Boards and Commission: Planning Commission - October 26, 2026

The City of Manhattan Beach Planning Commission met on October 26, 2026. It unanimously approved (5–0) a use-permit amendment for Parakeet Cafe at 1140 Highland Avenue, allowing restaurant use to expand into former retail space and legalizing a small, previously unpermitted building expansion. The project does not change the restaurant’s hours or alcohol license, and staff found no increase in the site’s parking requirement. The approval included a categorical environmental exemption; building permits and inspections will address compliance with current codes. No contract award or spending decision was identified.

The Commission also considered height amendments tied to Project Pulse, the city’s potential redevelopment of Parking Lot 3 at 1155 Morningside Drive and 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. After discussion of neighborhood impacts, commercial viability, parking, and the uncertainty about future uses, it recommended by a 4–1 vote an amended proposal applying to Parking Lot 3 only: a 30-foot height allowance where the specified on-site parking condition is met, with listed allowances for building elements above the limit. The 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard property would remain under its existing height rules. The city described a possible future public-private partnership and anticipated market analysis and an RFQ/RFP process, but no developer selection or procurement was approved. A separate staff update reviewed multifamily housing projects at various stages of construction or review; no purchasing action was identified.