Santa Monica passed a sweeping rezoning of the Bergamont Station Area, which encompasses most of the LSMD (from Bergamont to Colorado Avenue).  Most of the area is being up-zoned into a new zoning called Mixed Use Creative.  Mixed Use Creative will allow greater densities as well as office, retail, multifamily, and creative office.  The City has not yet provided a definition of creative office. A small area near Berkeley and Stanford will be preserved for low density creative office only.  The City is requiring the first 40 feet of Nebraska Avenue frontage to be used for small retail.  They envision Nebraska south of Stewart to turn into a walking street loaded with outdoor cafes.  Oh Vey.

Parking requirements will be lowered to 2 cars per 1000. For the first time in LA County, the City is imposing a parking maximum of 4 cars per 1000 that will drop to a maximum of 2 cars per 1000 as the area is developed. The parking requirements are among the lowest in the Los Angeles County.  Curb LA first reported this sweeping zoning legislation.  The article below has a great pictorial of the new zoning (click on the pictures).

SaMo Approves Big Plans for the Bergamot Station Area – PlanningWatch – Curbed LA.