Culver City : Height Limit Wording Set

The City Council on Monday decided on specific language for the citizen-sponsored height limit initiative on the April ballot, but the initiative’s sponsors called the wording confusing.

The measure will read: “Shall a measure setting a maximum height of fifty-six (56) feet the heights of some buildings in the C-3 (Commercial), C-3MR (Midrise Commercial), S-1 (Studio) and P-D (Planned District) Zones be adopted?”

Initiative co-sponsor Robin Turner, who last week accused the city of trying to misinform voters about the measure, said the wording is unclear, especially when compared to the ballot question for a competing, city-sponsored initiative.

That initiative would impose density limits and require traffic mitigation for non-residential buildings taller than 43 feet and prohibit them from blocking views or causing “significant detriment” with shade, shadows or glare. On the ballot, it will read:

“Shall a measure establishing phasing, traffic, height, site coverage, glare, air flow, shade, shadow, view and vista standards for all non-residential developments in all zones be adopted?”

“If I read both initiative (questions), I’d vote for theirs because it sounds better,” said Turner, who said she opposes the city’s measure because it has no built-in height limit and leaves too much to the discretion of the council.

Slow-growth advocates collected nearly 3,000 signatures in 1988 to place the Turner-sponsored initiative on April’s ballot. The city’s initiative was put on the ballot by the council earlier this month.