Meeting Date: 06/26/13 05:30 PM
Meeting Type: Regular
Location: Will & Ariel Durant Library, 7140 Sunset Blvd.
Details: 1. Welcome, introductions and general comments on the PLUM Committee's operations by the committee's chairperson.
2. Review the draft minutes of the committee's meeting on May 8, 2013. The draft minutes are posted and available for your review on this website under the committee's meetings archive.
3. 6925 and 6801 Hollywood Blvd. – The Chinese 6 Marquee Theaters.
At the committee's April 10, 2013 meeting, the committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of the theatre operator's proposal for renovating the buildings' exterior in connetion with the theater's conversion to the IMAX format, including converting two billboards which face Hollywood Blvd. on the condition that the digital billboards would show advertising solely for the moview being presented at the theaters, rather than advertising for "outside" advertisers.
The committee will be considering this issue further after hearing from the theater operator whether this condition would be acceptable to the operator, and may even reconsider its prior recommendation.
Alwyn Hight Kushner will be representing the theater operator.
The Planning Dept.'s case no. is APCC 2013-346.
4. 6679 Hollywood Blvd. – L'Scorpion.
Martin Tores of Miranda Acquisitions, LLC is the operator of L'Scorpion. Adolfo Suaya and What's On Third, LLC, own the property. They have applied to rewal a conditional use permit tosell a fll line of alcoholic beverages for on site consumption. The existing and proposed hours of operation would be from 11 am to 2 am daily in the 1860 square foot premises. Valet parking is provided.
The Planning Dept.'s case no. is ZA 2013-1335.
5. 7120-7130 Sunset Blvd. and 1440 Detroit.
The Cohnazad brothers Sunset Rise LLC and Copac Corp. have applied to the City's Planning Department for expedited case handling for their application to build 44 residential apartments and ground floor retail space at this site.
Numerous variances and zoning administrator adjustments are being requested. The primary factor driving these requests seem to be that the two lots are zoned differently; one is zoned for residential use, and the other is zoned for commercial use. The applicants seem to want to take advantage of the higher density permitted on the commercial lot by averaging out the parking, floor area ratios (FARs) and density/open space across the two differently zoned lots.
The Planning Dept.s case no. is ZA 2013-1302(ZV)(ZAA).
Michael Cohanzad will be representing himself and his partners, perhaps along with other development team members in an informal presentation and discussion, which is expected to continue over to the PLUM committee's August meeting.
6. 6541 Hollywood Blvd – Jane's House – An update on the operation of the restaurant and lounge, including the operator's renovations of the facilitiy and food service availability. Reports of tightrope walking entertainment were posted on the internet, which lead to questions about the lack of a permit for live entertainment, as well as whether the proposed menu was really avaialable, or whether the site was being operated as a nightclub/bar.
The Houston brothers, who operate the facility, and JT Fox, Esq., their attorney, have been invited and asked to update the committee.
7. Sunset/Crescent Heights shopping center – an update with regard to the parking lot operations and any other new developmets involving that site.
8. The Planning Department's newly proposed "Housing element" for the City's general plan will be discussed and considered. All 290+ pages are available on the Planning Department's website.
9. Public comments on any non-agendized items.
10. Adjournment.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for wednesday, August 14, 2013. The meeting will be held from 5:30 pm to 7:50 pm in The Durant Public Library's community room.
PLUM Committee members Orrin Feldman, Jeff Papes, Jim Geoghan, Joshua Kopel and Mary Prange were present. Area committee chair Barbara Witkin was present.
There was a quorum of the voting members of the committee present when this meeting began at 5:35 pm. 25 stakehoders were present.
The committee reviewed the draft minutes of its May 8th meeting. The minutes were approved unanimously.
1. 6925 and 6801 Hollywood Blvd. – The Chinese 6 Marquee Theaters
The Planning Dept.'s case no. is APCC 2013-346.
