By Lookout Staff

December 5, 2011 -- The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday night is expected to pave the way for electric vehicles to be displayed on the busy Third Street Promenade Downtown.

The council will vote on whether to overturn a 3 to 3 vote by the Planning Commission on October 29 that resulted in a technical denial of a proposed measure that would allow all-electric vehicle showrooms on the walk street.

"Electric vehicle showrooms have gravitated toward high pedestrian activity shopping districts where store sizes better fit their needs and where a greater number of people are likely to stop by to learn about the technology than at a typical large scale auto showroom," City staff wrote in its report.

That is because electric vehicle showrooms follow a different retail model that is "both smaller in size and designed to highlight the unique qualities of electric transportation," according to City staff.

"This type of operation is more analogous to computer or electronic equipment sales typically found in shopping districts like the Third Street Promenade," staff said.

The proposed law would allow showrooms as large as 3,750 square feet if the building occupies the entire parcel.

Only four showrooms would be allowed, each displaying as many as five vehicles, although additional vehicles could be provided on or off-site for test driving, according to the proposed ordinance. Vehicles cannot be serviced or repaired on the premises.

Santa Monica would be following the lead of other cities and shopping district, such as Park Meadows shopping center in Lone Tree, Colorado and Santana Row in San Jose, both of which have Tesla Motors stores, according to staff. CODA Automotive has located its first store within a shopping center at Westfield Century City Mall.

The existing showrooms have an educational component, staff said. The Tesla showrooms, for example, demonstrate vehicle technology, provide design studios for customers to configure their vehicle and include interactive touchscreens that allow customers to listen to testimony from vehicle owners.

The CODA store features an EV Bar, an interactive learning area and a full-scale replica of the battery system.

"These electric vehicle showrooms are, therefore, quite different from typical auto showrooms and provide an opportunity to diversify the Promenade’s retail mix and further enhance the pedestrian environment," staff wrote.

Although the proposed law only covers electric vehicles, City officials are leaving the door open for other alternative fuel vehicles.

"If the marketing of hybrid, hydrogen and CNG vehicles changes in the future to emulate the current strategy for electric vehicles, the Code may be modified to allow such sales on the Promenade if warranted," staff wrote.

At the October 19 Planning Commission meeting, three commissioners voted to support the measure with a provision to include non-petroleum fueled vehicles. The other three commissioners present opposed the proposal, arguing that "it was not an appropriate use within the mix of existing retail and restaurant uses, would attract people primarily from outside the City, and would not serve the needs of City residents," according to City officials

Council member Bob Holbrook appealed the technical denial.

"Due to the innovative aspects of electric vehicles as well as the educational component of the showrooms, the appellant and staff believe that the sale of all-electric vehicles can be appropriate in a pedestrian intensive environment," staff wrote the report to council.