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# Santa Monica Negative changes for community looming
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-negative-changes-for-community-looming-editor/
- Published: 2003-08-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:43:51.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pico, #archive-import

*By Bob Seldon Santa Monica*

The City Council is poised to radically change the residential flavor of single family neighborhoods. Item 7C on the City Council’s Aug. 12 agenda is a zoning change that would permit a house to be used to shelter up to 12 people, 18 years of age or older, under “supervision.” While the OPCC project has received virtually universal opposition in the affected neighborhood since coming to light, this item and its implications have snuck under the radar and are about to impact every R1 neighborhood by making it possible to open multiple facilities of that type throughout every single family area.

The agenda item is triggered by the YMCA’s request to have a facility at 14th Street and Pico Boulevard for 18 year olds or older for “emancipated from foster homes.” I am not questioning the Y’s ability to supervise, or expressing an opinion about the suitability of the proposed facility at the specified location. I do not know enough about the matter to give you a meaningful opinion. I do, however, object to the wholesale change to R1 zoning, when a zoning variance for the Y would seemingly do the trick.

The proposed wholesale change to the R1 code has the potential for very negative consequences throughout the city. First, the proposed change purports to limit the facility to 12 persons, 18 or older, emancipated from foster care. However, as we all know from the court’s ruling on second units in R1 zones, you cannot legislate the status of people within a dwelling. Thus, the 12 can be any 12, not just those emancipated from foster care.

Second, there is no way to control who provides the supervision. While the Y may have a good track record, I do not think you can discriminate against anyone calling themselves a supervisor who wants to open a facility for 12 people on an R1 zoned lot. This proposal by the Planning Department is asking for trouble. Even if a conditional use permit is violated, think of the time and expense it will take to rid the neighbors of a nuisance from the facility, even assuming the city takes prompt action.

Third, 12 people is too many people for an R1 lot. That is like having a party going on each and every day and night. The density seems greater than much of the multi-family zoning. (Even the Y is not asking for that many.) Fourth, the Planning Department equates this use with shelters for victims of domestic violence. I submit that the personalities of those victims differs radically from the personalities of other categories of people.

If your readers agree with my concern, they need to contact the City Council before tonight’s meeting and express their objections.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 12, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/081203.pdf?ref=smdp.com)