Venice Neighborhood Council · Held

Venice Neighborhood Council meeting, July 21, 2026

July 21, 2026, 6:30 p.m. · Updated October 5, 2026

From the minutes: The Venice Neighborhood Council's board on July 21, 2026, passed a stakeholder petition amending its standing rules, 9-7 with two abstaining, approved 12 consent motions, among them a local hearing request for seven ADUs at 532-534 Santa Clara Ave. and a recommended denial of alcohol sales at Gjusta, 14-1 with three abstaining, and rescinded its earlier support for a project at 305 Rose Ave., 9-6 with three abstaining, according to its minutes. The minutes record an 8-5 vote, with four abstaining, on support for a Trader Joe's alcohol permit at 620 Lincoln Blvd. without saying whether it passed. The FIFA Fan Zone motion, the SPARC grant denial and seven other motions went to the July 29 special meeting.

Outcomes for the July 21, 2026 meeting of the Venice Neighborhood Council come from its posted minutes.

Outcomes below come from the board’s minutes: the agenda with meeting notes and a roll-call table added at the end. The board approved them on Aug. 18, 2026, 11-5 with one abstaining (Aug. 18 minutes). Tallies are yes-no-abstain-absent as the minutes print them.

Items under V.A were on the consent calendar, voted on as one item (agenda). The minutes note that item “B4-26-VNC” was “Removed at the direction of the City Atty.” and list motions 78, 79, 94 to 98 and 100 as old business for a later agenda (minutes). The July 29 special meeting agenda took up those motions and 84; see the July 29 page. A motion to move stakeholder motions with deadlines up the agenda passed 12-4, two abstaining (minutes).

III.C. Investigate the Venice Beach FIFA Fan Zone permit

• What it asks: That the City and CD 11 investigate whether the Fan Zone’s permit conditions were adequate and met, and that future permits for large Boardwalk events come to the council before City approval. The motion lists vendor displacement, an 8-foot fence, noise from an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 attendees, dead grass and bike path hazards (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21; the minutes list it as old business for a later agenda (minutes). The board passed it July 29, 14-1 (July 29 minutes).

V.A.4.b. Support the appeal of a public parking lot at 128 Hurricane St.

• What it asks: Keeps the council’s recommendation of denial and supports the May 27, 2026 citizen appeal of the City Planning Commission’s approval of a General Plan amendment and zone change from RW2-1 to PF-1 for a public parking lot (case CPC-2024-2010-GPA-ZC-SPPC-CU3-1A). It asks PLUM, the Council and Council member Traci Park to back the appeal (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• Where: 128 Hurricane St. at Canal Court, the Grand Canal and Ballona Lagoon (agenda).
• What happened: The minutes say item “B4-26-VNC” was “Removed at the direction of the City Atty.” (minutes). The board passed the motion July 29, 11-3 (July 29 minutes).

V.A.4.c. Local hearing for seven ADUs at 532-534 Santa Clara Ave.

• What it asks: Hold the project and give it a public hearing in Venice instead of review only by the Coastal Commission under AB 462. The project adds seven ADUs in a 4,996-square-foot building on the parking lot of an eight-unit building. The motion cites the loss of five parking spaces and the lot tie joining two parcels (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 7-0-1 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.d. Recommend denial of alcohol sales at Gjusta

• What it asks: Recommends denial of a Restaurant Beverage Program clearance (ADM-2026-1572-RBPA) at 318-320 Sunset Ave. The motion cites no coastal permit for outdoor dining in the required parking area and the July 2025 and earlier denials of a conditional use for alcohol (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.e. Change how Venice coastal permits are reviewed and posted

• What it asks: For Venice cases on City Planning’s neighborhood council report, that planners get a full project description before approval, post each coastal permit decision online and give the community a chance to review through the council. It follows a case at 221 Bernard Ave. approved March 26, 2026 (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.f. Support a home remodel at 509 28th Ave.

• What it asks: Recommends approval of ground-floor and second-floor additions (DIR-2026-1666-CDP) if the owner submits a native planting plan along 28th Avenue (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.g. Support a new home at 2412 Wilson Ave.

