TO:
Honorable Planning Commission Chair and Commissioners
THROUGH:
Masa Alkire, Community Development Director
FROM:
Adam Finestone, Planning Manager
Justin Urbanski, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Minor Zoning Text Amendments to Manhattan Beach Municipal Code and Manhattan Beach Local Coastal Program Related to Building Height Limits for Two City-Owned Properties Located at 1155 Morningside Drive (Parking Lot 3) and 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission conduct a public hearing on the proposed zone text amendments to the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code (MBMC) and Manhattan Beach Local Coastal Program (MBLCP) related to minor height increases at Parking Lot 3 and 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, and adopt the associated resolution recommending approval of said amendments to City Council and finding the zone text amendments categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
BACKGROUND:
In 2024, the City demolished the former three-story, 145-space parking structure at Parking Lot 3, and replaced it with a new, interim surface parking lot which opened in June 2025. In April 2025, the City purchased the former US Bank property located at 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard as a forward-thinking investment that aligns with the City’s vision for economic resilience and community enhancement. Following that purchase, the City established Project Pulse as a coordinated approach for public input regarding the redevelopment of both properties.
At its April 21, 2026, meeting, the City Council received an update on the Project Pulse work effort and directed staff to initiate a code amendment to allow a minor increase in the maximum allowable building height for both Project Pulse properties, from 26 feet to 30 feet, on the condition that a subterranean or at-grade parking structure is provided, and to allow additional height for minor architectural elements such as elevator shafts, lighting, and safety barriers.
On August 12, 2026, the Planning Commission conducted a study session to discuss and provide feedback on potential increases to the allowable heights for buildings and for limited site elements at both properties. The staff report prepared for that study session, included as Attachment 3 to this report, provides a more detailed summary of the actions taken to date related to Parking Lot 3, the purchase and use of 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, and Project Pulse.
At the aforementioned August 12, 2026, study session, comments provided by both the Planning Commission and members of the public related to the Parking Lot 3 site can be classified as neutral to favorable. For 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, some Commission and community members expressed concern related to the proposed increase in the maximum allowable height. Feedback centered around the impacts that additional height could have on adjacent residential buildings and potential impacts on views when approaching downtown along Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
DISCUSSION:
Zoning and Surrounding Land Uses
Both subject properties are located within the Downtown Commercial (CD) zoning district. Parking Lot 3 is bounded by 12th Street to the north, Morningside Drive to the east, Center Place to the south, and commercial uses to the west. To the east, across Morningside Drive, is Metlox, a commercial development with a mix of restaurant, office, and retail uses, and a two-level underground public parking garage. Neighboring properties to the north (across 12th Street), south (across Center Place), and west are developed with various commercial uses, including offices, retail, and restaurants. All surrounding properties are zoned CD.
400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard is a former bank at the southeast corner of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Morningside Drive. It abuts other CD-zoned properties to the north (across Manhattan Beach Boulevard), east, and south, and CD and High-Density Residential (RH-zoned) properties to the west (across Morningside Drive). Surrounding land uses include multifamily housing to the south, both multifamily and commercial uses to the west, mixed retail and restaurant uses to the north (Metlox), and a grocery store to the east (Vons).
Existing Development Regulations
Building Height and Exceedances
Both subject properties are located within the City’s Coastal Zone, which means their development regulations are governed by the City’s certified Local Coastal Program. MBLCP Section A.16.030 identifies development regulations, including building height limits, applicable in the CD zone. A majority of properties in the CD zone, including the Project Pulse properties, have an existing height limit of 26 feet (or two stories). However, there are several properties, including Metlox and the properties immediately north of Parking Lot 3, that have a height limit of 30 feet (generally three stories, except Metlox, whose land use entitlements limit it to two stories), provided they either have a pitched roof or provide an at-grade or subterranean parking structure. The existing height limits are depicted in Attachment 7. Additionally, vent pipes and radio and television antennas, chimneys, and solar energy systems are currently allowed to exceed the building height limit, as detailed in MBLCP Section A.60.060. Comparable provisions to those described above are also included in the MBMC.
Proposed Development Regulations
Staff is proposing amendments to MBLCP Section A.16.030(G) (and MBMC Section 10.16.030(G) to maintain consistency between the two documents). After taking into consideration feedback from the Planning Commission and members of the public provided at the August 12, 2026, study session, and previous City Council direction, staff has identified the following approach to accommodate height limit increases at both sites. The proposed code amendments are summarized below and are included as Exhibit “A” to draft Resolution No. PC 26-XX, which itself is included as Attachment A to this report. A redlined text version of MBLCP Section A.16.030 and MBMC Section 10.16.030 is included as Attachment 5 to this report as well.
Additional Exceptions to Height Limits
As noted above, MBLCP Chapter A.60.060 (and MBMC Chapter 10.60.060) allows vent pipes and radio and television antennas to exceed the maximum allowable height by ten feet, chimneys by five feet, and solar energy systems by 12 inches. When considering the redevelopment of the Project Pulse properties, other minor elements may need to exceed the height limit to accommodate anticipated uses of the properties while also meeting modern code requirements. As such, staff has identified the following building elements that may require additional height, and has proposed development standards for each:
• Elevator shafts and overruns: Five feet
o Building and safety regulations require elevator shaft overruns above elevators for maintenance purposes. To accommodate the types of redevelopment options currently being considered on both sites, an over-height elevator shaft may be required on the roof.
