In a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission has upheld the approval of a proposed multifamily residential development in Mar Vista, rejecting a series of appeals from neighboring property owners.

The project, which was issued a letter of determination by the Planning Department in July 2020, calls for razing a single-story commercial building at 11961 Venice Boulevard to make way for a new five-story edifice featuring 38 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments.  Parking would be provided in a single basement level, using stackers to accommodate up to 39 vehicles.

Per the terms of approvals, a total of five of the apartments would be set aside as very low-income affordable housing in exchange for density bonus incentives permitting increased floor area and decreases to zone-required side-yard setbacks.

The project applicant - the Augusto and Grace Rojas Trust - has tapped Culver City-based architecture firm Asharch to design the apartment complex, which is depicted in illustrations as a contemporary low-rise structure lined with cantilevered balconies.  Proposed open spaces for residents would include two courtyards located at street level and a rooftop amenity deck.

The proposed development was faced with three separate appeals filed by the owners of neighboring properties at 11951 Venice Boulevard, 11965 Venice Boulevard, and 3758 Inglewood Boulevard.  The appellants made a series of overlapping claims in a bid to block construction of the new apartment building, alleging that the City had failed to give proper notice of the pending development and arguing that the scale of the project would adversely impact adjacent buildings.

Commissioners, who noted in deliberations that evidence presented did not support the finding required for rejection of the project, moved to deny all three appeals in full.