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PALMS GARDEN Case APCW-2005-8136-ZC-ZV A PROPOSED MIXED USE PROJECT Please Support the Palms/Motor Mixed Use Project Why do we need your support? 
PALMS BOULEVARD AND MOTOR AVENUE is a significant and centrally located intersection in the Palms community. The new owners of the vacant lot located at this intersection (the Chevron station lot) feel it is an important and appropriate location to build a marquee building for the community featuring an environmentally friendly design, a building that would provide something more to the community than apartments over street level parking. To do this, extra effort and money will be spent to put parking below grade with space reserved at street level for the public. This public space will include an open air public courtyard with retail space (small shops and eateries) which will cater to the neighborhood. In return, the owner wishes to ask for the right to build a larger building which falls well within the scope of the mixed use zoning RAS4. City officials are encouraging RAS4 mixed use developments city wide and have asked us to go through the zone change process. They wish to see conveniently located services within neighborhoods in under utilized commercial corridors to help revitalize communities and alleviate traffic congestion. This building design satisfies these needs. To get the zone change from C-2-1(commercial) to RAS4 (mixed use) the city requires community support. ISSUES OF CONCERN 
• This project is intended to cater to the Palms Community first and foremost; however residents from Cheviot Hills have weighed in on this project. There are a few individuals who live in Cheviot Hills that do not want this project to go forward because they fear it may affect traffic on Motor Avenue. There are no facts to support this claim. In fact the only information we have on this matter comes from the city. They indicate that there will be a reduced impact on surrounding traffic patterns relative to this site ' s previous use; this includes the Motor Avenue traffic pattern. We have spoken with other residents in the Cheviot Hills community and received full support from the California Country Club Homeowners Association. They support this project, praising it as a beautiful addition and an asset to the community. • We will be applying for variances and an adjustment under the RAS4 zone which were not required under the previous zoning. One of these variances has to do with an Alcohol Licensing Allowance. This will allow a future leasee to apply for a liquor license. To clear up any anxiety about this particular matter, we are only asking for this variance to enable a future restaurant or café owner to apply for a liquor license if they wish to serve alcohol (e.g. beer and wine). The process of obtaining an actual liquor license requires a future restaurant or café owner to go through the community to get a CUP (Conditional Use Permit) to serve alcohol; giving the community the ultimate veto power. In addition, the RAS4 zoning guidelines prevent the operation of a liquor store or bar. The zone variances and adjustment we are requesting in the RAS4 zone to develop our current building concept is not necessary in the existing C-2-1 zone. All that is needed in the existing C-2-1 zone is a F.A.R. (floor area ratio) variance; a change in the F.A.R. from 1.5 to 2.3 which would allow for additional building square footage. However, it appears that the city is very interested in promoting the mixed use concept and zoning, resulting in the request by the city to have us change the zoning and apply for the needed zone variances and adjustment instead of being allowed to apply for a single F.A.R. variance in the current zone. The RAS4 zone F.A.R. is 3.0. Our building is accommodated by a F.A.R. of 2.3. Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) is the figure used to determine what size building can be built on a piece of land according to the area of that land. Land sq. ft. x F.A.R. = Max. Building sq. ft. Example: Land = 20,000 sq. ft. F.A.R.= 2.3 therefore 20,000 sq. ft. x 2.3 = 46,000 sq. ft. • On-street parking congestion has been a problem for many years in Palms. Unfortunately the city previously did not require builders to provide sufficient on-site parking resulting in congested on-street parking today. Now the city has much stricter parking requirements that provide adequate parking for all new building projects. This proposed project has met the city requirement with 5 extra spaces and added street parking. • The proposed building is bordered by an alley to the east, private property to the north, Palms Blvd. and Motor Ave to the south and west intersecting at the SW corner of the building site. Since we are in close proximity to the corner we are limited to where the garage access can be located. The city planners indicated that the desirable point of entry would be through the alley. We are supportive of a plan to coordinate with the other property owners abutting the alley to repair and maintain the alley, secure the park access onto the alley and coordinating any needed adjustment (as judged by the community) to the street parking east of the alley intersection with Palms Boulevard. • Some individuals have voiced their concerned about the height of the structure. This building is higher than surrounding buildings; however it is purposefully designed with an undulating roofline and façade that is intended to be aesthetically appealing. The two design features that were critical factors in causing height to be added to this building were the open-air courtyard which covers 20% of the property and ground level retail space. A similar design with a reduced height and no public courtyard was considered, however it was judged to be much less desirable. Given a choice, the majority of the people that viewed the two designs chose the building design with the additional height and the public courtyard versus a lower building and no public courtyard. It is critically important that you contact City Councilman Jack Weiss's office and the Los Angeles City Zoning Administrator . Please let them know you support this project and wish to see the requested zoning change, zone adjustment and variances approved to make this proposed mixed use project a reality. City Councilman Jack Weiss Call: (213) 473-7005 E-mail: councilmember.weiss@lacity.org Mail to: 200 N. Spring Street, Room 440; Los Angeles, California 90012 Zoning Administrator Madhu Kumar Call: (213) 978-1162 E-mail: madhu . kumar@lacity.org Mail to: Los Angeles City Planning Department; Community Planning Bureau 200 N. Spring Street, Room 667; Los Angeles, California 90012 Also voice your support for this project by contacting the Palms Neighborhood Council - George Garrigues - Call: (310) 839-7708 E-mail: palmssecretary@pacbell.net If you have question or need further information regarding this project we are more than happy to answer your questions. Please contact: C-R Management Company at (310) 450-5056 Thank you for your interest!
We would appreciate all the assistance you can give use to get support for this project. Please forward this Web-site to your friends, family members and associates who may wish to support us. Home - Sample Letters of Support - Meeting Info
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