS <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:50 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear council members:

I am a 45 year resident of Santa Monica, a small business owner jn the Ocean Park neighborhood, a resident of the Montana Ave neighborhood, and a voter. My family members are also small business owners in Santa Monica.

I strongly urge you to VOTE NO to any upzoning jn our city - especially not in Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue (“Streets”). These four walking Streets contain most of the neighborhood-serving, affordable businesses residents use in their daily lives – local food stores and restaurants, laundromats, shoe repair and pharmacies, all within a short distance of people’s homes. Residents don’t just rely on them – they are a vital part of the fabric of our community that contribute to making Santa Monica feel special.

We are already witnessing the over crowding, traffic issues, and building projects that DO NOT FIT OUR CITY’s personality, people, or priorities. These neighborhoods and streets are among the last that make our city unique.

We’ll be watching your votes carefully.

Sincerely,
A. Norris
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From: Kathleen Murphy <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members
We are a Santa Monica family living in Sunset Park since 2001. Our three children have attended SMASH, SAMO, and SMC schools. We shop at local stores and eat at local restaurants. We drive, bike, skate and walk all over town. I am writing to you about the upzoning of Ocean Park Blvd, Pico Blvd, Main Street, and Montana Ave. We do not want it.

It will destroy the way of life in Santa Monica as we know it. Too crowded, too many people, too many cars, increase in crime. We will loose the local businesses we frequent and cherish. All these things are bad. We are counting on you to protect our local streets.

Sincerely
Kathleen Murphy & Francis Whitebloom
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From: Elizabeth Lerer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:22 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 7. Zoning NC Districts

EXTERNAL
Re: Neighborhood Commercial Districts
Dear Mayor Davis and Councilmembers,
Please take the recommendation of the Planning Commission and make a request to amend the approved Housing Element so the city can avoid upzoning all commercial districts uniformly. This request should not put the city out of compliance.

Will YOU stand up, push back and negotiate with the State in order to protect our residential neighborhoods?
Please make your individual positions on this issue clear.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Lerer
Resident
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From: Rosemary Sostarich <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:03 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council mtg 2/24/23. Item 7A

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Gleam and Council Members.

I am contacting you regarding agenda item 7A. Please maintain the NC districts to support small businesses and residential shopping.

Thank you,
Rosemary Sostarich
Santa Monica Resident
Rosemary Sostarich
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From: Amy Fraz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:02 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: change of zoning

Thank‐you for supporting local and small businesses,
‐‐
Amy F
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From: Oak OConnor <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda 7-A.

EXTERNAL
Ocean Park Blvd ‐ Sunset Park area is a wonderful family oriented neighborhood.

This beautiful stretch of small businesses and our neighbor hood market is flourishing happily without turning it over to real estate developers without a need..

Downtown Santa Monica has many commercial vacancies. We don’t need the same here. Fill those first.

Traffic is already at it’s peak and commuters race down residential side streets during “rush” hours.

Please do not change the zoning of this area for the sake of a minority of few big bucks investors. The residents within a

3.5 mile circumference would be burdened by this over development.

No one who lives near this proposed area needs or wants 5 story commercial buildings.

James Oak OConnor
2117 Oak Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
[email protected]
310-993-3589
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Elizabeth Ostrom <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:48 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: “2/14/23 agenda item 7-A”

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
Please, why do we constantly jump to "more is better" mentality"? 3rd Street Promenade, at first a success - but then rents emptied out local businesses. Once gone, chain stores took over the Promenade - now they have exited, leaving a sad and mainly empty shell of itself. The Santa Monica Mall was shifted to high end, huge businesses. Who did it serve? Not the community, neighborhood - empty abandoned store fronts shout the failure.

During COVID, so many areas of our city fell apart. Not the Ocean Park and Pico Corridor. Small beloved local businesses were supported by our community. Our neighborhood continues to thrive.

A true community is not just about capitalism. Along with our successful commercial district, our true community thrives with trust, inclusion, opportunity, and a feeling of belonging and being safe. That's what we are. Do not destroy this. Please, do NOT upzone the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts to these two streets.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Ostrom
2519 21st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: Robin Mitchell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:48 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council Members
I live on Euclid Street just south of Ocean Park Boulevard. I have lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years. It is my home and community. I love the neighborhood and the character of this community.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO TO UPZONING OCEAN PARK AND PICO.

There is already more traffic than the community can bear. You have approved the construction of an enormous complex at Lincoln and Ocean Park that will bring even more traffic and congestion into the neighborhood.

Ocean Park Blvd, especially between 16th and 20th Street is already impacted but it has character and that character must be maintained. It is a major part of what makes living here special.

Upzoning this area is not progress, but a change of attitude and is not welcome.

Robin Mitchell
2614 Euclid Street
Apartment E
Santa Monica CA 90405
I agree:
“Upzoning” would allow these unique Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, wellsupported recommendation to Council against upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

Item 7.A
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4 The City Council needs to hear our voices. If you agree it’s important to “buy local” and support local small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets, please email the City Council by noon on Tuesday February 14, and tell them to protect these Streets.

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From: janet carpenter <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:32 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Agenda 7a

EXTERNAL
I am opposed to the up zoning of Ocean Park. We need low density neighborhoods with small local businesses.

Janet Carpenter
2415 28th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: DARLENE VOGEL <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:15 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Please protect our street from upzoning

EXTERNAL
Hello , I’m sure you won’t read this since you’ll be inundated with emails , but the community has spoken and we don’t want any upzoning on our quaint streets of Santa Monica . We need to save our appeal of small town communities with small business and not replace with big retailers and big buildings .

Keep ocean park , main st , pico and Montana the way they are . Save our city and our small businesses.

Thank you.

Darlene Vogel
Sunset park
Sent from my iPhone
Item 7.A
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7 Vernice Hankins
From: Shana Kaplan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 5:14 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Protect our neighborhood streets from UP-ZONING!

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers:

Please vote no on upzoning and lot consolidation. Please do not ruin our special city.

