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August
2008 | by Carol
Kerridge and
Shirley King
 The
Garden Del Mar
Project took an
unexpected turn
after the July
21 City Council
discussion considering
approval of the
project's Specific
Plan. In a widely
distributed e-mail
sent early the
next morning,
developer Bryn
Stroyke announced
that he had decided
not to move forward
with the application,
stating that, “the
project can no
longer proceed
as envisioned
and that the incredibly
tight schedule
has been dealt
a fatal blow”,
attributing this
decision to comments
made by Site
Steering Committee
members at the
meeting.
During
the meeting several
members of the
public expressed
their concerns
about the Exceptional
Public Benefits
(EPBs) under discussion.
Committee members,
Deborah Groban
(via e-mail),
Art Olson, and
Brooke Eisenberg-Pike
each voiced frustration
that the Council
had substantially
ignored their
committee's recommendations
on EPBs.
The
Garden Project,
which comprises
39 office condos,
retail and
restaurant space,
has a floor
area ratio of
77%, which
exceeds the
underlying 45%
FAR. The Council
considered
the restaurant
and café as
compensating
EPBs, as well
as a levy for
the city's affordable
housing fund
of $25 per month
from each condo
owner. They
also included
a share of
a paid-parking
program, if
implemented
within 5 years.
If not, a $25,000
in lieu contribution
would be required
from the owners
for five subsequent
years.
Public
comments noted
that the scale
of these monetary
EPBs was significantly
less than the
$250,000 recommended
by the Steering
Committee, and
that they would
burden the subsequent
owners and users
of the property
rather than the
developers. Other
departures from
the Committee's
recommendation
included counting
the restaurant
and cafe as EPBs,
and the lack of
specified projects
to benefit from
the paid parking
or in lieu funds.
The
Council decided
to give the EPBs
more consideration
before a vote
on the Specific
Plan, moving
to adjourn the
vote until the
following Monday.
Subsequently
in response to
the Stroyke e-mail
Dave Druker and
Richard Earnest,
the Steering
Committee's Council
liaisons
called
a meeting of
the Steering
Committee
for Thursday,
July
24 to discuss
the proposed
EPBs prior to
the scheduled
City Council
discussion.
web
exclusive update:
City
Council Takes
Key Action to
Approve Garden
Del Mar Project
for the Ballot (Click here for
an opinion by
Art Olson.)
© 2007-08
Del Mar Community
Alliance, Inc. All
rights reserved. |
