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LA City Council upholds Studio City mixed-use project after neighborhood appeals

LA City Council upholds Studio City mixed-use project after neighborhood appeals

Built World Los Angeles, CA local

Council votes 11-0 to back the 814-unit Riverwalk at 12555 Ventura Blvd., adding fire-safety, tree-planting and river-access conditions

October 21st, 2026: City Council upholds approval, rejects neighborhood appeals

Overview

Updated Oct 25

The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-0 on October 21 to deny two neighborhood appeals and uphold approvals for Riverwalk at Studio City, an 814-unit apartment complex on Ventura Boulevard. Four council members were absent.

Riverwalk, a joint venture of Genton Property Group, RC Development and Torino Companies, would replace commercial buildings with two-to-seven-story structures, about 76,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, and more than 800 parking spaces on four underground levels, including 46 apartments reserved for very low-income households. The council also required the developer to show compliance with state fire-safe rules before recording the final map, plant up to 23 shade trees on Ventura Boulevard, and pay $375,000 for river-path design work plus $300,000 for riverfront maintenance.

Why it matters

This approval shows California's density bonus law can override local zoning objections, reshaping what gets built along LA's commercial corridors.

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Key Indicators

814
Apartment units planned
Apartments in buildings ranging from two to seven stories.
46
Affordable very-low-income units
About 5.6% of the 814 apartments, set aside under the density bonus agreement.
800+
Parking spaces planned
More than 800 vehicles, housed on four subterranean levels.
$675,000
Community benefits package
$375,000 for river-path design work and $300,000 for riverfront maintenance, per the October 13 letter from Council District 4.
11-0
Council vote to deny appeals
Four council members were absent for the October 21 vote.

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People Involved

Nithya Raman
Nithya Raman
Los Angeles City Councilmember, 4th District
Represents Studio City; her office supported the project

Organizations Involved

Genton Property Group
Genton Property Group
Real estate development firm
Entitlement lead for the Riverwalk joint venture

Southern California developer acting as entitlement lead alongside RC Development and Torino Companies.
Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles City Council
City legislature
Voted 11-0 on October 21, 2026 to deny both appeals and uphold the Riverwalk approval

LA's legislative body, with final authority over land-use decisions appealed from the City Planning Commission.
PA
MVE + Partners
Architecture firm
Designer of the residential component

Architect designing the residential portion of Riverwalk at Studio City; AO serves as retail design consultant.

Timeline

June 2026 October 2026

2 events Latest: October 21st, 2026 · 3 weeks ago

  1. City Council upholds approval, rejects neighborhood appeals

    Latest Legal

    Council votes 11-0, with four members absent, to deny two appeals and sustain the Planning Commission's approval. Conditions added include fire-safe compliance before the final map, up to 23 shade trees on Ventura Boulevard, and $675,000 in river-related contributions.

  2. City Planning Commission approves Riverwalk with density bonus

    Approval

    Commission grants density bonus incentives and waivers, denies two appeals challenging the project.

Scenarios

1

Riverwalk breaks ground and delivers 814 apartments

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Project team and Urbanize LA's reporting on the Ventura Boulevard corridor

With appeals exhausted at the council level, the developers can pursue building permits from the Department of Building and Safety. If financing holds, construction could begin within two years, delivering the units by the early 2030s alongside the nearby Sportsmen's Lodge redevelopment.

2

Opponents file suit to overturn the approval

Possible Resolves by Apr 30, 2027

Discussed by: Neighborhood appellants who cited zoning violations and public safety risks

The groups that appealed could file a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the density bonus awards or the CEQA exemption under state law AB 130. A court could halt construction pending review, though the council's decision is typically afforded broad deference on land-use matters.

3

Project stalls or is downscaled after further review

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: Planning staff noted public concern over scale, traffic, and height during the June approval

Large apartment projects face high construction costs and borrowing rates. If financing isn't secured, the developers could shelve the project, redesign it at a smaller scale, or extend the entitlement timeline as they evaluate market conditions.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1979

California density bonus law (1979)

California enacted one of the nation's first density bonus laws, letting developers build more units than zoning allows if they set aside a portion below market rate. The statute created the mechanism now used across the state.

Then

Cities were required to grant density bonuses, giving developers a predictable path to extra units.

Now

The law became the template for the incentives used at Riverwalk and thousands of other California projects.

Why this matters now

Riverwalk's 814 units and 3.2:1 floor area ratio rely directly on this bonus mechanism to exceed the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan limits.

2023

AB 130 housing CEQA exemption (2023)

California widened CEQA exemptions for housing with affordability requirements, letting qualifying projects skip full environmental review. The Planning Commission granted Riverwalk this exemption.

Then

Qualifying projects like Riverwalk avoided the most common lawsuit gateway for opponents.

Now

Streamlined review shortens timelines for large housing developments across the state.

Why this matters now

Opponents argued Riverwalk was ineligible for the AB 130 exemption because of the project's waivers; the City Council rejected that claim.

Sources

(8)
+3
Urbanize LA LA YIMBY Riverwalk at Studio City Los Angeles City Clerk Studio City for Safe Development Urbanize LA Los Angeles City Clerk Los Angeles City Clerk