OLYMPIC BLVD — In a move applauded by Santa Monica residents concerned about traffic on the east side of town, the Los Angeles Planning Commission on Thursday delayed approving a large mixed-use project proposed for the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Bundy Drive.
City Hall and the Friends of Sunset Park, in addition to a coalition of West Los Angeles homeowner groups, have opposed the project, Bundy Village and Medical Park, saying it would make a bad traffic problem near the I-10 Freeway worse.
The proposal before the commission envisioned 385 residential units and more than 500,000 square feet of commercial space, most of which would be devoted to medical offices. It would add more than 20,000 new car trips.
Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose district includes the project site, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles Planning Department had all expressed support for the project.
The surprise move by the Planning Commission means the developer, Stonebridge Holdings, will have 30 more days to revise its plan before coming back to seek approval.
Rosendahl had defended the project for bringing needed medical services and senior housing to his district earlier in the week. But the decision to postpone the vote came after he softened his stance on the project following a meeting with concerned constituents Wednesday night.
“I support this project proposal in concept,” he said in a statement. “However, I share the worries of many Westside residents who are concerned about the size and scale of the project, and its traffic impacts ... I am committed to working with the developer to make sure that community concerns are addressed, that the project is scaled back, and that additional traffic mitigations and community benefits are secured.”
In Santa Monica, after the postponement, Zina Josephs, who chairs the group Friends of Sunset Park, said, “We’re very happy that there’s a possibility they may reduce the [project’s] size.”
Kilroy Real Estate Corp., which owns a property across the street from the Bundy Village site, has hired a public relations firm, MWW Group, to organize opposition to the project. The company says it shares traffic concerns with neighborhood residents.
Peter Brown, an MWW vice president, on Thursday said the postponement meant opponents were having an impact on the development approval process.
“The community feels vindicated that their concerns were listened to and they are glad that [Rosendahl] has begun to understand the scope of projected impacts on his constituents,” he said.
After the Planning Commission meeting Michael Lombardi, the president of Stonebridge Holdings, released a statement that said he remains confident the project will receive the city’s approval.
“When completed, Bundy Village will provide high-quality health care services for Westside senior citizens and create permanent jobs in the city of Los Angeles,” the statement read.
“For more than six years, we have met with community stakeholders and residents to discuss Bundy Village and Medical Park, outline its significant community benefits, and listened closely to the community’s feedback. We look forward to continuing these meaningful discussions with Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and the community in the coming days and weeks.”