A developer is planning to build a 5-story, 59-foot high, 25-unit residential apartment building providing only 9 on-site parking spaces on Jib St. one of the most treasured walk-streets in Venice & the Marina Peninsula.
This Plan will require Conditional Use and Development Permits from both the LA City Planning Commission and the CA Coastal Commission to be entitled to avoid existing building codes and zoning provisions, including:
- Massive, Dense & Inconsistent with character of the neighborhood
- 5-story 59-foot building: 28 feet higher than current height restriction
- Only 9 parking spaces vs. the code’s 57 required spaces f
- 25 units = double the permitted density
- Decreased in front, rear and side yard setbacks, which could cause health and safety issues for the fire department (among others).
This development’s game” is to build 19 new, market rate rental units by providing 6 low income units and demolishing the oldest residential buidling on the Peninusula (c 1906).
Our Concerns
1. Parking
If you thought street parking was already bad enough, the developer is proposing to build 25 units with only 9 on-site parking spaces – requiring the new residents to use a car-sharing app or find parking spaces on the street.
Despite the well-known shortage of street parking in this area the Applicant envisions that nine (9) spaces will be sufficient when current zoning calls for 4-5 times more.
2. Density
25 units on this site is more than twice the density normally permitted. A substantial increase in permitted density on this street could threaten residents’ ability to quickly egress in the face of a natural disaster (fire, tsunami, earthquake, flood).
3. Height
The developer is asking the City to double the maximum height limitation to 59 feet – that is FIVE (5) stories tall.
4. Dramatically Alter the Neighborhood Character
The proposal, involving the construction of a structure which we believe is almost twice as high as the average building on other walk-streets, would dramatically alter the neighborhood which, on Jib Street, still includes mostly single-family residences.
5. Solving/Creating A Problem?
The developer is asking the City to permit a density bonus to existing zoning code requirements because he proposes to provide six (5 “very low” and 1“low income”) housing units . BUT the structure proposed to be demolished at 21 Jib Street currently provides 5 (five) rent controlled units.
6. Super-sizing of the Jib St.
No matter where one lives on the peninsula or Venice, if this over-sized project
is approved, it would most likely be used as a precedent to bring similarly sized structures to more local streets.