Shana Kaplan
922 14th Street
SM 90403
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From: Dr. Anna Rogers <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 5:01 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: A sound rejection of Item 7

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing to you this morning to strongly urge and, as a longtime active resident and participant in city affairs, insist that you reject in every way Item 7, the potential plan to “upzone” several streets including Montana Avenue. Absurd and unnecessary 4, 5 or more story buildings among this street being forced upon residents of our city would inevitably turn a quiet, pedestrian friendly street enjoyed by neighbors and tourists alike into a clogged, constricted pipe of traffic, noise, gridlock and over-densification that gets thinner with time until it bursts. No one benefits-no one is helped nor entertained, no one prospers other than the special interest corporations and individuals who seem to have purchased a great deal of our property over time. They do not live here. They could care less about the safety and quality of life of actual residents. But they would benefit financially to the greatest extent. And this is where the ethics of priorities present themselves.

Several of you know this information to be true and will thankfully reject this damaging and unrealistic intention. However, there are some whose minds are already made up and closed tight despite the valid and consistent objections of residents who have lived in our small city for anywhere from a few years to many decades. You do them more than a disservice to ignore, disrespect, and dismiss the credible concern and advice of the people, particularly those with longtime experience in the areas of housing, local and state governance, responsible, progressive development, and preserving what remains of the city’s architectural and cultural history. Our comparatively smaller locally-owned, neighborhood-serving businesses are cherished and enjoyed by many, while the diverse nature of both new and long standing restaurants and shops are ideal for individuals, families and visitors. Many memories of walking along the streets, looking in windows, meeting friends and shopping for unusual items you would never have found in a large commercial chain store have been and will continue to be made.

To be clear, no one is “afraid,” misinformed, or possessing whatever demographic or political stereotype that will most likely be thrown in their direction for opposing this potential catastrophe. In asking you to follow your respective consciences, it is already obvious from past experience that some will be true to their oath of office and some will look the other way to please donors and others who live outside of Santa Monica. The actual consideration of such a flawed concept is not progressive in any sense of the word. Instead, this machination for financial gain under the guise of progress or a twisted version of problem-solving represents many giant steps backwards into an eventual over-densified debacle with consequences for which you would not want to be responsible. Please think for yourself on this one, and remember that our 8 square miles represent a very small town, regardless of the enormous profit to be made by the exceptionally wealthy few who see our beachside home as a financial trophy and ignore the actual people living and working within city limits.

Sincerely,
Anna M. Rogers, Ph.D.

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From: Lauri Fraser <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre; Lauri Fraser
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
.

Please refer to 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a in your email subject line and send it to:

Dear City Council Members,
I am a concerned resident and citizen of Sunset Park. I was born in Los Angeles and have been a resident of Santa Monica for over two decades. I say this because I have seen lots of changes and unfortunately the building and development of our precious city of Santa Monica has made it almost impossible to do business or dine, or shop, due to over development and traffic and lack of parking.

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW this to happen to Ocean Park Blvd. This is the last pocket of peace in Los Angeles. So far it is still civilized. More development, high rises, over‐flowing parking lots may mean more income for the developers and it will also bring in more traffic, and crime. Our neighborhood is still a neighborhood. We are
PLEASE consider the human condition before you go for the dollar instead of the people.

Thank you for your time
Most sincerely,
Lauri Fraser
‐‐
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Chapelle Villas HOA ‐ Owners" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ChapelleVillas‐ [email protected].

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ChapelleVillas‐ Owners/C53B7E9D‐95D9‐4A41‐A6CA‐FC2451332D64%40laurifraser.com.

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From: Karen Sampson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:44 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Opposition to 2/14/23 City Council Agenda 7a

EXTERNAL
I am writing to voice my strong opposition to "upzoning" Montana Avenue.

I believe strongly in supporting the local businesses on Montana Avenue, and in maintaining the quality and walkability of the area. From my understanding, "upzoning" would allow a level of development on Montana Avenue that would destroy the very character and charm of this neighborhood where I shop, eat, and spend a lot of my time. I don't own a car, so living within walking distance of this low‐key, quiet, and very safe neighborhood commercial district is a big part of what makes my day‐to‐day life not only possible but also enjoyable. Allowing the personality of this neighborhood to be stripped away in favor of commercial interests would be a terrible disservice to not only everyone who lives in or spends time visiting the area but also to the city itself.

It was my dream for many years to move to Santa Monica; I came back year after year to vacation in the area with my daughter, which is how I knew it was where I wanted to live out the rest of my life. Working remotely due to Covid gave me a window of opportunity, and I made the move here exactly two years ago. Other than its proximity to the ocean, the north of Wilshire/Montana Avenue area's walkability, suburban feel, and safety are the main reasons I relocated here.

Frankly, I'm incredibly upset to hear that the city is willing to consider substantially altering the essential composition, look, feel, and experience of Montana Avenue ‐‐ all for profit and money. Doing so would make Montana Avenue indistinguishable from so many other areas of the city, stuffed to the brim with chain stores and high rises and traffic. If you allow developers to combine lots and build five‐ or six‐story buildings on Montana Avenue, it will no longer BE Montana Avenue.

I sincerely hope the Santa Monica City Council will think long and hard about this issue and its long‐term implications.

Please don't destroy the essence of the very place I longed for years to ‐‐ and now happily do ‐‐ call "home." Sincerely,
Karen Sampson
Proud Santa Monica resident (for now)
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From: Tracy Kahaner <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:43 AM
To: Shana Kaplan
Cc: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Re: Protect our neighborhood streets from UP-ZONING!

EXTERNAL
AMEN!
On Feb 14, 2023, at 5:13 AM, Shana Kaplan <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Councilmembers:

Please vote no on upzoning and lot consolidation. Please do not ruin our special city.

Shana Kaplan
922 14th Street
SM 90403
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Danny Guggenheim <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:37 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
We are strongly opposed to the proposal to upzone in our Sunset Park neighborhood.

We have lived in Sunset Park for 17 years, and have children attending Grant and JAMS. The existing character of our neighborhood would be forever changed for the worse by the NC upzone proposal for Ocean Park and Pico. We and our kids regularly walk around the neighborhood, visiting our favorite locally‐owned small businesses along Pico and Ocean Park, including Ghisallo, SM Yoga, Bob’s Market, Local Kitchen, Thyme Market, Blossom, Il Forno, Vito, Olympia Club barber shop, Lunetta, Gilbert’s and Lares. Our neighborhood revolves around the sense of community anchored by (1) our strong public schools to which many students walk or ride bikes, and (2) flourishing small businesses to which many of us walk or bike, with owners and staff who live among us, welcome us and participate and support our community activities ‐ all mostly in the sunshine with a sense of openness and (usually) light traffic thanks to the low density and low building heights.