Alwyn Hight Kushner, who is the general manager of the theaters and an HHWNC board member, represented the theater operator. Alwyn explained that the proposed digital billboards for the building's exterior would be required legally to show advertising solely for movies and other products sold at the theaters. "Outside" advertising for other products and services would not be permissible.
Several committee members expressed concern about the digital billboards for aestthetic and other reasons, including a desire to not mimic the old Times Square. On the other hand, one committee member wholeheartedly supported the digital billboards and putting as much additional signage in the area as possibe.
One committee member mentioned his reluctance to vote on the proposal to support digital billboards without seeing an up to date rendering of what was being proposed.
When Alwyn mentioned that a support letter would be desirable, but not required, and that she could come back in August with a rendering, the committee tabled further consideration of this topic until its August meeting.
2. 6679 Hollywood Blvd. – L'Scorpion
The Planning Dept.'s case no. is ZA 2013-1335.
Jeff Papes recused himself from the committee's consideration of this matter by leaving the room for this discussion.
Martin Torres of Miranda Acquisitions, LLC is the operator of L'Scorpion. Mike Gonzales, Esq. is the attorney for the operator and Adolfo Suaya and What's OnThird, LLC, which owns the building. They explained why the conditional use permit for the restaurant to sell a full line of alcoholic beverages for on site consumption from 11 am to 2 am daily should be renewed.
After a brief discussion, the Plum committee voted (4-0-0) to recommend to HHWNC's board that HHWNC support the renewal of L'Scorpion's conditional use permit.
3. 7120-7130 Sunet Blvd. and 1440 Detroit.
The Planning Department's case no. is ZA 2013-1302(ZV)(ZAA).
Mike Cohnazad presented his development group's proposal to build a mixed use buiding with 44 residential apartments and ground floor retail space (facing Sunset) a this site.
Several residents of 1436 Detroit, an adjacent building, were present. Also present was City Council Member Tom LaBonge's Chief Planning Deputy Renee Weitzer.
A long preliminary discussion about many different aspects of the proposed building followed. Some, but not all, of the issues which were raised for additional consideration included:
(i) eliminating or relocating the roof deck so that it doesn't face across into apartments at 1436 Detroit.
(ii) reconsidering the driveway entrance(s) locations and curbcuts, and maybe even relocating them.
(iii) focusing on how parking and trash pick ups would work; parking for the building's managers and service providers hasn't been provided; and securing residents' parking so that retail customers will not have access to the residents' parking area seems to be important for residents' safety and the safety of their cars.
(iv) explaining how the retails stores' commercial trash will be stored and picked up, as well as where/how deliveries will be made to those businesses.
(v) explaining how the residential apartments' trash will be stored and picked up.
(vi) deciding whether the 2,900 square foot retail space could be used by just one tenant for a restaurant or bar – since that is the way the case was filed.
(vii adding landscaping and setbacks, including setting back the balconies for apartments to be kept out of the public right of way.
The developer's requests for adjustments and variances for front, side and rear yard setbacks were not supported by anyone other than the developer.
There was, however, general support for continuing this dialogue to work on and work up a good project for the site. Many people at the meeting spoke in support of improving the site.
4. 6541 Hollywood Blvd. – Jane's House
Orrin shared copies of the letter he had received from JT Fox, Esq., regarding the new Jane's House, which reportedly had opened to the public on the preceding evening.
5. Sunset/Crescent Heights shopping center – The update was that there was no new information regarding either the parking lot or possible redevelopment of the site.
6. The Planning Department's newly proposed "Housing element" for the City's general plan was mentioned, but no one had any specific comment(s).
7. Elliot Johnson had a public comment on a non-agendized item. Elliot wanted to know if any progress had been made with regard to holiday season decorations for Hollywood Blvd. Joshua had reached out to someone at The Church of Scientology, and they were going to follow up together.
8. Adjournment at 7:20 pm.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for wednesday, August 14, 2013. The meeting will be held from 5:30 pm t 7:50 pm in The Durant Public Library's community room.