Today, the Culver City notified the owner of the Culver City Ice Rink property -- as well as new lessee Planet Granite -- of the following:

"The City of Culver City has been evaluating information relating to the proposed change of use by Planet Granite of the Culver City Ice Arena.  At the urging of the City Council, city staff continued its comprehensive, top to bottom records search regarding the Culver City Ice Arena property.  As a result of the effort, late Monday evening the search disclosed the original document in an archival file that authorized the current use of the property for an ice rink and parking.   

"That document is a Use Variance granted in 1960, which permitted the ice rink and related parking to extend onto residentially zoned property. The Use Variance is expressly limited to the ice rink use, and does not allow other commercial uses, without further City approvals. 

"Therefore, given Planet Granite’s plans to utilize the existing ice rink building and surface parking for a new use, a discretionary approval process would be required.  Specifically, a zone change would be needed in order to accommodate the proposed use.   A zone change would require review and recommendation by the Planning Commission and ultimate approval by the City Council at a public hearing.  Since the zone change is a discretionary approval, it is also subject to environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act."