City Council
1331 Wilshire LUCE & Zoning Map Amendment
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Purpose
• Amendments to the Santa Monica General Plan Land Use Map and Official Districting Map for portion of parcel located at 1331 Wilshire Boulevard Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Background
• City Council 5/13/25
• Voted to table the item with direction to staff to explore possible options regarding flexibility for legal nonconforming uses instead of LUCE & Zoning map amendment • Public comment raised concerns regarding spot zoning • Property owner has renewed requests for reconsideration of the item and recent interest from non-retail tenants to occupy the vacant building
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Legal Non-Conforming Uses • What does it mean to be legal non-conforming? • A use was legally established in compliance with zoning that previously existing before change to current zoning • What is allowed?
• Use is allowed to remain but not expand
• If a tenant leaves, subsequent uses must be similar to the prior legal non-conforming use and must resume within 1 year or a use must conform with current zoning • Legal non-conforming rules apply citywide
• Amendments to that section would have broad applicability with potential for unintended consequences including allowing legal non-conforming uses to expand and persist indefinitely Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
1331 Wilshire Boulevard – Zoning History
• An inadvertent change to the property occurred via the LUCE Low Density Residential designation in 2010 and R2 zoning in 2015 • No evidence in legislative record that the map change was discussed publicly or made deliberately
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
1331 Wilshire Boulevard – Existing Conditions
Existing building was formerly occupied by Rite-Aid • Existing Split Zoning: MUB/R2 • Existing Split LUCE: Mixed Use Boulevard/Low Density Residential Existing R2 Zoning in only on rear portion of building and does not permit commercial uses
R2
MUB
R2
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
1331 Wilshire Boulevard – Proposed Map Amendment • Zoning • Existing Split Zoning: MUB/R2 • Proposed Zoning: MUB
• LUCE
• Existing Split LUCE: Mixed Use Boulevard/Low Density Residential • Proposed LUCE: Mixed Use Boulevard • Would allow non-retail tenant to occupy vacant building and remove impediments to re-leasing due to rear portion of building being legal non-conforming use
MUB
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Parking Lot Development Standards
• On July 29, the City Council directed that staff develop options for revising development standards related to surface parking lots associated with commercial corridors • If the proposed map amendments at 1331 Wilshire Boulevard are approved, future implementation of this direction would apply to the existing parking lot to the north (1122 14th Street) of the site
• Given that the property is currently zoned R2, staff would recommend that the City Council consider excluding this particular surface parking lot from any future development standard amendment for housing projects
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Recommendation
1. Adopt a finding that the proposed amendments are exempt from CEQA
2. Adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Map for the parcel located at 1331 Wilshire Boulevard
3. Introduce for first reading an ordinance amending the official districting map for the parcel located at 1331 Wilshire Boulevard
4. Consider excluding the surface parking lot at 1122 14th St from being eligible to use future development standard amendments for housing projects Item 12-B
September 30, 2025
Item 12-B
September 30, 2025