The first of the three major housing projects for the homeless in Venice — the Thatcher Yard — will go before City Planning at noon, 21 October at the West Los Angeles Municipal Building, 1645 South Corinth Ave, LA 90025.
The 2.11 acres, formerly a city maintenance yard, is to accommodate 98 units –68 senior and 30 family. The project is further characterized as 50 percent affordable, 25 percent homeless, and 25 percent permanent supportive. The permanent supportive is defined as homeless with a disability.
Further details of the project can be obtained here.
The project as described by City Planning is:
The Project consists of the removal of a vacant service yard and surface parking lot and the construction of a 101,771 square-foot, 98-unit (68 senior units and 30 family units) residential development comprised of one three-story structure
with one subterranean parking level and nine two-story structures with a maximum height of 40.5 feet (measured to the top of the clock tower); 82 parking spaces are provided in the subterranean parking level and all vehicle access is provided on Thatcher Avenue via Princeton Drive (to the northeast).
The Project provides affordable and supportive housing for senior citizens and formerly homeless families, with approximately 590 square feet of supportive services onsite. Approximately 45 non-protected trees will be removed from the site; no street trees will be removed. The Project includes the removal (relocation) of a vehicular gate on Princeton Drive and construction of a new vehicular gate and paving on Thatcher Avenue, adjacent to the northeast corner of the project site; vehicle access is limited to emergency vehicles. The project would require export of 4,800 cubic yards of soil and removal of 2,400 cubic yards of asphalt.
Thomas Safran Associates (TSA), builder of the project, requests the following:
1. The City Planning Commission shall consider pursuant to California Public Resources Code Section 21155, consideration of the whole of the administrative record, including the Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment (SCEA) prepared for the project, Case No. ENV-2018-5594-SCEA, all comments received regarding the SCEA, the imposition of mitigation measures and the Mitigation Monitoring Program prepared for the SCEA;
2. Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 12.20.2, a Coastal Development Permit for the proposed Project in the Single Permit Jurisdiction of the California Coastal Zone; Initial HN (Non-Commission) –rev. 03/27/19 Page 2
3. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.22-A,25, a Density Bonus for a housing development project comprised of 98 dwelling units, of which 10 units will be set aside for Very Low Income Households and requesting the following incentives
and waivers of development standards:
a. An on-menu incentive to allow a maximum height of 40 feet 6 inches, in lieu of the otherwise permitted 30 feet pursuant to LAMC Section 12.21.1-A, and
b. An off-menu waiver to allow space between buildings – passageways of 8 feet in lieu of the 10 feet and 20 feet otherwise required pursuant to LAMC Section 12.21-C,2;
4. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24-U,21, a Conditional Use Permit to permit a joint public and private development with uses more intensive than those permitted in the most restrictive adjoining zone (R1-1);
5. Pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05, a Site Plan Review for a project which creates or results in an increase of 50 or more dwelling units;
6. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.37-I,3, a Waiver of Dedication and/or Improvements to waive the requirement to widen an additional 15 feet along Oxford Avenue;
7. Pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7, a Project Permit Compliance Review for a project within the Oxford Triangle Subarea of the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan.
8. Pursuant to Sections 65590 and 65590.1 of the California Government Code and the City of Los Angeles Interim Mello Act Compliance Administrative Procedures, a Mello Act Compliance review for construction of 98 new Residential Units within the Coastal Zone