Many of those who choose to move into (or stay) in these neighborhoods despite rising costs cite the uniqueness of the neighborhood and local community that revolve around these features. More density and higher building heights would be devastating to the Sunset Park identity and character ‐ there would be new development just for development’s sake, necessarily increasing the costs of operating, which will push out the small businesses and bring in large national businesses who can afford to operate without profits in desirable locations. This would also have the hugely detrimental, depressing, and irreversible effect of our main streets ‐ often lined with students, families and other residents going about their day on foot or on bikes, often with their pets ‐ being transformed from bright and airy corridors to industrial‐like, uninviting, and unsafe‐feeling areas that are deprived from sunshine, open sky and transparency. We don’t want to turn into downtown!
Several of you campaigned in front of our schools, introducing yourselves to parents who had walked or biked to school with their kids, petting our dogs, and telling us how you’re just like us and share a vision for preserving and enhancing our neighborhood and community, and want to focus the Council’s attention on the needs of our city’s residents. How then could you even consider this proposal? Don’t forget who put you in office (hint: it wasn’t the staff who live outside of SM), or what you said to us in person to get our votes ‐ we certainly have not forgotten ‐ and it would be a major betrayal of trust to now decide to pull the rug out from under us by upzoning the NC districts on Pico and Ocean Park.

Respectfully,
Daniel Guggenheim
Sunset Park resident since 2006
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From: Mimi Brown <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:21 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/24/23 agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
I am writing this email to indicate my very strong opposition to the "upscaling" proposition for Ocean Park Blvd and other Santa Monica neighborhoods. I am a 30 year resident of the Sunset Park area of Santa Monica. I patronize the local businesses. I also am concerned about the traffic in my neighborhood. This proposal would make the traffic situation even worse than it already is. Please vote NO . Thank you. Mimi Brown 310 963-7588 Item 7.A
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6 Vernice Hankins
From: RONNA JOSEPH <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:06 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council members,
I am a home owner in the Ocean Park area of Santa Monica. I live on Hill Street. I am horrified at the notion of up‐zoning the area of Ocean Park Blvd. Please do not allow this over commercializing over populating to take over this street that has so many charming businesses.

NO on up zoning.

Thank you,
Ronna Joseph
Sent from my iPad
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Sarah A Spitz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:11 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: NO TO UPZONING

EXTERNAL
On this Valentine’s Day, do NOT break the hearts of Santa Monicans by approving upzoning in commercial districts.

There HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY to meet the state’s requirements than complete displacement of neighborhood‐serving small businesses, increasing traffic (BAD for the environment so not in line with sustainability goals) and HIGHER RENTS and PARKING PROBLEMS.

Do not give in to the pressure to create a Santa Monica no one recognizes! NO ON COMMERCIAL ZONE UPZONING!

Sarah Spitz, KCRW Producer/Publicity Director (retired) Culture writer, The Canyon Chronicle (current)
Former “Culture Watch” columnist, Santa Monica Daily Press (2011‐2020) UC/CE LA County Master Gardener (2006‐active); Certified Master Food Preserver (2011‐2014) Food Forward Kitchen Cabinet Advisory Board www.foodforward.org CERT (Community Emergency Response Team 10) Santa Monica Volunteer Item 7.A
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: 5 story building code Pico ocean park?
From: pattyhmj <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 5:06 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: 5 story building code Pico ocean park?

EXTERNAL
Dear City Santa Monica's council members.

Hearing about a new code to be voted on for 5 Story building Pico Ocean Park? Is this correct? Please keep the code the same The impact would be disasterious in our area of dense schools and walking streets.

Please do not add to crowding and construction...this is why we voted you in to keep taller buildings out and keep our area safe.

Thank you
Patty
68 years in Santa Monica local resident.

Sent from my Galaxy
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3 Vernice Hankins
From: billie williams <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please Vote NO on Agenda Item 7a
I strongly oppose the suggested upzoning and expansion in these areas.

Billie Williams
24th Street
90405
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4 Vernice Hankins
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Keep Montana and Main Street as is!
From: Katherine Reuter <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 4:21 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Keep Montana and Main Street as is!

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
Santa Monica's charm, and economic and tourist draw come from the City's charming neighborhood districts.

Please see if there is anything you can do with the State zoning requirements to especially keep Main Street and Montana just as they are, and any new construction is in line with the current buildings. Are these historical zones? If not these should be.

Thank you,
Katherine Reuter
1210 Grant Street
90405
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5 Vernice Hankins
From: Sara Sluss <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:46 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please DO NOT “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue. Please leave neighborhoods intact. Not every building, every block needs replacement with multi story buildings. We need neighborhoods that feel like neighborhoods. We need our existing local businesses, not chain stores. These businesses survived a pandemic. Please do not kill them off with overdevelopment.

Thank you.

Sara Sluss
2129 Glencoe
Venice, CA
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From: Janis Flax <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:43 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Please don’t up-zone Santa Monica!!

EXTERNAL
Save Bobs’s Market, Save Santa Monica Yoga, Save Yoga‐urt! Do not get rid of the small businesses that make Santa Monica a neighborhood! Please!!!
Janis Flax
2694 31st Street
Santa Monica 90405
Sent from my iPhone
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2 Vernice Hankins
From: Ann Maggio <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:43 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Ann Maggio
Subject: 2/14/23 Council Meeting - Item 7A

EXTERNAL
Show me a city where chain stores and vanity spaces didn't take over retail and restaurant spaces when cities upzoned and I'll sell you a bridge to Mars for a dollar.

NO DOUBLEWIDE LOTS!
Moral bankruptcy could lie in the majority and if Gleam has her way she'll gut the folks fighting to make home ownership a reality for the renters in this town.

Thanks in advance to those of you who will vote NO on the upzoning of Montana, Pico and OP Blvd.

You already know there is little to NO OPEN SPACE within walking distance for the vast majority of SM children because they live in apartments and have no yards. So, WHERE WILL THEY PLAY? Your individual decisions have been made so on with your charade.

