On Monday night, a joint meeting of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency approved a continuance of the appeal hearing against the decision of the Culver City Planning Commission’s decision to approve a four-story condominium complex at 4043 Irving Pl., currently a parking lot stretching one block from Irving Place to Lafayette Place.
The request for a continuance was made by the developer at the urging of the City Council staff so that he could address the concerns of the community who have been vociferous in their opposition about what they see as a huge complex completely out of keeping with the neighborhood.
The Downtown Neighborhood Assn. supported the continuance at the meeting, but only on the condition that the postponement would contribute to a genuine re-evaluation of this project by the developer and the city and bring meaningful changes in its design.
We association members support the postponement if the deeply felt concerns of this community can finally be addressed.
So that there is no confusion about our position:
We are asking that:
• The 26-condominium project with three office spaces be scaled back and the number of units reduced significantly.
• There be no more than 3 stories with a 32-foot maximum height.
• The setback for this project be brought in line with the average setbacks on Lafayette and Irving (approximately 20 feet).
• The excavation for the 68-space subterranean garage be moved further back from the property line of the landmark homes on Lafayette Place that abut the southern end of the proposed complex. The current plan proposes only three feet, which poses the risk of structural damage to these historic dwellings.
• The entrance and exit for the project are located on both Lafayette and Irving, not solely on Irving.
We are asking that these changes be made so that the scale and character of our residential neighborhood can be preserved, and the safety of the more than 600 children who attend pre-schools and the Linwood E. Howe Elementary School adjacent to the project be protected.