• What it asks: Recommends approval of after-the-fact demolition and a new 3,483-square-foot home with three parking spaces (DIR-2026-2176-CDP-MEL), with native planting and two native trees in front (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 7-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.h. Support two homes and an ADU at 924 Victoria Ave.

• What it asks: Recommends approval of replacing one house with two houses and an ADU (DIR-2026-2447-CDP-MEL-HCA) and asks planners to treat it as a model for “Missing Middle” housing (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 6-0-0 with one recusal (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.i. Support splitting 1139 Cabrillo Ave. into two units

• What it asks: Recommends approval of demolishing a 1,078-square-foot rec room and remodeling a house into two units on two lots (DIR-2026-2402-CDP), with native replacement planting (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 7-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.A.4.j. Support a remodel at 1137 Cabrillo Ave.

• What it asks: Recommends approval of demolishing part of a rec room and remodeling a 1,111-square-foot house with no parking (DIR-2026-2542-CDP), with native replacement planting (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 7-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Approved with the consent calendar, 14-1, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Gary Pearl and seconded by Tima Bell (minutes).

V.B. Rescind support for 305 Rose Ave.

• What it asks: Rescinds motion 35-26-VNC, which recommended approval with conditions of a project at 305 Rose Ave. The agenda does not describe the project (agenda).
• Who brought it: A stakeholder motion (agenda).
• What happened: Passed 9-6, with three abstaining and three absent; moved by Tima Bell and seconded by Gary Pearl. The minutes note that the motion “requires a simple majority to pass.” A motion to overrule the chair’s ruling that “the motion to rescind is a two-step process” failed 3-12, three abstaining (minutes).

VII.A.3.a. Up to $200 for a portable bulletin board

• What it asks: Re-approve a bulletin board for board meetings. The agenda says the June purchase was delivered to Reseda and could not be reordered after the fiscal year closed (agenda).
• Amount: Up to $200 (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21 (minutes). Approved July 29, 11-3 (July 29 minutes).

VII.A.3.b. Up to $1,200 for outreach tables

• What it asks: Lets the Outreach Committee table at local events with handouts, banners, branded items and refreshments (agenda).
• Amount: Up to $120 per event and $1,200 a year (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21 (minutes). Approved July 29, 11-3 (July 29 minutes).

VII.A.3.c. Up to $550 for land use door hangers

• What it asks: Buy door hangers or flyers to tell residents about proposed projects nearby, with quarterly reports from the land use committee (agenda).
• Amount: Up to $550 a year (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21 (minutes). Approved July 29, 12-1 (July 29 minutes).

VII.A.4. Deny SPARC’s grant request

• What it asks: Declines a neighborhood purpose grant to SPARC for a Day of the Dead celebration (agenda).
• Amount: SPARC requested $5,000 (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21 (minutes). Approved July 29, 10-1 (July 29 minutes).

VII.B. Support alcohol sales at Trader Joe’s, 620 Lincoln Blvd.

• What it asks: Recommends approval of a conditional use (ZA-2026-1613-CUB) for full-line alcohol sales at a 12,585-square-foot grocery store open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with native trees in the parking lot and a neighborhood Zoom meeting first. The City hearing was set for Aug. 11, 2026 (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 7-0-1 (agenda).
• What happened: The minutes record the vote as 8-5-4-4 (yes, no, abstain, absent) and do not say whether the motion passed. The roll-call table lists Erica Moore, Alley Bean, Jason Sugars, Lisa Redmond and Sarah Mahir voting no and Nico Ruderman recused. Moved by Tima Bell, seconded by Gary Pearl (minutes).

VII.C. Recommend denial of alcohol sales at Hama Sushi

• What it asks: Recommends denial of a Restaurant Beverage Program clearance (ADM-2026-1849-RBPA) at 213 Windward Ave., citing lack of outreach, an incomplete application and a later outdoor dining permit application (agenda).
• Who brought it: The Land Use and Planning Committee, 8-0-0 (agenda).
• What happened: Not voted on July 21 (minutes). On July 29 the board tabled it until the land use committee rehears it, 13-0 (July 29 minutes).

Next meeting: July 29, 2026 · All meetings