This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Disputed 99 Cents Only Store Parking Lot Can Remain As Is

The West Los Angeles Area Planning Commission granted an appeal to a Zoning Administrator finding that the lot was out of compliance with landscaping requirements.

The Mar Vista portion of the parking lot that serves the 99 Cents Only store in the Triangle Center on Washington Boulevard can remain in its current condition the West Los Angeles Area Planning Commission decided Wednesday. The store is in Culver City.

The commission granted the Triangle Center’s appeal to the Zoning Administrator’s earlier finding against them. The Administrator had ruled that the parking lot abutting the store did not meet the current landscaping requirements and that even though the lot predates the standards, it was not exempt from meeting them. The exact date of its paving was in debate, but the property owners claim the land was paved in 1958.

The Zoning Administrator came to that conclusion in 2010 after Carl Schafer filed an appeal on a permit issued to restripe the parking lot in 2000 – there is no time limit on filing appeals, Associate Zoning Administrator Lordes Green said. Schafer owns two residential properties across the street from the parking lot. According to his lawyer John Henning, Schafer was concerned about homeless people and drug users gathering in the lot and spilling out into the neighborhood.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 Key to the debate was whether or not a certificate of occupancy existed for the property in 1958, when the Triangle Center’s owner claimed the lot was built. There is no current record of the document and it is unclear if the records of its existence was missing or if it ever existed at all.

 The commission decided that removal of the lot would do more harm to the community than good, forcing shoppers to compete with residents for already scarce street parking. Because the city never informed the Triangle Center of the missing certificate of occupancy, the commission vice president Thomas Donovan said it was reasonable of the owners to believe that they were in compliance. He added that the lot was not a new use of the land and was already a part of the character of the community.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Stay current on local news. Like Mar Vista Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?