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PLUM approves 51‑story TFAR project; 50% of public-benefit payment redirected to CD14 trust fund
Summary
The committee approved a 51‑story mixed‑use project that uses Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) from the Convention Center, and amended conditions to redirect 50% of the project’s public-benefit payment (about $5.73 million) to a Council District 14 Public Benefit Trust Fund.
The Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved a 51‑story, mixed‑use receiver-site project that uses Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) from the Los Angeles Convention Center and adopted a technical modification to redirect 50 percent of the project’s public‑benefit payment — $5,731,235.70 — to a Council District 14 Public Benefit Trust Fund.
Alice Okamura of LA City Planning presented the project and the technical corrections; she said the committee previously considered the project and that planning submitted a technical modification and corrected the public‑benefit payment amount. The project as described would demolish a surface parking lot and construct a 51‑story mixed‑use tower with up to 536 residential units and up to 4,178 square feet of retail/restaurant uses; the project also contemplates export of soil (approximately 118,000 cubic yards) and up to 581 automobile parking spaces and a maximum height of approximately 603 feet.
Councilmember Nury Martinez’s office (Council District 14) asked that the 50% direct provision portion of the public benefit payment be allocated to a CD14 public-benefit trust fund to fund local public improvements, affordable housing, arts and cultural programs, streetscape improvements, job training and homeless services. Planning staff and the City Attorney clarified that the TFAR ordinance contains different locational rules for distinct TFAR payment categories: while the TFAR transfer payment has a locational requirement, the 50% direct provision of the public benefit payment is commonly treated at Council discretion and does not have a mandatory geographic restriction under the ordinance. Planning staff said historically Council has deferred to the receiving-site councilmember on allocation of the direct provision funds.
Councilmember Martinez (CD14) described the need for funds to address downtown livability, homeless services and public‑realm improvements and urged the committee to redirect the 50% direct provision to the CD14 Public Benefits Trust Fund. Committee members discussed precedent (the LA Central Library TFAR example), the sunset of the TFAR program and how available funds have been allocated historically. The committee’s motion approved the City Planning Commission recommendations with technical corrections and included the amendment to allocate 50% of the public benefit payment to the Council District 14 Public Benefit Trust Fund. Roll call recorded Blumenfield: aye; Hutt: yes; Nasserian: aye; Lee: aye; Grama: yes. The motion passed unanimously as amended.
