Santa Monica Now Juggling 32 Development Applications

In the final weeks of 2012, developers submitted applications to the city for seven new projects—a majority of them for mixed-use apartment and commercial buildings, including at the decades-old AMF Bayshore Lanes.

The end-of-the-year climb brings the number of development applications awaiting city approval to 32. The agreements give developers the rights to build beyond the city's size and zoning restrictions in exchange for providing "community benefits," like money to fund street improvements.

When city planning staffers faced a fewer number of 26 applications at the beginning of December, they said they couldn't keep up and asked the City Council to put in some new regulatory processes that would slow things down.

"The processing and review of the large number of pending Development Agreement applications... and the additional seven Development Agreement applications... have added to the challenge," said Planning Director David Martin.

The council is expected to make a decision on Martin's request on Tuesday night. For more on his proposal, see: Santa Monica to Consider Slowing Down Development.

The new applications are for mixed-use projects at 1560 Lincoln Blvd., 1613 Lincoln Blvd, 1637 Lincoln Blvd., 1641 Lincoln Blvd., 234 Pico Blvd., and 601 Colorado Ave.

At the bowling alley at 234 Pico Blvd., GRF Portfolio Properties has proposed a two-story project with 20,000 square feet of commercial space and 91 apartments. The early plans call for retaining a portion of the existing building, according to city planner Tony Kim.

"Whether it's going to stay a bowling alley... that I'm no sure about," Kim said.

The seventh new application is for a Mini Cooper dealership at 1400 Santa Monica Blvd.

The map above shows all 32 applications. Yellow pins, such as the site of the proposed Mini Cooper dealership, mark those projects that require Environmental Impact Reports.