3. Project Description · 3. Project Description Page 3-2 The Planning Center|DC&E October 2012 3.3 PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS “Project,” as defined by the CEQA Guidelines, means

Crown City Medical Center Subsequent Draft EIR City of Pasadena Page 3-1

3. Project Description

3.1 PROJECT LOCATION

The project site is in the City of Pasadena in central Los Angeles County. The City of Pasadena is in the northwest San Gabriel Valley, which is part of the larger Los Angeles Basin that occupies much of southern and central Los Angeles County. The San Gabriel Mountains are approximately four miles north of the project site. Regional access to the project site is from Interstate 210 (I-210) approximately 0.5 mile north of the site via the Lake Avenue exit, as shown in Figure 3-1, Regional Location.

The proposed project site is at 550 to 558 East Colorado Boulevard, at the southwest corner of Colorado Boulevard and Madison Avenue (see Figure 3-2, Local Vicinity). The site is developed as a paved surface parking lot with a 100-square-foot office for the parking lot attendant, and is in an area fully developed with urban uses (see Figure 3-3, Aerial Photograph). The site is within the Central District of the City of Pasadena; Colorado Boulevard is the primary east–west commercial corridor in the City.

3.2 STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

The following objectives have been established for the Crown City Medical Center project and will aid decision makers in their review of the project and associated environmental impacts:

To create a premier medical office development that is compatible with its urban context and adheres to the intent and the requirements of the City's General Plan and the Central Business District Specific Plan and complements the existing medical offices to the north on Madison Avenue.

To locate a new premier medical office development that encourages pedestrian oriented, less-motorized transportation near growing residential developments and supports the growth of the Central Business District.

To improve the local economy and the City's tax base by adding high-quality professional and medical related jobs in Pasadena.

To strategically place street level uses that promote significant pedestrian activity to help expand commercial and recreational activity in the Playhouse District.

To strategically place underground parking, building entrances, and walkways to create a pedestrian friendly environment for the public and create a pleasant walk that connects Colorado Boulevard and Green Street along Madison Avenue.

To improve Converse Alley for vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Madison Avenue to Oakland Avenue to improve site access and traffic flow.

To provide ample parking for the new medical office building and any special needs or events that occur within the Playhouse District to support the unique activities of the District.


Page 3-2 The Planning Center|DC&E October 2012

3.3 PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS

“Project,” as defined by the CEQA Guidelines, means “the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and that is any of the following: (1)…enactment and amendment of zoning ordinances, and the adoption and amendment of local General Plans or elements thereof pursuant to Government Code Sections 65100-65700” (14 Cal. Code of Reg. 15378[a]).

3.3.1 Description of the Project

The Crown City Medical Center consists of a Conditional Use Permit, two Minor Conditional Use Permits, and Design Review to allow for the development of an 112,252-square-foot, five-story medical office building with ground floor retail and five levels of underground parking. The project is illustrated in Figure 3-4, Site Plan. The ground floor consists of 16,201 square feet of retail fronting Colorado Boulevard and Madison Avenue with a 1,816-square-foot lobby at the southwest corner of the Madison/Colorado intersection. The second, third and fourth floors each consist of 21,240 square feet of office space with a 2,296-square-foot common area. The fifth floor consists of 19,654 square feet of office space with a 2,296-square-foot common area. The building height would be a maximum of 86 feet, 7 inches and is oriented in an L-shape to front Colorado Boulevard and Madison Avenue.

The project would preserve and protect existing trees to the extent feasible. The building would be set back approximately 14 feet to preserve the existing canopies of mature Camphor (Cinnamonum camphora) street trees along Madison Avenue. In addition, the landscape plan would enhance the existing City street tree design of maidenhair or ginko (Ginko biloba) by planting alternating maidenhair and queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum) along Colorado Boulevard. Plantings are proposed on the second level to screen mechanical roof equipment. Specifically, small Cercidium ‘Desert Museum’ (Paloverde Hybrid) would be positioned over structural columns to screen utilities and provide visual interest. A continuous window planter is also proposed to screen roof utilities and provide visual interest. The planter would include Callistemon ‘Little John’, New Zealand flax hybrid (Phormium hybrid ‘Yellow Wave’), and Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellate ‘Minor’) shrubs.

