The long-awaited decision regarding the proposed 82-unit condominium/townhouse development on Tramonto Drive in Castellammare was approved last Tuesday by the Los Angeles Planning Department. ”The property, which developer Ken Kahan purchased in 1999, occupies 3.98 acres overlooking Santa Monica Bay, above the Sunset/PCH intersection. The units will nestle into the hillside at 17331-17333 Tramonto and resemble an Italian hillside town. ”The approval states Kahan must designate and maintain 16 condominium units as Very Low Income (VLI) or Low Income (LI) affordable accessible rental dwelling units or designate and maintain eight condominiums for VLI affordable accessible rental dwelling units. The inclusionary VLI or LI units ‘must be located on-site or, with permission, may be located somewhere else within the coastal zone, or within three miles of the coastal zone.’ ”Prior to the issuance of any building permit by the Department of Building and Safety, an agreement (approved by the Housing Department) must be signed, which guarantees that the designated affordable accessible dwelling units will be reserved for occupancy by eligible households for at least 30 years from the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. ”According to the L.A. Housing Department Web site, to qualify for affordable housing, all working members of a household must not exceed the income limit for the bedroom count and family size of the unit for which they are applying. In addition, there are various other requirements one must meet to fall into the affordable housing bracket. ”Despite years of neighborhood opposition to the project, the L.A. Planning Department, headed by director Con Howe, deemed many ‘substantial benefits will occur’ as a result of the project’s approval. ”Those include: bringing 82 new for-sale housing units to a part of the city in need of new housing supply, stabilizing and putting to productive use land that has been vacant since the Revello landslide in 1965, bringing needed improvements to Tramonto Drive, and improving the aesthetic character of the area by replacing two outdated apartment buildings with an attractive and well-designed condominium project and associated landscaping. Although the Department also found that approval of the project could result in ‘significant unavoidable impacts related to private views, short-term noise and traffic on residential streets,’ the Department stated that ‘the unmitigable impacts associated with the project are outweighed by the benefits and are therefore acceptable.’ ”The approval also states that trucks and construction equipment are restricted from adjacent residential areas during the construction period. Construction workers are not allowed to park on Sunset or any residential or local street in the vicinity, except for Los Liones Drive. ”Andrew Martin, president of the Castellammare Homeowners Association, said his group was ‘disappointed’ by the Planning Department’s decision, adding that the city is well known for being ‘developmentally biased.’ Martin’s group had lobbied for only 50 units to be built on the site. ”’We think it’s unfair to maximize revenue at the cost of the quiet and comfort of 250 homeowners,’ he said. ”Martin, along with other local residents, plan to file an appeal before tomorrow’s deadline. The appeal focuses on the the density and traffic concerns regarding the project. ”Residents wishing to appeal the approval or who are opposed to the locating the housing units on the site may file an appeal, which includes a fee of $71. The appeal must be be submitted in person on Master Appeal Form No. CP-7769 at the Department’s public offices located at 201 N. Figueroa St., downtown Los Angeles or 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Room 251, Van Nuys. Forms are available online at www.lacity.org/pln. Contact: (213) 978-1330. ”Several attempts by the Palisadian-Post to reach Ken Kahan by phone Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful.
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