Council
Endorses Industrial Lands Principles |
By Anita Varghese
Staff Writer
November 16 -- The City Council followed in the footsteps
of the Planning Commission and endorsed on Tuesday a long list of
principles planning staff will use to develop land use and transportation
strategies for Santa Monica’s industrial lands.
City planners believe the area that is currently home to the Light Manufacturing
Studio District and the M-1 Zone (Industrial Conservation District) presents
opportunities for future light rail stations, workforce housing and long-desired
objectives such as an expansion of arts and entertainment industries.
The industrial lands are bounded by Colorado Avenue and Broadway on the north
side, Interstate 10 on the south, Centinela Avenue on the east and Lincoln Boulevard
on the west.
“Whatever future change takes place, it must result in a community benefit,”
said Eileen Fogarty, director of Planning and Community Development.
“If there is going to be change, there should not be any pressure on
neighborhoods,” Fogarty said. “The pressure should be in areas that
could actually absorb the change and areas that are near transit.”
Fogarty said the industrial lands are where the City has the most opportunities
to implement a myriad of land use and transportation goals.
After gathering input from the public at two industrial lands workshops in
October, planning staff developed a list of 50 ideas on the subjects of industrial
land use, urban design, open space, parks, recreation, transportation, parking
and sustainability.
Residents support preserving industries in the city that have contributed to
employment and economy, and desire restricting housing in the industrial lands
to ensure office space is available for small businesses that support larger
arts and entertainment companies.
Potential sites near Memorial Park and Bergamot Station have been identified
for future creative arts enclaves that feature workforce housing and neighborhood
serving businesses close enough for residents to walk to.
Workforce housing should be affordable and come in varieties for singles, senior
citizens and families to enjoy, said workshop attendees, who also want planning
staff to consider sustainable transportation practices that encourage walking,
cycling and using the Big Blue Bus more often.
“I am very, very pleased with the direction this is going,” said
Mayor Richard Bloom. “I am really excited about the outline of ideas for
improving our transportation system. There are dozens of ideas out there that
we need to be thinking about.”
Planning staff will next conduct a market analysis, economic analysis, transportation
study and circulation study specific to the industrial lands and find funding
solutions for initiatives the public favors.
In December, workshops will be held to discuss parking, transportation and
sustainability while January workshops will focus on housing, the city’s
major boulevards and the results of the economic analysis. A third transportation
workshop is scheduled for February.
“We generally support the principles as presented by staff,” said
Chris Harding, a local land use attorney speaking on behalf of the
Chamber of Commerce. “The City has been at this for a while
now, and we think it is important to move forward.
“We do this with the idea that the principles are provisional in nature
and may change as more is learned throughout the process,”
Harding said.
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