The project includes applications for four discretionary approvals by the City of Pasadena:

A Conditional Use Permit (CUP), required for new nonresidential and nonresidential portions of mixed-use projects over 25,000 gross square feet.

A Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP), required for new nonresidential projects over 15,000 of gross floor area in a transit-oriented zone.

A MCUP for commercial off-street parking.

Design Review by the Design Commission, required for new nonresidential projects over 5,000 square feet in the Central District Specific Plan.

Access and Parking

Access to the site would be from Madison Avenue and Oakland Avenue via Converse Alley. A six-level subterranean parking garage is proposed (one level at grade and five subterranean levels). A total of 476 parking spaces would be provided with ADA-accessible parking spaces on the ground level. The floor of the fifth, that is, lowest, underground parking level would be roughly 56 feet below grade. Access to and from the parking structure would be from separate entrance and exit driveways that would provide access to and from Converse Alley.


Crown City Medical Center Subsequent Draft EIR The Planning Center|DC&E • Figure 3-1

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The Planning Center|DC&E • Figure 3-2

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The Planning Center|DC&E • Figure 3-3

Aerial Photograph

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Crown City Medical Center Subsequent Draft EIR The Planning Center|DC&E • Figure 3-4


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Crown City Medical Center Subsequent Draft EIR City of Pasadena Page 3-11

Excavation

The project would involve excavation of the entire site to a depth of approximately 56 feet for construction of the proposed underground parking structure. A total of 80,000 cubic yards (cy) of export would be required. Shoring would be required for the excavation; shoring techniques will be used as recommended in the project geotechnical investigation and are described in Section 9, Geology and Soils, of the Initial Study, which is included as Appendix A of this SDEIR.

Drainage

The project would include stormwater catch basins with inserts to filter pollutants from stormwater and sump pumps for pumping stormwater into existing storm drains in surrounding streets. The project would also install trench drains—shallow, narrow concrete trenches covered by metal grates—at entrances and exits to the parking structure to prevent stormwater from the sidewalk from flowing into the parking structure.

Development Phasing

Construction of the proposed project is expected to occur in one phase over 15 months, with buildout expected in 2015. Demolition of the parking facility would occur for approximately 2 weeks; site preparation activities (i.e., grading and excavation) would occur for approximately 3.5 months; and building construction would occur for approximately 11 months.

3.4 INTENDED USES OF THE EIR

This Subsequent Draft EIR is a project SDEIR, which examines the environmental impacts of the proposed medical center project. This SDEIR is also being prepared to address various actions by the City and others to adopt and implement the proposed project. It is the intent of this SDEIR to enable the City of Pasadena, other responsible agencies, and interested parties to evaluate the environmental impacts of the proposed project, thereby enabling them to make informed decisions with respect to the requested entitlements. The anticipated approvals required for this project are as follows:

Lead Agency Action

City of Pasadena

Conditional Use Permit

Minor Conditional Use Permits

Design Review

Responsible Agencies Action

South Coast Air Quality Management District

Issue any air quality permits required to implement the project

SCAQMD Rule 201 (Permit to Construct) and SCAQMD Rule 203 (Permit to Operate): A permit is required to construct and operate any stationary equipment that generates new emissions (e.g., boiler or emergency generator).

SCAQMD Rule 403 (Large Operation Notification Form): The applicant/applicant’s construction contractor is required to file a Large Operation Notification Form to SCAQMD for grading activities and prepare and implement a dust control plan.




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3. Project Description · 3. Project Description Page 3-2 The Planning Center|DC&E October 2012 3.3 PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS “Project,” as defined by the CEQA Guidelines, means