City wants help drawing up new land use guide
SUNSET PARK — The arduous task of crafting a document to govern the future growth and use of Santa Monica begins this weekend with a public meeting at John Adams Middle School.
Officials hope in the coming months to amass as much input as possible from residents about how they think Santa Monica should evolve over the next two decades. At stake is everything from building heights and neighborhood zoning to issues surrounding open space and historic preservation.
Mayor Pam O’Connor will attend Saturday’s workshop, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria, as will City Councilmen Herb Katz and Kevin McKeown.
“This is kind of the kickoff meeting,” O’Connor said Friday. “The big community kickoff meeting, but it’s just one of many ways in which people will be able to be involved and have input into the process.”
Invitations to the meeting were mailed out this week to all Santa Monica residents. According to the fliers, the meeting will consist of interactive group sessions where participants will find common themes and identify key planning issues. In an effort to encourage participation from families with youngsters, the city has arranged an art activity for elementary-aged children.
At issue is what’s referred to as the “land use element,” a policy document that lays out the vision for Santa Monica’s built environment, governing everything from specific development projects to how particular neighborhoods and transportation lines should grow and be used.
The land use element is part of the city’s general plan, which last underwent a thorough update in 1984. The process beginning this weekend is expected to take at least two-and-a-half years.
City Hall’s zoning ordinance, which is the practical implementation of its policies, also will be re-written in the process of updating the land use element. The goal is to produce “a clear, accessible and easily administered zoning ordinance that can be understood by all,” according to city documents.
Katz, an architect who regularly works with City Hall, said that was desperately needed.
“It’s the most complicated, convoluted mess I have ever read,” Katz said Friday. “We formed it in ’84 and it wasn’t as complex, but what has happened is councils over the years have added things and, rather than keep it simple, they’ve made it very complex.
“Doing a house in Sunset Park, I’m going nuts,” Katz added. “The laws we have passed drive you crazy.”
Even physically navigating through the documents is difficult, according to Katz, who added that it’s not just property owners and architects who have problems; city planners don’t really understand them either, he said.
“We don’t have a decent index to our current zoning ordinance,” Katz added. “Everything in that book is harder than hell to find and I am probably one of the most experienced users. It has to be better.”
O’Connor said those who don’t make it to the meeting should chime in on the process through one of several other available channels. In addition to soliciting comments on the Internet and at City Hall, city planners will be meeting with various civic, religious, neighborhood and other groups throughout Santa Monica.
“While this is a very important meeting, and it’s a kickoff meeting... it’s not the only path. It’s one path,” O’Connor said. “What it will hopefully provide is a framework for people to take a few moments to think a little bit about what’s good about Santa Monica, what it should be in the future.”
Without public input, the document won’t realize its potential, Katz added.
“If we don’t get public input from day one, then the public is going to come screaming at us at the finish,” he said. “Plus, if we do get the public input from the beginning, regularly, then they’ll understand where we’re coming from and why, and we’ll get ourselves some goals and some real feeling for what the public wants.
“It belongs to the citizens,” Katz added. “We seven people (on the City Council) think we know what’s good, but sometimes we don’t.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 22, 2005. Read the original PDF.