In November, the real estate developers who have proposed building a Gelson’s supermarket on Sepulveda Boulevard between 6th and 8th Streets submitted revised plans.
The largest change appears to be an increase in parking, achieved by leasing spaces offsite and using “stacked” parking in the lot directly north of the site, which Paragon Commercial Group already owns. The size of the development was also scaled back slightly.
However, several residents who are opposed to the project weren’t satisfied. Eileen Neill, who lives directly behind the site, said the changes were “not substantive.”
“They make it appear they’ve gone the extra mile to meet residents’ concerns,” said Neill. “They haven’t given an inch.”
“The fact of the matter is the project is too big,” added Neill. “They either have to reduce the store size or get rid of the bank.”
Paragon has said it will build a 7,000-square-foot building on the lot that will house First Republic Bank, “which will generate less traffic than more intense uses such as retail sales or a fast food restaurant.”
The earlier iteration of the plans had 112 spaces directly next to the market and 16 extra spaces in the northern lot across 8th Street for a total of 128 spaces.
The latest plan shows 116 spaces in the main lot and 29 spaces in the northern lot, where there is to be stacked or tandem parking, for a total of 145 stalls.
The new plan also says that the loading dock could provide eight spaces when not in use.
As for offsite parking, 20 spaces for employees have been leased in the parking lot behind Baskin Robbins and five spots have been leased from the office building just south of the Paragon parcel on the weekends.
“The project’s parking analysis has determined that the proposed parking exceeds the project’s parking demand for both customers and employees,” Jim Dillavou from Paragon wrote in a letter to the city submitted with the application. “Nevertheless, as part of our effort to be a good neighbor, we have leased additional parking spaces in close proximity to the project so that additional employee parking is available, if needed.”
Neill said the move to lease offsite spaces would be “pushing the parking problem into another area.”
As for reductions, the proposed patio area has been reduced from 965 to 503 square feet, and the proposed mezzanine area has been shrunk from 1,812 to 1,309 square feet, according to the plans on file with the city’s planning department.
In his letter, Dillavou said they could include a deceleration lane off Sepulveda as some residents have requested, but that the issue is up to CalTrans.
Scott Yanofsky, another neighbor who is a general contractor and is opposed to the project, said he understood Paragon’s dilemma.
“If they cut way back, they overpaid for their investment,” he said.
Neill said the group had hired attorneys to evaluate the plans and was in the process of hiring a traffic consultant.
The city is currently reviewing the application, according to Manhattan Beach Community Development Director Marisa Lundstedt.
“The city has hired a consulting firm to conduct an independent, third-party review of the applicant’s submittal materials,” she wrote in an email.
Once the application is complete, the project will go before the planning commission and then the city council for approval. ER
