bizpost on state

Ocean County

Karen Wall

New York City Metropolitan Area

Brick

New Jersey

It's taken several years but the Santa Monica City Council finally approved a 230-page plan to turn the 142.5 acres near Bergamot Station and the site of one of the upcoming Expo Line stations into a walkable neighborhood complete with art studios, offices, apartments and green space. The council also said that part of that green space should be used to include community gardens and dog parks. The decision came well into the early hours of Wednesday morning after much discussion, with Councilmember Kevin McKeowan being the only one to vote against the plan. McKeowan, who by and large approved of the plan, wanted to push for some of the developers to provide more affordable housing than is currently required of them. The plan restricts building heights to below 75 feet, calls for the creation of 10 new streets and 15 new bike and pedestrian paths and says the most dense development should be placed west in the Bergamot Transit Village, a mixed-use project proposed at the former PaperMate site. In addition, the council said on Tuesday night that new housing in the area should be designed to attract first responders, teacher and nurses.

It’s taken several years but the Santa Monica City Council finally approved a 230-page plan to turn the 142.5 acres near Bergamot Station and the site of one of the upcoming Expo Line stations into a walkable neighborhood complete with art studios, offices, apartments and green space.

The council also said that part of that green space should be used to include community gardens and dog parks. The decision came well into the early hours of Wednesday morning after much discussion, with Councilmember Kevin McKeowan being the only one to vote against the plan. McKeowan, who by and large approved of the plan, wanted to push for some of the developers to provide more affordable housing than is currently required of them.

The plan restricts building heights to below 75 feet, calls for the creation of 10 new streets and 15 new bike and pedestrian paths and says the most dense development should be placed west in the Bergamot Transit Village, a mixed-use project proposed at the former PaperMate site. In addition, the council said on Tuesday night that new housing in the area should be designed to attract first responders, teacher and nurses.

Los Angeles County

Emily Rahhal 

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Santa Monica

California

The council voted 6-1 to approve the longterm plan to take the 142.5 acres of industrial space and transform it into a walkable neighborhood with new art studios, apartments, offices and green space.