Level 1 Recommendations: 1. Reject Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND environmental clearance) for lack of Cumulative Impact Traffic Study of Speedway, as required by CEQA and the California Coastal Commission 2. Require all Habitable Areas, including stairs, elevator and code defined balcony portions be included in calculation of Floor Area, as per Municipal Code. 3. Require FAR calculation be based on "buildable area" instead of "lot size", i.e. net of required setback/yard area, as per Municipal Code. 4. Require parking for all Habitable Areas, including stairs, elevator and code defined balcony portions, as per the Municipal Code and the California Coastal Commission. 5. Deny 50% density bonus, 1.0 to 1.5 FAR for only token residential use. 6. Reject "varied roofline" characterization allowing 35ft height versus 30ft for flat roof, because building's profile outline is essentially flat. The 2ft corrugated ridges and troughs out of view do not constitute a "sloped" roof. 7. Reject new office development in Community Commercial zone as neither visitor nor community serving and therefore not a permitted use for new developments. 8. Deny Project for setting numerous precedents prejudicial to preparation of a Local Coastal Program in conformity with the California Coastal Act.
Level 2 Recommendations as Mitigations if Level 1 Recommendations are too hard to accept: 9. Sunset Ave Setback. Project opposes three small properties directly across Sunset Ave walk street: two residential, one of which dates from the early days of Venice, and the third the oldest house on the Ocean Front Walk, now used commercially. Facing these structures mid-block along the walk street is the project's main entrance, for access to all office areas and 34% of the project's retail area, for employees, patrons, and deliveries alike. Additionally, the project's entire required yard setback is allocated to access ramps, stairs, walkways and bicycle parking instead of to landscaping, as required by the Zoning Code Mini-Mall Ordinance and as required at precedent 619 & 701 Ocean Front Walk, with the rationale "in order to maintain an open and visible access corridor and to enhance visual quality". Further, the proposed bicycle parking in the setback area would require paving a comparable portion of the City's right-of-way for access. Therefore: a) Fix Sunset Ave walk street setback at 12-14ft as per the prevailing setback line, both facing opposite across Sunset Ave and East of Speedway, both sides up to Pacific Ave. b) If (a) is not acceptable, fix Sunset Ave walk street setback at 10ft as a compromise between the 12-14ft prevailing setbacks all along Sunset Ave and the 619 & 701 Ocean Front Walk precedent of 7ft 8in, recognizing that 619 & 701 Ocean Front Walk is a lower height, lower FAR residential project on both sides of Thornton Ave, whereas 601 is an office project across from old houses. c) if (b) is not acceptable, fix Sunset Ave walk street setback at 7ft 8in as per 619 & 701 Ocean Front Walk precedent. 10. Speedway Alley Setback. Speedway is the bottleneck or choke point for access to the beach, to beachfront businesses, and to the residential neighborhood east of Speedway. To mitigate multiple cumulative impacts Speedway setbacks should be increased wherever possible rather than relaxed from strict code requirements. Therefore, measure the 15ft required Speedway Alley setback from the property line, as per adjacent 615 Ocean Front Walk and as per the precedent at 619 & 701 Ocean Front Walk, instead of from center of alley as proposed. 11. Height. Project significantly impacts the pedestrian experience along both Sunset Ave and Ocean Front Walk, with a 40ft high perimeter mechanical screen set back 12ft from a 33ft high roof edge. To mitigate: a) Lower height to 30ft "in order to enhance visual quality and community character", as per the rationale at 610 & 701 Ocean Front Walk, where height is conditioned as follows: "the portion of the approved structure located further than 25 feet from the Thornton Avenue right-of-way, including all skylights, roof deck railings and mechanical enclosures, shall not exceed a maximum height of thirty-five (35') feet as measured above the elevation of Ocean Front Walk, except that six roof access structures (with each footprint not exceeding one hundred square feet in area) are permitted to reach a maximum height of 38 feet as measured above the elevation of Ocean Front Walk. b) Disallow 5ft perimeter metal mechanical screen to 40ft height because it is a parapet and therefore to be included in building height. c) Drop roof deck to 33ft and replace 5ft mechanical screen to 40ft with an 18in open railing to 36ft 6in (42in above 33ft deck). 12. Other. a) Require weekend and overnight parking for visitors and community use. b) Limit hours of operation to 8am to 10pm because project is surrounded by residential uses on 3 sides. Prohibit party use of balconies after sunset. c) Prescribe or limit signage. d) Raise maximum $2500 fine for violation of permit conditions and add further remedies. e) Clarify that the Neighborhood Traffic Mitigations (NTM) Program covers the area between and including Speedway Alley and Pacific Avenue.