REMINDER: TODAY, MAY 13TH, DEADLINE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE EIR
( ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT) FOR THE GENERAL PLAN. (SEE SAMPLE LETTER BELOW!!)
EMAIL COMMENTS TO ADVANCE PLANNING, CITY COUNCIL AND CHAIRPERSON OF PLANNING COMMISSION:
PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR: [email protected]
Sample letter: Please copy/paste/modify as desired
To Advance Planning, City Council and Planning Chairperson,
This is a response to the General Plan EIR.
Here are my concerns:
Fox Hills new zoning density is too high. We are already the most dense area in Culver City. The General Plan should cut the density to 50 units/acre, because we need to account for the density bonus (doubles the allowed density)
Fox Hills current buildings are older and have no capability of adding AC systems. The current cooling system for Fox Hills relies on natural ocean breeze. The most eco-friendly way to cool a unit. All the new development is west or south west of existing buildings and it has a potential of blocking or diverting our current ocean breeze. This could translate to several degrees of increase of heat for the current residents. Related to this issue is the excess height of the new development which will cause further blocking or diversion. There needs to be a study to assess the effect these new developments will have on the ocean breeze by a climate/weather expert. We need to know what happens to our ocean breeze if the entire new mix use zoning is fully developed at 100 unit/acre and another one with 200 units/acre (since this is a possibility w/ the max density bonus). The city of Culver City MUST do this study for the Fox Hills residents since the city is changing the density so excessively here.
The EIR shows “Unavoidable Significant Impact”( air quality, noise, transportation). Question: Is this study accounting for a fully developed new density Fox Hills? Is this study accounting for max density bonus? If not, the city of Culver City MUST do a new study w/ 100 units/acre and 200 units/acre fully developed Fox Hills.
The reason we are demanding the 200 units/acre scenario is because the density bonus can not be denied by the city. Is that correct? If this is correct, the worst case scenario is 200 units/acre.
Looking at the new density map proposed by the new General Plan, the Fox Hills area is the neighborhood with the largest density proposal than any other area in Culver City. That gives the Fox Hills resident the right to know what is the consequence of the city’s decision to up our density 3 to 6 times from our current density. The entire EIR should use the fully developed Fox Hills with 100 units/acre and 200 units/acre for all the environmental impact, such as air quality, noise, traffic, street parking, ocean breeze, basic infrastructure (sewer, water, electricity,….), city services, schools, etc). In summary, our quality of life.
Fox Hills has 2 areas: north of Slauson and south of Slauson. South of Slauson is where the current residents are. We propose that the high density of 100 units/acre be North of Slauson ONLY, where it will be little affect to current residents. South of Slauson should be no more than 50 units/acre, so with the density bonus it could be up to 100 units/acre.
Why change the South of Slauson density to 50 units/acre? 100 units/acre gives no incentive for the developers to add affordable housing because they make enough profit. They may add a few affordable housing but not enough. Also, the city is losing all the leverage to incentivise the developers to give us more affordable housing. It makes no sense to make a general plan that caters to what the developer wants. Is the General Plan made for the Culver City residents or for the developers?
We asked the top city planning person the reason why we could not switch the high density (100 units/acre) to North of Slauson(65 units/acre proposal) and make south of Slauson 65 units/acre? His answer: because the developers like big lots to build on. Look at the current 5757 Uplander project. The developers are not using much of the density bonus because they do not need it. They make profit w/ the 100 units/acre. (their plan is 75-100 units affordable units of the 1105 they are planning)
FYI: Keep in mind developers may say that the city will be out of compliance with the state if the density designations are lowered on the south side of Slauson, which is inaccurate, as clarified by the Advance Planning Division when the Fox Hills Neighborhood Association asked about it.
[your name]
Fox Hills resident
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FAQs:
Are we against housing in Fox Hills?
No, we understand that we need housing, but we want equitable distribution of housing. One single neighborhood can not be the answer to most Culver City housing.
What is the total number of housing Culver City is requested by the state to plan for by 2029?
3341 units.
How many current proposed projects in Fox Hills?
1705 units (3 projects) + Bristol Plaza, rumor of 1000 units. Total: 2705 units
What is a General Plan?
A general plan is each local government’s blueprint for meeting the community’s long-term vision for the future. One of the important things that sets is the zoning parameters. The new Culver City General Plan covers until 2045
What is the current density in Fox Hills?
Density is 35 units/acre.
What is in the General Plan for Fox Hills?
Proposed mix use is 100 units/Acre. About 3 times increase in our density.
Is this the maximum number of units they can develop?
No. Developers can obtain a density bonus doubling the number of units. We could have up to 200 units/Acre. 6 times the increase to our present density.
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Culver City did an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) for the General Plan.
EIR draft: