Santa Monica : Garages Under Street OKd

In an unusual move, the City Council this week directed city staff to draft an ordinance that would allow the construction of garages beneath Adelaide Drive, a Santa Monica street which abuts the community of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles.

The council voted unanimously to have city staff draft the ordinance. It is expected back before the council for a final vote in mid-July.

The proposed ordinance stems from a request of the owners of 345 Adelaide Drive to build a garage underneath the street in order to maintain square footage and reduce the height of their proposed house, most of which sits in the City of Los Angeles.

Under a Los Angeles ordinance, the owners of the site can build some parts of their structure five feet above Adelaide. Fearing this could block Santa Monicans’ northward view, the Santa Monica City Council directed staff to draft a trade-off ordinance. It would allow subterranean garages to the center of Adelaide so long as whoever wants one ensures that the structure does not project above the street, despite Los Angeles’ allowances.