Developer to Present Plans to DRB Jan. 13
By FRANCES SHARPE | Editor-in-Chief
Rick Caruso is listening to the Palisades community.
The developer has announced that in response to community input, he has updated the plans for his Palisades Village project.
Since submitting the application for the project to the City of Los Angeles, Caruso and his team have been meeting with Pacific Palisades residents, business owners and community organizations in a variety of settings to listen to suggestions and address concerns.
“There is a tremendous amount of community support for this project, and I personally take the community outreach very seriously. It has been my pleasure to work closely with thousands of residents at town hall meetings, living room meetings, individual coffees, and setting up a booth at the weekly farmers market where I get to listen to their ideas,” Caruso told the Palisadian-Post.
“After we submitted our application, my team and I continued the outreach and listened to input, and after many conversations with residents, I have decided to update the application in response to community input,” he said.
The updates to Caruso Affiliated’s application are in four key areas.
Setbacks: After various meetings with residents, Caruso Affiliated has decided to adhere to the Pacific Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Specific Plan’s requirement for two-foot setbacks from the sidewalks. Caruso Affiliated has removed its request for zero setbacks from its application to the city.
Height: Caruso Affiliated is amending its definition in terms of the way it measures building height. This update comes in response to community feedback as it will reduce the height of some buildings and will clarify how building heights will be measured.
Caruso’s proposed definition will limit the height of all building facades to 30′ 0″ or less as measured from adjacent grade. It will allow for architectural features and/or the high point of sloped roof elements for all building facades to be limited to 34′-0″ or less.
Program: The developer is updating the program of uses in response to community concerns. For example, Caruso Affiliated has eliminated the exercise use (this means there will be no gym, yoga or Pilates in the project) and reduced the restaurant floor area. The developer is replacing that floor area with retail and office.
An analysis of this revised program by Caruso Affiliated’s traffic engineer shows that it results in a 30 percent reduction in vehicle trips and has no traffic impacts at any of the studied intersections.
Additionally, Caruso indicated that these revised plans still meet with all parking requirements according to LA City Code.
Parking: The developer is removing a request for a Shared Parking Demand Study. According to Caruso, the plan fully complies with code parking requirements.
Caruso will present his updated plans to the Pacific Palisades Design Review Board (DRB) on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. in Mercer Hall at Palisades Charter High School. The public is invited.
At this meeting, the DRB will review and offer recommendations on the proposed design and take public comments.
Caruso emphasized that he is looking forward to the opportunity to present to the DRB and the community at large.
“I want to thank the community for its support and input,” Caruso said.
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