Ann Maggio Thanawalla
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." ‐ Albert Einstein Item 7.A
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From: Paula Kayton <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:36 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Please do NOT vote to up‐zone Santa Monica commercial districts including Montana Avenue, Main Street, Ocean Park and Pico Boulevard. We, who live in Santa Monica, need to be able to be listened to and do NOT approve of this possibility. Please protect the current streets and businesses.

Paula Kayton
722 Adelaide Place
Santa Monica 90402
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From: BStolier <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:32 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members,
I have recently become aware of the “upzoning” and lot consolidation recommendation for Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Montana Avenue. As a
40+ year resident and homeowner in Ocean Park, we vehemently oppose this idea. It will completely ruin the unique character and charm of these neighborhoods and
turn them into cookie‐cutter retail chain abominations.

Horrible, horrible, horrible idea and a ghastly mistake.

We are not opposed to growth and density, but these are not the places to do it. Leave the larger development to Lincoln Blvd and downtown Santa Monica.

Thank you for listening and please don’t ruin these unique neighborhoods and the unique local businesses.

William Stolier
Kathy Weber
2707 Highland Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
To help protect your privacy,
Micro so ft Office prevented
auto matic downlo ad o f this
picture from the Internet.

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From: Ellen Hiura <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
Sent from my iPhone
Dear Council Member(s):

As long term Santa Monica homeowners in Sunset Park, we wish to express our vehement opposition to up zoning on Ocean Park Bl, Main St and Montana Ave.

Sincerely,
Ellen and Howard Hiura
Item 7.A
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: Housing element amendment
From: ejs2514 <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 3:52 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; councilmtgitems <[email protected]> Subject: Housing element amendment

EXTERNAL
Please approve the proposed upzoning of the Bergamot Plan area Replacement Site at 1757 Stanford Street, as requested by the property owner.

Please reject the proposal to undo existing upzoned areas along Main, Montana, Pico, and Ocean Park.

Best wishes
Ed Salisbury
2514 30th Street
Santa Monica
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: No upzoning
From: Richard Orton <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 1:01 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: No upzoning

EXTERNAL
I've lived in Santa Monica since 1970 and I don't want the council to vote for increased density this would involve. We already have 10,000 people per square mile and it is crowded enough.

Don't make it worse.

Richard Orton
Ocean Park
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From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:11 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fw: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a
From: Faustino Garza <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:40 PM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
As a 35‐year homeowner and resident of Santa Monica, I wish to express my strong opposition to any proposal to "upzone" our commercial district walk‐streets: Ocean Park Ave; Montana Ave; Main Street, and Pico Blvd.

I also oppose any proposal for "lot consolidation" along Ocean Park Blvd; Pico Blvd and Montana Ave.

Such proposals would lead to the closing of many, if not most, of our remaining local businesses while turning over these sites to corporate investment and development.

I urge you to enact policies to maintain existing heights and densities along these streets, which are vital to maintaining any remaining local character to our city.

We've had more than enough destruction of our quality of life.

Faustino Garza
Sunset Park
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From: joey brighton reynolds <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- OPPOSE upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts

EXTERNAL
To whom it may concern,
I have lived on Ocean Park Blvd (and 14th) for almost 17 years. I love my sweet, quiet neighborhood. I love the small town feeling that it still has. I OPPOSE upzoning any neighborhood in Santa Monica and especially mine.

Thank you and sending some extra love on this Feb 14th.

Joey Brighton Reynolds
Life Coach with a side of woowoo
ACC, CPC, ELI‐MP
www.joeybrightonreynolds.com
Join me on Tuesdays…
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From: Erin Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:03 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
I oppose the proposed upzoning of Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

If you allow these unique streets to be developed with new five or six‐story projects, what will happen to our loved and valued small businesses? Santa Monica Yoga, Bob’s Market, Merrihew’s, Rita’s Rags, Art’s Table, Caffe Luxxe to name only a few!
It saddens me to think of these charming streets losing their homey neighborhood feel, with tall buildings blocking out the sun and with traffic to match Lincoln Boulevard. No thank you! When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, well‐supported recommendation to Council against upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

Let our long‐standing business maintain their foothold ‐ please honor their contributions to our City! Let Santa Monicans continue to support our treasured small businesses, and enjoy the walkability of our neighborhood commercial districts!
Find another solution to the housing mandates!

Erin Jones
Wilmont Neighborhood Resident and Avid Walker
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From: nancy GOODSTEIN <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:03 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzoning in Santa Monica

EXTERNAL
Currently the city of Santa Monica already struggles to protect and maintain its homes and businesses. Upzoning would invite investors whose motivation is to make money, not create community. Even if it does not lead to empty buildings and unfinished projects, which is likely, it still is very likely to lack the charm and personality which draws tourists, businesses and residents. There will be increased traffic, and even higher crime rates and disenchantment with what used to be the city others aspired to be. Invest in our current residents and business owners to encourage organic growth which will inherently is built upon both capital and heart. That is what makes a great city and community. That is real vision.

Sincerely,
Nancy Goodstein
310‐709‐1839
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From: Linda Larson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:01 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
Dear Counsel members,
I have been living in Sunset Park since 1988. I moved to this area with my two daughters because of the walking distance to schools, Clover Park, Bob’s Market, Sunset Gardens Nursery, the Fairview Library, and the various shops and cafes within the immediate area. These smaller businesses are the HEART of our neighborhood. Families thrive on the familiarity and convenience of these things. Our “smaller, independent" businesses have provided us community and opportunities to engage with and support one another. Allowing for the development and construction of larger buildings along Ocean Park Blvd. would destroy what is loved, appreciated and important to our community.

PLEASE do not promote a zoning change to this area.

A Zoning change would be damaging to this neighborhood and the people who live here.

Please VOTE AGAINST a change to the Zoning Ordinance.

Sincerely,
Linda Larson
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From: Brent Cohen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
We are writing to ask that you do your job to protect our city’s neighborhoods and small businesses. I urge you to follow the Planning Commission’s recommendations to keep current zoning and NOT allow lot consolidation on Main Street Ocean Park Boulevard Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

It’s time the city shows more care and consideration to its residents and spend less time, money and attention catering to developers.

Thank you.
‐ Brent & Wendy Cohen, 2254 Cloverfield Blvd.

