Officials want more time to lay out vision for the city
CITY HALL — Some elected officials are saying one week is too little time to review documents that will affect planning and transportation issues in Santa Monica for the next 20 years.
Despite a tight schedule, Santa Monica City Councilman Herb Katz said he would be supporting at tonight’s City Council meeting the city planning commission’s request to extend the duration in which governing bodies and the public review reports regarding updates to the city’s planning and transportation policies. The request would extend the period of time for review of the reports from one week to a month.
“It’s a timing glitch that was overlooked until recently,” Katz said. “We need good input on these reports, and in order to do this, more time is needed to digest them.”
The council and planning commission were jointly asked to evaluate the “emerging themes” report on April 26, a week after the report involving public comments on the city’s future planning and transportation plan were published. Likewise, the second report of this planning and transportation theme, which will discuss “opportunities and challenges,” is set to be publicized on June 21, with a joint council and planning commission meeting set to discuss it on June 28.
At issue is what’s referred to as the “land use” and “circulation” policy documents that lay out the vision for Santa Monica’s built and moving environment, governing everything from specific development projects to how particular neighborhoods and transportation lines should grow and be used.
The land use and circulation elements are part of the city’s general plan, which last underwent a thorough change in 1984. The process is expected to take at least two-and-a half years since it began in January. City Hall’s zoning ordinance, which is the practical implementation of its policies, also will be re-written in the process. The goal is to produce “a clear, accessible and easily administered zoning ordinance that can be understood by all,” according to city documents.
Mayor Pam O’Connor — who said one of her main goals as an elected official is to help keep the policy updates on track — would like to see how the presentation and discussion of the reports can stay on schedule while allowing for the appropriate time to review them.
“It took Berkeley 10 years to get their land use element in place, and we don’t want to be compared to that,” O’Connor said. “We are going to have to look at some possible options whereby information is released and the planning commission can meet a few weeks out, all in a reasonable timeline.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 14, 2005. Read the original PDF.