MTA says land swap 25 years in the making
VENICE BUS BARN — A revitalized neighborhood group could be putting the brakes on an MTA land deal a quarter century in the making.
That is, until they can squeeze out more concessions to benefit Venice.
The planning committee for the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council (GRVNC) has called on a private developer to make significant changes to a proposal that would turn an aged bus station into a condominium complex.
Newly-elected members of the GRVNC are set to take action today regarding a series of suggestions that would significantly alter a private development proposal set to go before the Los Angeles plan-ning commission later this week.
In September, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board of directors approved an agreement with RAD Jefferson, LLC, on plans to exchange MTA’s 3.13-acre bus yard property located at Sunset Avenue and Main Street in Venice for construction of a new 4.66-acre transportation facility on The Venice property has been in use by transit agencies for more than 100 years. However, it’s inefficient, costing $5 million a year in wasted drive time — the distance in miles a transit bus must travel before entering a revenue-generating area, according to MTA officials.
The Venice bus division accommodates 77 buses and can’t handle clean-air natural gas (CNG) fueling. Before the swap occurs, RAD Jefferson is to build MTA’s new facility, which will include CNG fueling, according to the agreement. The new West L.A. facility will handle 150 buses — all of which will operate on CNG — according to MTA officials.
The Venice Sunset property is valued at $12.9 million, and the agreement calls for MTA to kick in $8 million to make up the difference in the cost of the new transportation center.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles 11th District Councilman Bill Rosendahl said he will not support the project, which is to be built within his jurisdiction, unless RAD makes a better effort to build consensus through the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council (GRVNC), which hopes to become a revitalized community group during Rosendahl’s term.
The proposal calls for erecting a 255,766-square-foot building, which would be up to 56 feet tall and include 214 condos and 20,000 square feet of commercial retail space.
In a letter sent to the Los Angeles city planning department, Rosendahl indicated he has heard an outcry from constituents who oppose the RAD development. In particular, he has issues with exemptions the developer seeks for height, density and design.
Last Wednesday, members of the GRVNC’s land use and planning committee voted (5-2) in favor of recommending 16 changes to RAD’s proposal. Among the design changes, the committee requested the building’s maximum height be reduced from 56 to 35 feet. Commercial development would be broken up from one tenant occupying 20,000 square feet to 10 tenants occupying 2,000 square feet, committee members said.
In addition, the developer would be required to make several concessions for public benefit, including: an arts component added to the site; the expansion of sidewalks, bus, bike and other traffic mitigation measures; and the creation of a park area and community room.
Committee members said 20 percent of housing units should be designated for very low-income residents and 10 percent should be designated for moderate-income residents.
Calls to RAD regarding the requests weren’t returned.
Jody Litvak, regional community relations manager for the MTA, said the agreement with RAD would allow the transit agency to provide better service to users in which the buses would use cleaner gas.
Litvak said MTA has been working for 25 years to relinquish the Venice bus yard property.
“Officially, MTA has no position on what happens to the Venice property when we leave, except that we want and need to go,” Latvik said. “This is the clos-est we’ve come in years (to a deal).
“It isn’t easy to do.” The GRVNC is set to discuss RAD’s proposal and the planning committee’s suggestions at 7:30 p.m. at Venice High School, 13000 Venice Blvd.
The Los Angeles planning commission’s public hearing is set to be held at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, at Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., 10th floor.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 25, 2005. Read the original PDF.