The Santa Monica City Planning Department has never from all appearances, met a variance it didn't like. Every one of those exceptions over the years, including those for the Lincoln Center project on the current Gelson's site, has benefitted developers and penalized residents.
Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2022/09/26/opinion/santa-monica-city-planning-grants-too-many-variances-to-developers-gelsons-shopping-center-is-an-example/7091.html