The 33 properties in Santa Monica with development agreements are all complying with their contracts, according to an annual review that the City Council will discuss Tuesday.
A real estate development agreement, or DA, allows developers to build beyond zoning restrictions if they include public benefits, such as public space or fees paid to community funds. The agreements contain different requirements because each agreement is individually negotiated. In Santa Monica, 23 completed and 10 uncompleted projects are subject to development agreements.
There are seven projects under construction, according to city staff.
Four are large apartment buildings near the Expo Line. The 356-unit Millennium Santa Monica at 2930 Colorado Ave. is under construction near the Bergamot Station stop. A 100-unit building at 1560 Lincoln Blvd., a 90-unit building at 1601 Lincoln Blvd. and a 249-unit building at 500 Broadway are blocks from the Downtown Santa Monica stop.
Three buildings with development agreements that city staff has marked as under construction are completed, including the 32-unit Pico Eleven at 1112-1122 Pico Blvd., the Santa Monica Proper Hotel at 710 Wilshire Blvd. and the office campus Santa Monica Gateway at 2834 Colorado Ave.
The only project city staff singled out in their report is the Colorado Center, a Mid-City office park that has had trouble reaching the commuting goals in its development agreement. It has a target of 1.6 average vehicle ridership, or AVR, during peak commuting hours, but only averaged 1.37 AVR last year.
Although the 1.6 AVR is a target and not a requirement, the development agreement still requires the Colorado Center to take all reasonable and feasible steps to reduce car commuting. The property added to its transportation plan last year by marketing green commuting options to its tenants, working with the app RideAmigos and the transportation management organization GoSaMo.
In the coming year, Colorado Center will restructure its carpool incentive program and work with tenants to set a target reduction in car trips. The goal is for 20% of employees to carpool, 15% to take transit, 5% to bike and 1% to walk.
Providence Saint John’s Health Center and Saint Monica’s Catholic Community did not meet their AVR targets last year but exceeded them this year, according to the staff report.
City Council will meet Tuesday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 1685 Main St.
madeleine@smdp.com
