A four-story, multi-use project is being proposed by Brian Silveira & Associates of Torrance for nine, C-2 lots on Main St. between Horizon and Market.

According to the permit application, the company proposes “building 26 residential condominium units (including 4 low-income units), 3 ground-floor commercial units, one subterranean commercial unit, and 242 parking spaces. The proposed building height is 46-feet (47.3 in one area) and the proposed building floor area is 33,187 square feet.”

The nine lots combined provide 91,968 square feet.

This project is in the North Venice Specific Plan area. Height requirements are 30 feet with a flat roof; 35 feet with a varied or stepped-back roofline. No more than two commercial lots may be consolidated. This developer wants to consolidate nine and that is permissible if he does multi-family or mixed-use but he must at least conform to “existing scale and characteristic of the surrounding community.”

If four stories ever gets thru, it will set a precedent and Venice will be four stories thereafter and pushing for five. If that is what people want, they should change the Venice Coastal Zone Specific Plan, Ordinance 175,963, which became effective 19 January 2004. (FYI: Project parking is more than adequate but he does plan to use a parking machine. He wants setback variances also to name a few concessions he is looking for.) Otherwise protest four stories by emailing the following:

Jake Kaufman, Chair: jake.kaufman@venicenc.org
Sarah Dennison, Vice Chair: Sarah.Dennison@venicenc.org

Robert Aronson: Robert.Aronson@venicenc.org
Mehrnoosh Mojallali: Mehrnoosh.Mojallali@venicenc.org
James Murez: James.Murez@venicenc.org
Mia Herron: Mia.Herron@venicenc.org
John Reed: John.Reed@venicenc.org
Steve Traeger: Steve.Traeger@venicenc.org
Robin Rudisill: Robin.Rudisill@venicenc.org

CD11 Planning Director Tricia Keane: tricia.keane@lacity.org
Councilman Mike Bonin: Mike.bonin@lacity.org