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From: Esther Hickman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Cnl. meeting 2/14/23 - Item 7A- Do not allow changes to NC districts that will eliminate local and small businesses + a master plan

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and City Council Members,
Please do not authorize the upzoning or any zoning change to Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard and Montana Avenue which will irreversibly harm small and local businesses.

Making it more profitable for developers to transform our industrial and commercial zones into residential/mixed used housing could make for a more elegant transition. Other cities throughout the world have successfully adopted this model. Santa Monica can accommodate far more density while keeping it's beautiful beach side facade, attracting people from all over the world.

Please help reverse the reputation that Santa Monica doesn't support local and small businesses and that Santa Monica adopts a provincial view when it comes to master city planning. ‐‐
Esther Hickman (Pico Neighborhood Resident)
310.600.7306
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From: Nancy Ong <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 8:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Please, please vote against upzoning and stop the “Manhattanization” of Santa Monica! We have enough apartment buildings replacing businesses already, which no one can afford, and creating a traffic nightmare and do not need to destroy the diversity of our neighborhoods further. SLOW DOWM all these changes and see the ramifications of projects already in development before doing any more. Nancy Ong Item 7.A
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From: Margaret Bach <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:35 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Item 7: Housing Element and Neighborhood Commercial

EXTERNAL
To the City Council,
For the well‐being of our community, neighborhoods, and our local small businesses, I urge you to refrain from any upzoning to the neighborhood commercial zoning designation. Any increase in heights and density along our treasured shopping districts would have a deleterious effect on their viability and role as neighborhood‐serving businesses. Small businesses would be priced out of the market with the higher rents that would result from new developments ‐‐ thus creating a double‐whammy: for residents and for our valued local businesses.

Surely there is a way of satisfying the requirements of the Housing Element without sacrificing our neighborhood commercial districts.

Please listen to the voices of your constituents, the residents of Santa Monica, and reject any modifications to the Neighborhood Commercial zoning now in place.

Sincerely,
Margaret Bach
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From: Esther Hickman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:33 AM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Item 7A: Prioritize Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor David and Members of the City Council,
While all of these city planning decisions are made I hope that Santa Monica can lead the way in affordable homeownership opportunities for current resident renters. This has been done in many ways throughout the country. We don't even have to reinvent the wheel but we could be West coast leaders. So many incredible models! TORCA 2 is brilliant, 80/20 developments, Industrial/Commercial Conversions with 80/20 models, Habitat for Humanity partnerships, Land lease models on church and city owned land. Endless. Let's think 20% Affordable Deed Restricted Units. Why should all the wealth be consolidated with developers and non‐profit affordable housing corporations. Why aren't we empowering our renters to become homeowners or worse yet, they keep their rent control units and buy investment properties outside of Santa Monica. Let's empower people to pay property taxes in Santa Monica. AND you don't need to upzone or change zoning in Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard and Montana Avenue which will irreversibly harm small and local businesses. There is plenty of land and opportunity and sustainable city planning with your leadership! THANK YOU!
Esther Hickman
310.600.7306
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From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:29 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
It is the small locally owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that make Sunset Park neighborhood special. I have lived in this neighborhood /community for over 29 years and my daily walks are so inspiring. I love the locally owned business that create this community, along with the engaged residents.

As I see it. there would be no benefit nor is there a need for upzoning in this community.

Karyn Benkendorfer
2027 Euclid Street, Apt. F
90405
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From: Mathew Millen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:27 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Oscar de La Torre; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra Subject: 2/14 #11A STOP DUMPING REGIONAL SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE PICO NEIGHBORHOOD

EXTERNAL
Stop Dumping Regional Social Services In the Historically Segregated Pico Neighborhood The Pico Neighborhood has the following Regional Social Service Programs

1. CLARE Fdn residential housing for substance abusers

2. Salvation Army residential housing for substance abusers

3. Two Ocean Park Community Center 55 bed homeless shelters

4. Two facilities The Manor housing for the mentally ill (whose residents have committed 2 murders)

5. 55 Unit 4 story homeless housing at 14th and Michigan w/ 5 parking spaces for residents, across the street from a pre school

6. 84 Unit SEVEN STORY HIGH homeless housing w/ 26 parking spaces at 1634 20th St. 1 block from Crossroads school (architectural renderings look like the LA County Jail)

7. City developed low income housing projects on almost every block that the State of Calif. Dept of Housing determined "perpetuated segregation"

IF THE CITY INTENDS TO USE THIS DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY TO APPLY FOR FUNDS TO HOUSE THE

HOMELESS WHO COME HERE FROM

EVERYWHERE, THERE MUST BE A PROHIBITION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE PROJECTS IN THE PICO NEIGHBORHOOD. We have more than our fair share, now the Wilshire to San Vicente Blvd neighborhood can provide these services. if the City wants more facilities., build a 7 story homeless housing project on Montana Ave if the Council wants more Regional homeless housing.

The City should offer our highly paid grant applicant staff to other cities so those cities can provide homeless housing. Call La Canada Flintridge, San Marino, Bradbury, Arcadia, Cerritos, Altadena, Rancho Palos Verdes, Manhattan, Redondo and Hermosa Beach and assist those cities in applying for grant money to build homeless housing.

Mathew Millen
16th St. 90404
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From: Angelique Glennon <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:17 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: City Cnl. meeting 2/14/23 - Item 7A- Do not allow changes to NC districts that will eliminate local and small businesses.

Thank‐you for supporting local and small businesses,
Angélique Glennon
Santa Monica
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From: Kathy KelleherMcCarthy <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:10 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: re: Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd and the south side of Pico Blvd.

EXTERNAL
February 14, 2023

To: Santa Monica City Council
RE: 1/18/23 agenda item 7-A

Dear Santa Monica City Council,

It is the small, locally-owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd that make Sunset Park neighborhood unique and wonderful for people who live here but also patrons who come for the particular small town feel of OP Blvd and south of Pico. I am a 30+ year homeowner of Sunset Park. I’m particularly interested in retaining the existing heights and FARs (Floor Area Ratio) in the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element.

Upzoning our NC districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd. could potentially displace locally-owned businesses that provide affordable retail and essential services to Sunset Park residents.

The loss of these neighborhood-serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives.

