1 City Council Meeting September 30, 2025 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AMENDING THE SANTA MONICA GENERAL PLAN LAND USE MAP REGARDING TWO LOTS LOCATED WITHIN 2644 30TH STREET
WHEREAS, the Northwest 60 feet of lots 78 and 83 of Tract No. 1980 (the “Commercial Lots”, also shown on the map included in Attachment “A”) was developed in 1956 as a commercial office building, which includes approximately 35,000 square feet of leasable space; and
WHEREAS, historically, since at least 1961, this portion of the Commercial Lots was designated as C2 (Limited Commercial) on the City’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Districting Maps; and
WHEREAS, on July 6, 2010, the City Council adopted the Land Use and Circulation Element (“LUCE”) of the City’s General Plan, which included an amendment to the General Plan Use Map; and
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2015, the City adopted a revised Zoning Ordinance, which included a revised Official Districting Map; and
WHEREAS, when the General Plan Land Use and the Official Districting Maps were amended as part of the 2015 Zoning Ordinance update, the subject Commercial Lots were changed to Single Family Housing in the Land Use Map and Single-Unit Residential (R1) in the Official Districting Map, respectively; and WHEREAS, this rezoning to Single Family Housing appears to have been inadvertent given the longstanding use of the property and prior designation as Limited Commerical; and
2 WHEREAS, during the public review process and in the course of analyzing the boundaries of the newly created zoning districts, inconsistencies between the adopted LUCE Land Use Designation Map and the then existing Official Districting Map were identified as reflected in the April 14, 2015, Staff Report to City Council; and WHEREAS, as a result of the identified inconsistencies, City Staff attempted to compare the LUCE Map with the existing Official Districting Map in the City, to generate a listing of inconsistent parcels, and
WHEREAS, a list of 115 parcels with such inconsistencies (“Inconsistent Parcel List”) was prepared and included with the Staff Report to the Planning Commission and were reviewed in detail on June 18, 2014 and October 1, 2014; and WHEREAS, the Inconsistent Parcel List was also included and discussed in the April 14, 2015, City Council Staff Report and reviewed by the City Council prior to their voting on the Zoning Ordinance Districting Map; and WHEREAS, the majority of these inconsistent parcels were those in the City whose land designations were changed to a commercial designation with the adoption of the LUCE Land Use Designation Map and were inconsistent with their predominantly residential zoning or partial residential zoning; and WHEREAS, however, a portion of the properties on the Inconsistent Parcel List were those designated commercial/industrial on the then-existing Official Districting Map and improved with commercial/industrial uses but had been designated residential on the 2010 LUCE map; and
WHEREAS, the subject Commercial Lots appear to be similarly situated to these previously identified formerly commercial/industrial parcels; however, the 3 subject Commercial Lots were inadvertently not included on the Inconsistent Parcel List; and
WHEREAS, on May 5, 2015, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 10874 (CCS) amending the LUCE map to, among other things, change the LUCE designation for certain parcels that had been identified on the Inconsistent Parcel List as having inconsistent LUCE and then-existing Zoning Districting Map designations; and WHEREAS, on June 23, 2015, the City adopted a revised Zoning Ordinance, which included a revised Districting Map that designated the Commercial Lots as R1; and
WHEREAS, there are no permitted commercial uses in the Single-Unit Residential District; and
WHEREAS, the change of the Commercial Lots to the Single Family Residential designation has resulted in the existing building becoming both a legal, nonconforming building and the existing uses becoming legal, nonconforming uses and, thus, creates impediments to future leasing opportunities and financing for the property given the limitations of the Single Family Housing designation and zoning of R1; 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 Commercial Lots located at 2466 30th Street; and
4 WHEREAS, amending the General Land Use Map to zone the Commercial Lots located at 2644 30th Street as Neighborhood Commercial will correct the prior inadvertent designation and reflect the longstanding use of the Commercial Lots, removing impediments to future leasing and changes of use of the Commercial Lots; and WHEREAS, amending the General Land Use Map to zone Commercial Lots 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 leasing and changes of use of the Commercial Lots, including the existing building; 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 General Plan Land Use Map, adopted Resolution Number 25- 007 (PCS), recommending that the City Council amend the General Plan Land Use Map for the Commercial Lots located at 2644 30th Street; and WHEREAS, the adjacent parking lot that is designated in the Land Use Map as Single Family Residential and in the Official Districting Map as R-1 Single-Unit Residential will remain unchanged; and
WHEREAS, on May 13, 2024, the City Council conducted a duly noticed hearing, and, after considering all oral and written testimony, decided to table the adoption of the amendments to the Official Districting Map to a later date; and WHEREAS, after renewed requests from the property owner and new information submitted in support thereof, on September 30, 2025, the City Council conducted a duly noticed hearing, and, after considering all oral and written testimony, desires to amend 5 the General Land Use Map for the Commercial Lots 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 September 30, 2025, regarding the proposed change to the General Land Use Map for the Commercial Lots located at 2644 30th Street, the City Council hereby makes the following findings regarding the Amendments to the General Plan Map:
Pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.45.080, the City Council does hereby amend the General Plan Land Use Map for the parcel located at 2644 30th Street because although subject parcel is currently designated as Single Family Housing, it has been developed as a commercial office building since 1956 and was historically zoned as commercial, and when the General Plan Land Use Map was amended as part of the 2010 update to the Land Use and Circulation Element, the parcel’s designation was changed to Single Family Housing in the Land Use Map, which appears to have been inadvertent given the longstanding use of the property and prior C2, Neighborhood Commercial zoning of the parcel. This has created a nonconforming condition and impediments to future development, leasing opportunities, and financing for the property given the limitations of the Single Family Housing designation. The proposed change to Neighborhood Commercial will rectify these issues and align the LUCE designation with the development history of the parcel, ensure consistency between the General Plan 6 Land Use Map and the Official Districting Map, and address any nonconforming conditions and impediments to planned and future development of the parcel, as set forth in Exhibit A, attached to this Resolution is hereby amended to read as follows:
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
HEIDI VON TONGELN,
Interim City Attorney
7 SECTION 2.EXHIBIT A
Amendment to the Zoning Designation in the Official Districting Map for the Commercial Lots Located within 2644 30th Street
Address APN Zoning
Classification
Proposed
Portion of 2644
30th St described
as Northwest 60
feet of lots 78 and
83 of Tract No.
1980 (see map
below)
Portion of
4270-016-
084
R1 (Single-Unit
Residential)
NC (Neighborhood
Commercial)
8