Commissioners back ‘Chrysalis’ billboard and pollinator plaza, ask for clearer DA revenue language

The Planning Commission on Dec. 4 recommended City Council approve the ‘Chrysalis’ billboard project at 8222 Sunset Boulevard — a two‑sided, curved, full‑motion LED sign paired with a publicly accessible plaza, pollinator demonstration garden and interpretive material — along with a development agreement that guarantees public benefits including an annual minimum guarantee (MAG), capex credits and a revenue share.

Staff framed the project as a gateway feature on the city’s eastern edge and said the applicant addressed subcommittee requests to soften hardscaping and provide a maintenance plan. Paul Caparaso summarized proposed public benefit economics: a Year‑1 MAG of $550,000 escalating 3% annually, a $500,000 capital expense (capex) credit (apportioned as $100,000 per year for five years), and a revenue‑share formula (30% above stated thresholds) that yields total estimated city revenue of roughly $60.17 million over the DA term and an estimated value of arts programming at about $53.66 million (17.5% programming allocation of airtime value). The project would also incorporate solar panels, interpretive panels on monarch butterfly life cycles, 97% native plant species in the demonstration garden, and video security for the plaza.

Applicant counsel presented a dynamic visibility analysis addressing an existing nearby rooftop billboard (the Harper), showing that the Harper sign retains substantially more unimpeded view time from the westbound driver perspective than the new Chrysalis sign in the applicant’s model; the counsel called temporary sightline interruptions “de minimis.” A Zoom commenter raised concerns about scenic views, vandalism risk and crime in the alley; commissioners acknowledged those concerns but generally praised the design and activation potential of the plaza.

Several commissioners asked for stronger clarity in the development agreement where different revenue terms were used. Commissioner Hooping Garner requested replacing ambiguous phrases such as “permitted sign revenue” or “advertising revenue” with the DA’s defined term ("gross revenue") and for the financial calculation workbook to be attached to the DA so council and the public can verify projected public benefit amounts. The commission moved to forward staff’s recommendation to council with those clarifying changes and with the maintenance plan and the financial schedule attached. The motion passed 6–1 (Commissioner Carvalero opposed). The items will go to City Council for final action under the Sunset Arts and Advertising Program.