The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32’ maximum height to an FAR of 2.50 and 55’ height.

The NC districts in Sunset Park are
 Ocean Park Blvd. between 16th and 18th (Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Bob's Market, etc.), and between 25th Street and Centinela (Ocean Park Pharmacy, National Mailbox Center, tailor shops, numerous small restaurants, UPS, etc.) Item 7.A
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7  South side of Pico Blvd. between Euclid and 16th, and between 20th and 31st (Campos Famous Burritos, Superfast Copying, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect dog grooming, Laura's Nails, etc.)

Selected Sites Inventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’s term (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’s site selection criteria.

There are 203 properties on the City’s SSI, of which only 13 are in Neighborhood Commercial Districts. 12 are on Pico Blvd. and one is on Ocean Park Blvd. (the NE corner of 17th & OPB). The total housing unit capacity, if the SSI sites are developed, is 13,000+ units. Of these, only 165 are in the NC Districts.

The Housing Element calls for the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts.

Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is not necessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals.

1. 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level.

4. The required (LUCE) specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary.

Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd.

1. Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned.

2. Loss of the commercial district altogether since ground floor commercial space will not be required for new projects given the likely unmarketability of this space Item 7.A
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8 for neighborhood serving businesses. (This could include the Bob’s Market property, which is currently for sale.)
Conclusion -- To reiterate, I support the letter from the 3 Planning Commissioners regarding retaining the existing FAR and height limit in the Neighborhood Commercial areas of Ocean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Kelleher McCarthy
1206 Grant St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

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From: Jan Cherubin <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:10 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
Hi Council People,
I'm a longtime resident of Sunset Park and I'm concerned about the plan for Santa Monica that involves upzoning. What's good for Pico Boulevard is not necessarily good for Ocean Park Boulevard. Pico with its tire stores, gas stations, and motels could use more housing and a vibrant street life. But Ocean Park Boulevard already provides housing for diverse income levels, with a mix of locally-owned retail shops that serve the neighborhood. Please don't paint with such a broad brush. Why not upzone Pico and see how that goes? That makes more sense than bulldozing so many neighborhoods and paving them with good intentions.

Sincerely,
Jan Cherubin
1710 Oak Street
Santa Monica 90405
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From: Peter Spelman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:45 AM
To: Bea Nemlaha
Cc: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Re: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A; Protect Neighborhood Serving Streets

EXTERNAL
Hello All:

I totally and completely agree with Ms. Nemlaha's comments. Please do your part to keep this little section of Santa Monica as beautiful and people‐friendly as it has always been.

Thank you.

Peter Spelman
45 year Ocean Park resident
730 Marine St.

SM 90405
On Sun, Feb 12, 2023 at 11:02 AM Bea Nemlaha <[email protected]> wrote:

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43 year Ocean Park Resident
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From: BC <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a - Please NO to Upzoning!

EXTERNAL
To the Santa Monica City Council,
The city has allowed developers to consolidate lots and build larger, mega projects on our streets for at least the last 10 years.

We urge the City Council to please protect OUR neighborhood and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and NOT allowing lot consolidation.

Sincerely,
Billy
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From: Will von Bernuth <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council,
As a long time Santa Monica resident I am concerned about the proposal to upzone neighborhood commercial districts such as Main Street, Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd., and Montana Ave. I'm also concerned with the proposal to allow lot consolidation in these areas.

I'd like to voice my opposition to these proposals and am glad to hear the city planning commission is also opposed to them.

I enjoy the local feel and flavor of these communities and believe with upzoning local merchants and eateries will be forced out due to higher rents. I also believe 5 and 6 story buildings will block out the open feel and nature of these streets leaving us with dark corridors.

These street are wonderful places for our community to shop, eat, and lead our daily lives. I do not want to see them upzoned and I do not want lot consolidation to be approved.

Thank you for your time,
Will von Bernuth
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From: Kathy Knight <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:42 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2-14/23 Agenda Item 7-A

EXTERNAL
February 13, 2023
To: Council Members Phil Brock, Gleam Davis, Oscar Delatorre, Lana Negrete, Christine Parra, Caroline Torosis, Jesse Zwick
From: Kathy Knight and Joe Faris,
Sunset Park Residents on Oak St. for 36 years
[email protected]
(310) 613‐1175
PLEASE DO NOT approve ANY change in the allowed height of the Neighborhood Commercial Districts on Ocean Park Blvd., Pico Blvd. or Montana Ave. Such a change could end up up with our wonderful neighborhood business districts ruined by the businesses taken out and up to 5 story high residential buildings with retail on the bottom. Our local businesses that we love would not be able to survive in such an environment.

Such a plan is also very bad for the following reasons:

1. There has not been proper notification to our local Neighborhood Commercial District businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. Today, February 13, 2023, I and another person walked Ocean Park Blvd. between 16th St. and 18th St. We talked to representatives in most of the businesses. We were surprised to learn that all the businesses except one did NOT KNOW about this proposal! They were shocked and upset by the news.

2. There needs to be full disclosure to each business in these NCD’s of what is being proposed.

3. These neighborhood businesses are very popular with the local population. Today on our walk, Bob’s Market at 17th St. was totally full inside and the parking lot was totally full.

Thyme Cafe in the same block was jammed at lunch time. We had to go back later to talk to them.

4. Having these NCD’s cuts down on car trips. We can WALK to these businesses. We walk to Bob’s Market every other day to do shopping. We not only get our healthy organic food there, but we also get good exercise in walking that keeps us in very good health.

AGAIN, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO OUR WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.

Thank you.

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From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:41 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Upzoning Pico Blvd/Ocean Park Blvd.

EXTERNAL
Hello,
I and my husband have lived in our home on Cloverfield Blvd. since 1971. We have witness the continual building in Santa Monica.

I write to ask you NOT to up zone Pico Blvd and Ocean Park Blvd. To have no more than 2 stories in these areas helps maintain some sense
of community and livability. There are already so many multi storied buildings built or under construction in the city.

When they are completed and occupied, I can only guess at the difference in traffic and congestion.

Leave at least some areas with limitation of 2 stories and DO NOT UPZONE parts of Pico Blvd … and Ocean Park Blvd.

Also the plans for the Gelson’s market area are so inhuman in skill and size. City Council needs to protect our city.

