1 City Council Meeting: May 13, 2025 Santa Monica, California ORDINANCE NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AMENDING THE OFFICIAL DISTRICTING MAP OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA REGARDING 2644 30TH STREET FOR CONSISTENT DESIGNATION
WHEREAS, on July 6, 2010, the City Council adopted the Land Use and Circulation Element (“LUCE”) of the City’s General Plan, including a General Plan Land Use Map; and
WHEREAS, on July 24, 2015, the City adopted a revised Zoning Ordinance, which included a revised Districting Map; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65860 was amended by SB 1333, which became effective on January 1, 2019, to require that Charter Cities have consistency between their General Plans and Zoning Ordinances; and WHEREAS, since 1956, the parcel located at 2644 30th Street has been developed as a commercial office building, and, historically, was designated as C2, Neighborhood Commercial District; and
WHEREAS, during the adoption of the LUCE in 2010 and the update to the Zoning Ordinance to 2015, the parcel was designated as Single Family Housing for the General Plan Land Use Map and zoned Single-Unit Residential for the Official Districting Map; and
WHEREAS, these updates appear to have been inadvertent given the longstanding use of the property as a commercial office building and the prior designation as C2, Neighborhood Commercial; and
2 WHEREAS, the updates have caused a nonconforming condition on the property as well as impediments to future development, leasing opportunities, and financing for the property given the limitations of the Single Family Housing designation and zoning of R1 (Single Unit Residential); and
WHEREAS, on February 19, 2025, pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.45.060(B), the Planning Commission adopted Resolution Number 25-003 (PCS), a Resolution of Intention, declaring its intention to consider recommending to the City Council that the Council, among other things, amend the General Plan Land Use Map and Official Districting Map of the City of Santa Monica for the parcel located at 2466 30th Street; and
WHEREAS, amending the Official Districting Map to zone the parcel located at 2644 30th Street as NC (Neighborhood Commercial) will correct the prior inadvertent designation and reflect the longstanding use of the property, removing impediments to future development; and
WHEREAS, amending the Official Districting Map to zone the parcel located at 2644 30th Street as Neighborhood Commercial will correct the prior inadvertent designation and reflect the longstanding use of the property, ensure consistency with the General Plan, and remove impediments to future development; and WHEREAS, on March 19, 2025, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing, and, after considering oral and written testimony regarding the proposed amendments to the Official Districting Map, adopted Resolution Number 25- 008 (PCS), recommending that the City Council amend the Official Districting Map for the parcel located at 2644 30th Street based on the following findings:
3 1. The change in district boundaries is consistent in principle with the General Plan in that the proposed amendments will provide consistency between existing development and the Official Districting Map.
Due to an inadvertent reclassification of the parcel during both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element update and the 2015 Zoning Ordinance update to Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively, the commercial use of the subject parcel established in 1956 is now a nonconforming land use. This inconsistency between the use and Official District Map has created impediments to future development due to the land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space within the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will rectify this issue by aligning the Official Districting Map with the historic existing commercial use of the parcel;
2. The change in district boundaries is consistent with the purpose of this Ordinance to promote the growth of the City in an orderly manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare in that the proposed change will align the Official Districting Map with the existing commercial development of the parcel. Since 1956 the subject parcel has been developed as a commercial use, but inadvertently during both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element update and 2015 Zoning Ordinance update was reclassified as Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively. This inconsistency between the use and zoning district has created impediments to future development due to the land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space 4 within the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will rectify this issue by aligning the Official Districting Map with the historic existing use of the parcel; and
3. The change in district boundaries is necessary to achieve the balance of land uses desired by the City, consistent with the General Plan, and to increase the inventory of land within a given Zoning District in that the subject parcel has historically been developed with as a commercial use since 1956 and was zoned as such until it was inadvertently amended as part of both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation update and 2015 Zoning Ordinance update to Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively. This inadvertent reclassification has resulted in a nonconforming condition and impediments to future development due to land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space with the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will align the Official District Map for the subject parcel with existing development; and WHEREAS, on May 13, 2025, the City Council conducted a duly noticed hearing, and, after considering all oral and written testimony, desires to amend the Official Districting Map for the parcel located at 2644 30th Street as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Based upon the oral and written testimony presented to the City Council at the public hearing on May 13, 2025, regarding the proposed change to the Official Districting Map for the parcel located at 2644 30th Street, the City Council hereby makes the following findings:
5 1. The change in district boundaries is consistent in principle with the General Plan in that the proposed amendments will provide consistency between existing development and the Official Districting Map.
Due to an inadvertent reclassification of the parcel during both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element update and the 2015 Zoning Ordinance update to Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively, the commercial use of the subject parcel established in 1956 is now a nonconforming land use. This inconsistency between the use and Official District Map has created impediments to future development due to the land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space within the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will rectify this issue by aligning the Official Districting Map with the historic existing commercial use of the parcel.
2. The change in district boundaries is consistent with the purpose of this Ordinance to promote the growth of the City in an orderly manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare in that the proposed change will align the Official Districting Map with the existing commercial development of the parcel. Since 1956 the subject parcel has been developed as a commercial use, but inadvertently during both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element update and 2015 Zoning Ordinance update was reclassified as Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively. This inconsistency between the use and zoning district has created impediments to future development due to the land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space 6 within the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will rectify this issue by aligning the Official Districting Map with the historic existing use of the parcel.
3. The change in district boundaries is necessary to achieve the balance of land uses desired by the City, consistent with the General Plan, and to increase the inventory of land within a given Zoning District in that the subject parcel has historically been developed with as a commercial use since 1956 and was zoned as such until it was inadvertently amended as part of both the 2010 Land Use and Circulation update and 2015 Zoning Ordinance update to Single Family Housing and R1 (Single-Unit Residential), respectively. This inadvertent reclassification has resulted in a nonconforming condition and impediments to future development due to land use limitations of the R1 zoning district, leasing tenant space with the building, and financing the property. The proposed change will align the Official District Map for the subject parcel with existing development.
Section 2. The City of Santa Monica Official Districting Map is hereby amended as set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto.
SECTION 3. Any provision of the Municipal Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining 7 portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days from its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney
8 EXHIBIT A
Amendment to the Zoning Designation in the Official Districting Map for the Parcel Located at 2644 30th Street
Address APN Zoning
Classification
Proposed
2644 30th St
(portion containing
commercial
building only)
4270-016-
084
R1 (Single-Unit
Residential)
NC (Neighborhood
Commercial)