Memo to Culver City: One of These Things Is Not Like the Other (hint…it’s the car parking)

Photo of the Legado Crossing via Curbed.

Yesterday, Curbed picked up a recent story in the Los Angeles Business Journal about planned “Transit Oriented Development” near the Venice and Robertson stop for the Expo Line that is expected to open in 2012.  They’re still in the planning phases for the developments that will occur in three of the corners around the station, so it’s too early for a “T.A.D. OR T.O.D.” article, but the early information sounds good.  The developers are planning on a strong pedestrian component, mixed use, higher than normal density for the residential development and even a grocery store.  You can’t underestimate the importance of having a grocery store near a T.O.D. project to really encourage people to ditch the car.  All that being said, there is one paragraph in the L.A.B.J. article that concerns:

To entice developers to these parcels, the city will allow slightly
higher densities than current zoning. In exchange, developers will be
asked to provide or pay for one of four “community benefit” options:
additional parking, more open space, streetscape improvements, or a
shuttle service to the rail station and nearby destinations.

Jeesh, c’mon Culver City!  It sounds like these developers are trying to do the right thing, and you’re trying to get them to put in more car parking?  Let’s hope the developers stick to their vision of a walkable and bikeable urban oasis.  Even car lovers have to concede that the city’s requirement for 600 spaces at the fourth corner lot adjacent to the station ought to be enough to handle the car traffic “generated” by the light rail line.