Thank you for your attention to my thoughts.

Sincerely,
Leota Flaten
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From: Kelley McIntosh <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:40 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A

EXTERNAL
D ear C ouncilm em bers –

I am a business ow ner in Santa M onica, with offices located on O cean Park Blvd and a hom eow ner in the Sunset Park neighborhood, just off Pico Blvd.

I oppose the upzoning of the N eighborhood C om m ercial districts on these tw o streets. It is the sm all locallyow ned businesses on O cean Park Blvd. and Pico Blvd. that m ake the Sunset Park neighborhood special. There are plenty of com m ercial areas within the city limits already prepared for the businesses upzoning attracts, w hereas Santa M onica depends on m aintaining the intim ate neighborhoods like Sunset Park, Pico Blvd and O cean Park Blvd, that support locally-ow ned sm all and eclectic businesses. It’s w hat m akes Santa M onica a w onderful hom e and an exciting destination for others.

Please do not throw locally-ow ned businesses to the w olves by upzoning the N eighborhood C om m ercial (NC) districts on these tw o streets.

Thanks,
Kelley
Kelley McIntosh
SM small business owner and Sunset Park resident
310-460-6096
[email protected]
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From: Karen Croner <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:37 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Charles Andrews
Subject: Upzoning

EXTERNAL
I am writing to oppose up zoning on Ocean Park and Main Street. It is a strong community that absolutely depends on our small mom and pop shops. I also firmly believe that Mayor Gleam should recuse herself from voting on this the because her husband is a real estate lawyer who makes money from development in Santa Monica. I don’t know if any others on CC profit from development but they should also recuse themselves if they do. If any CC members were elected from developer funds and they vote for Upzoning, it will become time for a criminal investigation into bribery.

Do the right thing. Save Ocean Park blvd and Main Street so that Santa Monica is a special city that people will want to visit. Keep it special and Santa Monica will be profitable again. Which you all desperately need.

Thank you,
Karen Croner and Jonathan Feldman
Santa Monica residents.

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From: Jackie Stansbury <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:52 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
No upzoning! The density in our city has become unsustainable. Protect our existing small businesses and the quality of life for our residents.

Overdevelopment of a seaside community will NEVER lead to affordable housing. You will be creating problems, not solving them.

Sincerely,
Jackie Stansbury

Jackie Stansbury
[email protected]
(310) 339-9417
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From: JC <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:52 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: 2.14.23 City Council Agenda Item 7a

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
In regards to today’s agenda item 7a, I urge the City Council to please protect these neighborhood and small businesses by keeping the current zoning and NOT allowing lot consolidation.

Thank You!
Jacqueline
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From: Korin Tarin <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Objection to "upzoning: Montana Ave

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
I would like to voice my objection to the possible plan to change the zoning on Montana Ave to anything more than the 2 stories currently allowed. I believe time and money would be better spent doing something about the already built Third Street Promenade, just a thought.

Thank you for your time,
Korin Tarin
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From: Karen M. Fisher <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: Karen M. Fisher
Subject: FOSP: City Council 2/14/23 agenda item 7-A -- OPPOSE upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts February 13, 2023

EXTERNAL
The FOSP Board supportsthe January 23rd letter from the Planning Commission in Attachment F and opposes upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Main Street, Montana Avenue, and especially on the two Neighborhood Commercial districtsin our neighborhood: Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd. It isthe small locally‐owned businesses on Ocean Park Blvd. and the south side of Pico Blvd. that "make" the Sunset Park neighborhood. Please do not throw these businessesto the wolves by upzoning the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts. We want to retain the existing heights and FARsin the Neighborhood Commercial districts on Pico Blvd. and Ocean Park Blvd., rather than increasing them, as proposed in the certified Housing Element. Upzoning of our NC districts hasthe strong potential to displace locally‐owned businessesthat provide affordable retail and essentialservicesto Sunset Park residents. The loss of these neighborhood‐serving businesses will also be in direct conflict with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) objectives. The Issue: Upzoning of Sunset Park’s Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District from a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and 32 ft maximum height to an FAR of 2.5 and 55 ft maximum height. The NC districtsin our neighborhood are the following areas on: Ocean Park Blvd. from 16th to 18th: Merrihew's Sunset Gardens, Ghisallo (wood fire pizza and bread baked on the premises), Hair Brainssalon, Brooke Rodd Boutique, Wild Moon Kids, Bicycle Workshop, Santa Monica Yoga, Bob's Market, Yoga‐urt (plant‐based softserve), Antequera Bakery (Mexican breads, cakes, cookies, and tamales), Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Goods LA (handcrafted artisan goodsfrom around the world), Quinnie & B – A Tiny Toy Shoppe, Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Thyme Café & Market, The First School (relationship‐based, developmental preschool & transitional kindergarten), and Café Bolivar (coffee,sandwiches & South American arepas) Ocean Park Blvd. from roughly 25th Street to Centinela: OP Market, Ocean Park Pharmacy, Classic Tailors, Juice Crafters, Blossom Vietnamese, Bubble Boba, Miyako Sushi, National Mailbox Center/FedEx, The Counter, Il Forno Trattoria, Hurry Curry of Tokyo, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Crimson (Mediterranean kabobs), a small UPS store, and Caruso Enzo Custom Tailor Pico Blvd.south side from Euclid to 16th: Cosmoprof (cosmetics), Byron Woodley Tire, and Nostalgia Bar & Lounge Pico Blvd. from 20th to 31st: Campos Famous Burritos, Tel’s Barber Shop (3 generations of barbers), Santa Monica Lock & Safe, Kick/Goju Ryu Karate, Westwood Appliances, Lo/Cal Coffee & Market, Sundance Physical Therapy, Wilson Brothers Appliance Repair, Lazy Daisy, Z Garden Mediterranean, Lunetta, Sunset Car Wash, Gilbert's El Indio, Paws & Effect Pet Spa, Tim Clarke Design, Eco Heads Salon, and Laura's Nails Selected SitesInventory (SSI) – The SSI is part of the Housing Element and lists properties “likely” to be redeveloped as housing during the Element’sterm (from now until 2029). Sites are listed using HCD’ssite selection criteria. There are 203 properties on the City’s SSI, of which 13 are in Neighborhood Commercial Districts. 12 are on Pico Blvd. and one is on Ocean Park Blvd. (the NE corner of 17th & OPB).