• Stairwell enclosures: Five feet
o Additional height may be required for stairwell access to roofs and areas exceeding the height limit.
• Screened mechanical equipment: Five feet
o Allowing screened mechanical equipment above the height limit would free up additional space both on the ground and within the building. Mounting building equipment on rooftops is a typical configuration for commercial structures, with space-saving, and noise buffering benefits.
• Light poles: Six feet
o This height exceedance would help facilitate the construction of a three-story parking structure or three-story structure with a roof deck. The prior Lot 3 parking structure had nonconforming over-height light poles on the third-floor parking deck.
• Guardrails comprised of clear material or a minimum 75% open design: Six feet
o Allowing a height exception for clear or open work guardrails would allow future rooftop development to comply with Building Code safety barrier requirements, as well as provide an opportunity for wind screening and noise mitigation.
Maximum Height Increase
The proposed amendments would allow non-residential buildings between 26 and 30 feet in height if on-site parking is provided. The proposed amendment does not require a building exceeding 26 feet in height to provide a ground level or subterranean parking structure. Provision of a surface parking lot would suffice to allow for a building up to 30 feet in height if the following requirements are met:
1. A minimum 40-foot rear yard setback is provided between non-residential buildings and any property line abutting residential uses
2. A 10-foot front yard setback is provided for portions of buildings over 20 feet in height abutting an arterial road. Guardrails comprised of clear materials shall be allowed to exceed 20 feet in height within this setback area.
The City Council’s original direction regarding the code amendment was to allow a minor increase in the maximum allowable building height for both Project Pulse properties, from 26 feet to 30 feet, on the condition that a subterranean or at-grade parking structure is provided. However, based on the conceptual plans developed through the Project Pulse community outreach work effort, the proposed amendment allows for commercial structures up to 30 feet in height if on-site parking is provided, including surface parking.
When considering these additional conditions for buildings exceeding 26 feet in height, staff considered the feedback of the community and the Planning Commission. While feedback surrounding a height increase at Parking Lot 3 was generally neutral to positive, concerns arose around allowing additional height at 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Specifically, staff received feedback about the potential impacts that a 30-foot-tall building could have on abutting residential properties, as well as on views when approaching downtown on Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
To address feedback received about the setback between a future building and adjacent residential uses, staff has proposed requiring a 40-foot setback between any non-residential building and abutting properties with residential uses. While Lot 3 is surrounded by commercial buildings and does not directly abut residential uses, 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard abuts a residential building along the southern (rear) property line, meaning that any new non-residential building over 26 feet in height would require a 40-foot setback from the rear property line.
Community feedback on 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard also expressed concerns about the impact a 30-foot-tall building could have on views down Manhattan Beach Boulevard. To address this concern, the proposed code amendments would require an additional 10-foot setback for the portions of any structure over 20 feet in height that abut Manhattan Beach Boulevard. By conditioning the taller building height on providing front and rear setbacks as described above, the proposed amendments both address public comments and align with the conceptual building designs currently under consideration at 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Those conceptual designs incorporate larger front and rear setbacks (rather than proposing the building extend fully to each property line). It should be noted that the existing code does not require any setbacks for commercial projects within the CD zone, and many existing buildings along Manhattan Beach Boulevard provide no setbacks from that (front) property line.
General Plan and MBLCP Consistency
Staff has determined that the proposed amendments are consistent with the City’s General Plan and the MBLCP in that they uphold, and do not hinder, the purpose, goals, and policies of those documents. Specifically, the proposed zone text amendments encourage the provision of a diverse range of land uses for residents of, and visitors to, the Coastal Zone. A full analysis of consistency between the draft code amendment changes and the General Plan and MBLCP is in the draft resolution.
NEXT STEPS:
The Planning Commission’s recommendation on the proposed zone text amendments will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration (tentatively scheduled for November 17, 2026). Should the City Council approve the proposed code amendments, they will authorize staff to submit the MBLCP amendments to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for certification. Amendments to the MBMC will take effect 30 days after the ordinance is adopted, and amendments to the MBLCP will take effect after receiving certification from the CCC.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A public notice for the October 28, 2026, Planning Commission meeting was mailed to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of both sites on October 9, 2026. Additionally, the notice was published in the Beach Reporter and posted at City Hall on October 15, 2026. As of the writing of this staff report, no public comments have been received.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed amendments (the “project”) for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15305 (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the amendments represent a minor change to existing development standards and do not result in changes to land use or density. Therefore, the proposed project is exempt from further review under CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution No. PC 26-XX
2. Location Map (Project Pulse Sites)
3. August 12, 2026, Planning Commission Meeting Staff Report (Web-Link Provided)
4. September 15, 2026, City Council Meeting Staff Report (Web-Link Provided)
5. Redlined MBLCP Text Amendments
6. Redlined MBMC Text Amendments
7. Existing Downtown Commercial District Height Limits Map