1 David Yakobson
From: Judy Kruger <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2026 8:41 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Dan Hall
Cc: councilmtgitems; Oliver Chi
Subject: Council Agenda Item 12.B - SUPPORT
Attachments: Chamber Support Letter re Econ Recover Land Use Regs.pdf
EXTERNAL
Good Morning Mayor Torosis and Councilmembers:
Please see the attached Chamber letter of support for Council Agenda Item 12.B. - Zoning Ordinance amendments increasing land use flexibility and streamlining permitting for businesses.
Thank you in advance for your review.
Best Regards,
Judy
Judy Kruger
President & CEO
Cell 213-703-1340
[email protected]
www.smchamber.com
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
February 23, 2026
City Council
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Council Agenda Item 12.B. - SUPPORT Zoning Ordinance amendments increasing land use flexibility and streamlining permitting for businesses
Dear Mayor Torosis and City Councilmembers:
On behalf of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, we want to offer our support of Staff’s recommendation for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to attract new businesses and facilitate their prompt opening in the City as detailed in the staff report.
We appreciate the Council and City Staff continuing to bring forward commonsense solutions to removing barriers to business activity that is desperately needed. The standardization of alcohol conditions through the alcohol exemption process and the extension of grandparented rights to facilitate restaurants and bars re-opening removes process/time, cost and uncertainty/risk for these neighborhood-serving businesses.
As discussed in the Staff Report, many of the proposed land use regulation changes and streamlining are already in place through interim ordinances and have been very well received. Permanently codifying these changes allows property owners, businesses and brokers to move forward with confidence in leasing new space and opening new businesses in the City.
The one item we ask the City Council to investigate further is the proposed increase in refuse room requirements for small projects in Table 9.21.130.A as our members have expressed concern that Santa Monica’s requirements are already large and difficult to achieve. Staff’s proposal would increase the minimize size of refuse rooms for housing projects less than 20 units and commercial projects less than 20,000 sf.
We look forward to continuing our collaboration with City Staff and the City Council on ways to improve efficiencies and remove barriers to opening business and activating Santa Monica’s commercial districts.
Respectfully Submitted,
Judy Kruger Paula Larmore
President & CEO Chair, Board of Directors
Board Executives
Chair
Paula Larmore
Harding, Larmore,
Kutcher & Kozal LLP
Past Chair
Charlie LopezQuintana
ETC Hotels
Treasurer
Addie VanGessel
Tavern on Main
Vice-Chair
Dustin Peterson
Fairmont Miramar
Hotel & Bungalows
Vice-Chair
Jeremy Rawitch
RAND
Vice-Chair
Vee Gomez
Beach Yoga SoCal
Vice-Chair
Melissa Cohen
Boston Properties
Vice-Chair
Elias Garcia
Kaiser Permanente
Directors
Eddie Guerboian
Jeweler
Neil Carrey
Attorney
Directors
Elnie Vannatim
Cedars-Sinai
Gina Gribow
EKA Public Affairs
Jessica Rincon
Sanbourne
Lilit Avagyan
US Bank
Jenn Verma
Lionsgate
Ben Marcus
UP Partners
Michael Altchule
UCLA Health
Shari Davis
Santa Monica
College
Wesly Hernandez
SNAP Inc.
Berta Negari
XYZ Rent
Garrett Childers
SM Fire 1109
Kara Block
DHF Architects
Carlos Madrid
SMPD POA
Jared Amerson
Providence Saint
John’s
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Josh Hamilton
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2026 12:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE: Agenda Item 12B – February 24, 2026 City Council Meeting Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
RE: Agenda Item 12B – February 24, 2026 City Council Meeting As the Chair of the Planning Commission, I write to convey that the Commission was unanimous in support for the proposed amendment to the Downtown zoning code that would allow an existing legal nonconforming pawn shop to relocate within the Downtown area. In practice, this amendment affects only one business — Santa Monica Jewelry & Loan, which has operated continuously in Santa Monica since 1949.
This change would facilitate this existing long-term Santa Monica small business to continue operations and does not allow the establishment of any new pawn shops in the Downtown.
Under current code, pawn shops are a prohibited use in the Downtown, and an existing pawn shop that relocates would lose its nonconforming status and could not re-establish at another Downtown location.
The Commission unanimously voted in support. I respectfully encourage the City Council to adopt the amendment.
Respectfully submitted,
Joshua Hamilton, Chair
Santa Monica Planning Commission
Josh Hamilton
Santa Monica Planning Commissioner
[email protected]
Mobile: 310-968-3037
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Ethan Widlansky
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 8:08 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox
Cc: Josh Hamilton; Ross Fehrman
Subject: Agenda Item 12B – February 24, 2026, City Council Meeting Attachments: Hamilton Council Letter 2232026.pdf
Hello!
I hope you’re well. Attached, you’ll find a letter from the Chair of the Planning Commission, Joshua Hamilton, regarding Item 12-B. Thank you.
Cheers,
Ethan
Ethan Widlansky (He/Him)
Staff Assistant, City Planning
santamonica.gov
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Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Date: February 23, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Joshua Hamilton, Chair, Santa Monica Planning Commission Re: Agenda Item 12B – February 24, 2026, City Council Meeting Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
As the current Chair of the Planning Commission, I write to convey that the Commission was unanimous in support for the proposed amendment to the Downtown zoning code that would allow an existing legal nonconforming pawn shop to relocate within the Downtown area. In practice, this amendment affects only one business — Santa Monica Jewelry & Loan, which has operated continuously in Santa Monica since 1949.
This change would facilitate this existing long-term Santa Monica small business to continue operations and does not allow the establishment of any new pawn shops in the Downtown.
Under current code, pawn shops are a prohibited use in the Downtown, and an existing pawn shop that relocates would lose its nonconforming status and could not re-establish at another Downtown location.
The Commission unanimously voted in support. I respectfully encourage the City Council to adopt the amendment.
Respectfully submitted,
Joshua Hamilton, Chair
Santa Monica Planning Commission
cc: Ross Fehrman, Acting Planning Manager
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026
Item 12-B
February 24, 2026