The total housing unit capacity, if the SSIsites are developed, is 13,000+ units. Of these, only 165 are in the NC Districts.

The Housing Element callsfor the upzoning of 1,171 acres along the boulevards, in Bergamot, and Downtown. Of these, only 71 are in NC Districts. Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. is unnecessary to meet Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing goals. 1) 50% of Sunset Park households have annual incomes at or below the Moderate Income level. 2) Two Sunset Park schools(Rogers & JAMS) qualify for the Title 1 Federal lunch program, meaning that at least 35% ofstudents are from families at or below the Federal poverty level. The majority ofstudentsin both schools are children and youth of color. 3) Of the approximately 7,000 housing unitsin Sunset Park, 3,309 are rent controlled apartments with median rents affordable to households at moderate income and below; 2,645 are single family houses; and the remainder are Item 7.A
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5 condominiums or post‐1979 apartment units. 4) The required (LUCE)specific plan to be prepared for the Santa Monica Business Park will focus on mixed income housing, which makes new housing in NC unnecessary. Impacts of Upzoning Ocean Park Blvd. 1) Displacement of locally owned businesses, a number of which are minority owned. 2) Loss of the commercial district altogethersince ground floor commercialspace will not be required for new projects given the likely unmarketability of thisspace for neighborhood serving businesses.

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6 Vernice Hankins
From: Julie Kim <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: Edmund Kim
Subject: Proposed Upzoning of SM Commercial Districts

EXTERNAL
Good morning,
As residents of Santa Monica, we respectfully request that the City Council VOTE AGAINST upzoning the commercial districts nestled in our residential neighborhoods. We understand the extreme pressure you must be under to build bigger/taller buildings to address the housing shortage and parking issues. However, doing so would come at a huge cost to our community.

We used to live in New York City and raised our young children surrounded by dangerous traffic, loud honking and fumes from cars and trucks, the constant noise of construction, and crowds of people visiting soulless chain stores. It was a stressful place to raise our kids. And despite the swarms of people around us, it was easy to feel lonely.

When we moved to Santa Monica 8 years ago, we were delighted to join a lovely community that values peacefulness and civility. We got to know our local store owners and became regulars at local coffee shops and restaurants. Today, we often run into people we know while walking, and the friendly atmosphere of the shops along Pico, Main Street, Ocean Park and Montana encourages us to stop and chat. Montana Avenue is especially wonderful with its annual traditions that bring the community together, such as the Art Walk and winter holiday celebration. Such a tradition would be logistically impossible due to congestion if Montana Avenue were built up with enormous box stores and apartment complexes.

As you already know, Santa Monica is very special because it's a city but still a livable place. We can still feel a sense of community when leisurely walking by the shops and restaurants near our homes. Please don't fall prey to the view that upzoning is inevitable or represents "progress." Our residents' sense of connection and collective mental health matter as well. We hope you too have felt the joys of walking along our streets and agree with us that Santa Monica's neighborhoods deserve to be protected. Thank you, as always, for your hard work.

Best regards,
Julie & Edmund Kim
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From: Bruce Leddy <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre
Subject: ITEM 7 A. - SUPPORT

EXTERNAL
Mayor and Councilmembers -
I urge you to support the Planning Commission's recommended amendment to the Housing Element which would omit Neighborhood Commercial areas from upzoning. These are some of the last remaining areas in our city that have character and appropriate scale and would be destroyed by the development upzoning would allow.

Contrary to what the Santa Monica Forward group has convinced its members, this amendment is NOT antihousing. It is not in any way dodging our responsibility to address the serious housing crisis or meet our statemandated needs. The amendment applies to 71 acres throughout the city (Main Street, Montana, etc.) and leaves the other 1171 acres of boulevards, Downtown, and Bergamot to be upzoned. These upzoned areas have capacity for over 13,000 units of development, well beyond the state's requirements.

We face a sea change of development in this city, due to the state's mandates. This amendment is a chance for Santa Monica to at least retain the smallest of control over how and where the onslaught of development will take place, allowing small businesses to survive while retaining some of the unique character of our city.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Bruce Leddy
23 year Santa Monica resident
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8 Vernice Hankins
From: Judy Kramer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 9:46 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Phil Brock; Gleam Davis; Oscar de la Torre; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick Subject: Fw: 2/14 /2023 City Council agenda item 7a

EXTERNAL
These are terrible things listed below. Santa Monica is being ruined. This wonderful city that I have lived in for 40 years is becoming something that is difficult to watch happen. We don't need bigger buildings and complexes. We have enough traffic and congestion and difficult parking. I know you want everyone to ride transit and bikes but that is not the reality. The unique streets with small businesses, restaurants and shopping are what makes Santa Monica special. Don't continue to allow it to be spoiled.

Please don't pass upzoning !!!!
Judy Kramer
1325 Pine Street
Help save small businesses on Ocean Park and Pico
Oppose Proposed Upzoning
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This Tuesday, February 14, the Santa Monica City Council will be discussing whether to “upzone” Santa Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts that include Main Street, Ocean Park Boulevard, Pico Boulevard and Montana Avenue.

If you are a Santa Monica resident, please let your city council members know that you oppose this change.

“Upzoning” would allow these unique Streets to be developed with new five or six-story projects. The resulting demolition of existing buildings would displace and eliminate most of the essential neighborhood-serving businesses. They would be replaced with higher rent tenants like chain stores, destabilizing the neighborhoods, reducing residents’ quality of life and increasing traffic and parking woes.

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9 When the Planning Commission recently reviewed these changes it made a strong, wellsupported recommendation to Council against upzoning these Streets and urged the Council to keep the existing heights and densities in these neighborhood commercial districts.

The City Council needs to hear our voices. If you agree it’s important to “buy local” and support local small businesses and maintain the quality of these walkable Streets, please email the City Council by noon on Tuesday February 14, and tell them to protect these Streets.

Please refer to 2/14/23 City Council Agenda Item 7a in your email subject line and send it to:

[email protected]
[email protected],
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

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From: Wendy Murray <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 10:11 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Council meeting for today. Item 7A

Santa Monica City CouncilFebruary 28, 2023

Santa Monica City Council
February 28, 2023