The West Hollywood Planning Commission on Thursday will be asked to consider a petition by the owner of the Raya Spa http://www.rayaspa.com/to tear down a house on West Knoll Drive and replace it with a parking lot.
The spa, owned by Raya Taver, is located at 533 N. La Cienega Blvd. just south of Melrose Avenue. The house, at 536 W. Knoll Dr., sits on a lot behind the spa.
Staff members with the city’s Department of Community Development are recommending that the Planning Commission deny the request. They note that the lot currently is zoned for multi-family residential use.
Raya Spa proposes to replace the house with a parking lot that would accommodate 17 cars fronted by a five-foot wide green space on West Knoll. Raya currently provides its patrons with four parking spaces in the alley that separates it from the West Knoll property and has a permit from the city for off-site parking. It argues that the proposed parking lot would be more convenient for its customers.
Community Development staff members argue, in a report to the Planning Commission, that destroying the house would contradict the city’s stated goal of maintaining its existing housing stock. “A parking lot would leave a hole in the streetscape that disrupts the neighborhood character,” says its report to the Commission.
The Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the City Council Chambers at 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., south of Santa Monica.
@Todd, you are correct. It would set a bad precedent — the removal of housing, commercial encroachment, impacts the integrity of a residential neighborhood.
VETO.
I hope the Planning Commission turns down this request. The last thing this neighborhood needs is a surface parking lot in place of a single family home. I agree with staff. New parking should be under a structure or incorporated into it. I’m sure the neighbors don’t want this to happen either – not good for the neighborhood and it sets a bad precedent.