160 Ocean Way, Santa Monica Canyon
Show your support by signing this petition now
3
people have signed. Add your voice!
2%
Maxine K. signed
just now
Adam B. signed
just now
TO STATE ASSEMBLYMAN RICHARD BLOOM AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION:
We, residents of Santa Monica Canyon and surrounding coastal areas, and constituents of State Assembly District #50, call on you to:
PROTECT THE COASTAL SETTING OF SANTA MONICA CANYON FROM OVERBUILDING
ENFORCE THE DESIGN DECISIONS YOU MADE REGARDING 160 OCEAN WAY IN NOVEMBER 2011 AND FEBRUARY 2012
REQUIRE THE MITIGATIONS YOU APPROVED AT 160 OCEAN WAY
RESTORE THIS COMMUNITY'S FAITH IN THE FAIRNESS OF THE COASTAL REVIEW PROCESS
NOVEMBER 2011
You reviewed an application to build a house in the coastal zone of Santa Monica Canyon. You overwhelmingly rejected the design as "incompatible with community character" because of its bulk, height, and roof-deck structures. The applicants withdrew the design. You directed them to use L.A.'s new anti-mansionization law (the "Baseline Hillside Ordinance", or BHO) as the design guide to community compatibility. You specifically called for a reduction in bulk, height, and roof-deck structures.
FEBRUARY 2012
You reviewed a second design. It did not conform with BHO. The Coastal Commission staff, in its report to you, concluded that the new design was not compatible with the community character of Santa Monica Canyon, and recommended that you require the applicant to conform with BHO. However, you approved the design as submitted, citing three modifications from the original design that moved in the direction of BHO:
1. the 4' step-back of the building at 3rd floor
2. the introduction of sloped roofs
3. the reduction of structures on the roof-deck
Though disappointed that the second design did not conform with BHO and was therefore not fully compatible with the community character of Santa Monica Canyon, this community accepted the decision in good faith, and took no further steps to seek modifications of the design.
JULY 2012
Five months later, unbeknownst to the community, the applicants circumvented the public process by submitting a modified design to the Coastal Commission that compromised or removed the key mitigations:
1. The 4' step-back was filled in
2. The area of sloped roof was decreased with a corresponding increase in flat roof
3. A new structure was introduced on the roof-deck
The Santa Monica Canyon community was shocked last week when the building's framing was completed and the new design was revealed. The community was never informed of these significant design changes. The structure as it now stands fails to provide the mitigations that the Commissioners required, and its bulk comes close to the original design that the Commissioners categorically rejected.
TODAY
This community's faith in the fairness of the Coastal review process is badly shaken. Members of our community, many of them seniors, traveled all over the state - to Coastal hearings in Long Beach, Oceanside, and Santa Cruz - to protect our community's character under the provisions of the Coastal Act. We abided by every rule, made reasonable arguments, and treated the process and all participants with respect. There is a widespread feeling of dismay and betrayal that this public process, which was supposed to produce a compatibly designed structure for our coastal community, has allowed changes, undisclosed to the public, that result in an incompatible structure under the Coastal Act.
We call on you to review how this could have happened, and to enforce the design you approved in February 2012 by requiring the three corrections:
1. restoration of the 4' step-back of the 3rd floor
2. restoration of all sloped roofs
3. removal of all roof-deck structures not shown in the drawings
Comment