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PALIHOUSE LIQUOR
Imagine alcohol served outside your bedroom window until 2am!
In a unanimous 7-0 vote, Santa Monica Plan- ning Commission denied Palihouse a CUP (Conditional Use Permit) to serve alcohol. Deep in the middle of a residential neighborhood, this hotel applied to serve alcohol from 6am to 2am at outdoor tables less than 10 feet away from residents' bedroom windows. more photos
Although staff recommended restricting the hours, most residents who spoke were opposed to any type of alcohol permit being granted. Most believed that a hotel did not belong in a residential neighborhood in the first place. Six of Santa Monica's seven Neighborhood Organizations recommended the license be denied. The meeting went well past 1:00 am as residents voiced their grievances. Most believed that alcohol would only exacerbate already existing problems. Complaints included being awakened by early hour delivery trucks, voices of valets and hotel patrons, car doors slamming,party noise, parking issues, smoking violations, and suitcases rattling down the sidewalk at all hours. Others questioned why staff, although restricting the permit, supported it at all. The restrictions were complicated with alcohol being permitted in different parts of the hotel at different times. Some residents questioned how this was going to be policed and did not believe that these restrictions would or could be enforced. They believed that given an inch, the Palihouse would take a mile and pointed to its past. Formerly known as the Embassy, the Palihouse was originally built as an apartment building. After a law suit and much controversy, the previous owners converted half of the residential apartments to hotel rooms. Some residents contend that this was an illegal conversion. At a later date, the rest of the hotel was converted from residential to commercial rooms. Palihouse is located on the corner of 3rd St. and Washington Ave in Santa Monica. |
Big black outline on map indicates area where 70 foot tall, dense buildings and expensive underground parking lots could be built. They call it an "activity center" but it is a huge Mixed Use project that would run from Euclid (13th) to 16th streets on both sides of Wilshire. It could be bigger than Santa Monica Place mall. It would probably include a hotel, a huge mall or plaza, a grocery store, multiple levels of condos and rental units, plus 2,000 to 3,000 thousand subterranean parking spaces. Parking sounds tempting, but it would likely be expensive, pushing customers and employees into our neighborhoods looking for free street parking. The height and density of Wilshire are still being debated, but the city "grants" an extra 10 feet in height and extra density to the whole development if it is zoned as an Activity Center. That means everything from Euclid to 16th would be taller and denser than all other buildings along Wilshire. No developer has filed an application yet. They are waiting for the new Zoning Code. Residents can ask the City to remove the 14th St. Activity Center from the General Plan (LUCE) and from the Zoning Code, so developers aren't allowed to construct an extra large project in Wilmont. You can be a part of this conversation by emailing our Planning Commission, City Council, and City Staff. |
Greater height & density
planned for Wilshire ???
This is Wilshire Blvd just into
West LA. Is this what you want for Santa Monica?
The Planning Commission and City
Council are in the process of re-writing the zoning code for Santa Monica. Some are pushing for MORE height and density along Wilshire Blvd. Others are considering a "hybrid" approach - less density and more parking for boulevards far from Expo. How will their decisions impact our neighborhoods? The wrong decisions will mean more traffic, congestion, and parking issues.
In addition, houses all along Wilshire will live in the shadow of these tall buildings. If you go to google satellite and view the corner of Wilshire and Granville here, you can see how a large building on Wilshire casts a shadow over the houses all the way to Goshen Ave. It is hard to put a price on sunlight but even if you could, these residents would not be compensated for their loss.
City Hall is making decisions NOW that
will impact your neighborhood for the next 20 years. If you want a voice in the decision please speak out NOW. Write the Planning Commissioners, City Council and Staff. Voice your concerns. Click here for addresses and sample emails.
OVER 13,000
SIGNATURES TURNED IN 
Less then 30 days after the City Council approved the Bergamot Village Transit (Hines) Project, residents turned in over 13,000 signatures to City Hall on Tue, March 11, in an attempt to veto it. more The referendum was organized by Residocracy.org, a community network of residents. People all over the city helped in getting signatures. Despite a large crowd of protesters, City Council approved the project 4 to 3 on Feb 5, 2014. Many residents have deep concerns about the Hines project’s density, size and housing issues, including 7,000+ additional car trips. more |
