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Academy Square Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-‐1
III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
1. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
Regional Setting
The Academy Square Project Site (the “Project Site”) is located within the Hollywood Community Plan Area of the City of Los Angeles (the “City”), in Los Angeles County (see Figure II-‐1, Regional and Project Vicinity Map). The Project Site is within the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area1.
Hollywood is located approximately five miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and 12 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Hollywood is known for its entertainment and movie history, which draws crowds of tourists to the area. It is highly urbanized and densely developed with commercial and residential land uses.
The Hollywood Freeway (US-‐101), the nearest freeway to the Project Site, runs southeast-‐northwest in the Project area, and is approximately 0.7-‐mile to the north of the Project Site.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“Metro”) buses run along Vine Street and Sunset Boulevard. The nearest Metro Redline rail line station (Hollywood/Vine Station) is located at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue, which is approximately one-‐half mile north of the Project Site.
Furthermore, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21099 (Senate Bill [SB] 743), the Project Site is within a Transit Priority Area (see also City Zoning Information File No. 2452).2 A Transit Priority Area is an area within one-‐half mile of a major transit stop that is existing or planned. Section 21064.3 of the Public Resources Code defines a “major transit stop” as a site containing a rail transit station, a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with frequency of service internal of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods. In addition to addressing how transportation impacts are evaluated under CEQA, SB 743 limits the extent to which aesthetics and parking are defined as impacts under CEQA. Specifically, Section 21099(d)(1) of the Public Resources Code states that a project’s aesthetic and parking impacts shall not be considered a significant impact on the environment if (1) the project is a residential, mixed-‐use residential, or employment center project and (2) the project is located on an infill site within a Transit Priority Area.
1 The Hollywood Redevelopment Plan was administered by the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA). However, the CRA/LA was dissolved on February 6, 2012 by State law. Certain CRA/LA authority concerning land use regulation has been transferred to the Designated Local Authority.
2 The map attached to Zoning Information File No. 2452 confirms that the Project Site is within a Transit Priority Area.
City of Los Angeles March 2016
Academy Square Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-‐2
Local Setting and Land Uses
The Project Site consists of one full city block comprising approximately 3.55 acres bound by Vine Street to the east, De Longpre Avenue to the north, Ivar Avenue to the west, and Homewood Avenue to the south (see Figure II-‐1, Regional Vicinity and Project Location). The Project Site slopes gently to the south and is developed with three single-‐story commercial buildings (approximately 42,763 square feet of floor area3), surface parking areas, and lawn areas (see Figure II-‐2, Aerial View of Project Site and Vicinity).
The Project Site includes 12 legal lots from Tract 3499, consisting of approximately 78,952 square feet (collectively the “West Lots”), and 8 legal lots from the Colegrove Tract, consisting of approximately 75,710 square feet (collectively the “East Lots”).
The Project Site is zoned as C4-‐2D-‐SN (Commercial -‐ Height District 2 -‐ Sign District). The “D” limitation restricts the maximum floor area ratio (FAR) permitted on the Western Lots to 2:1. The Hollywood Community Plan designates the Project Site for Regional Center Commercial land uses.
Photographs of the Project Site are presented in Figures II-‐3 and II-‐4.
Surrounding Land Uses
The land uses within the general vicinity of the Project Site are characterized by a mix of low-‐ to high-‐intensity commercial, institutional, and residential uses, which vary widely in architectural style and period of construction. The area surrounding the Project Site is relatively flat and is developed with commercial land uses, including mixed-‐use commercial and residential high-‐rise buildings and hotels along Sunset Boulevard, and restaurants and parking structures on side streets. The Project Site is located to the south of several notable sites on Sunset Boulevard, such as the ArcLight Hollywood Cinemas (as shown in the photograph below), Los Angeles Film School, Hollywood Palladium, CNN, and
Amoeba Music. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study is located immediately to the south of the Project Site, across Homewood Avenue. A six-‐story parking structure is located directly north of the Project Site, across De Longpre Avenue, which serves the ArcLight complex and the
public. A single-‐story automotive repair business is located to the west of the Project Site, across Ivar Avenue. A variety of single-‐story commercial land uses, including restaurants and retail stores are located to the east of the Project Site, across Vine Street. Figure II-‐2 identifies key land uses in the general vicinity of the Project Site. Photographs of surrounding land uses are presented in Figures III-‐1 and III-‐2, Views of Surrounding Land Uses.
3 Estimated existing building area is net floor area.
Figure III-1Views of Surrounding Land Uses
Views 1, 2, and 3
View 1: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study to the south of the Project Site.
View 2: Automotive service business to the west of the Project Site.
PHOTO LOCATION MAP
PROJECT SITE
View 3: Retail land uses on the west side of Cahuenga Avenue, south of Homewood Avenue.
W 7th Street
21
3
Source: EcoTierra Consulting, July 2014.
City of Los Angeles March 2016
Academy Square Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-‐5
2. RELATED PROJECTS
Sections 15126 and 15130 of the State CEQA Guidelines require that EIRs consider the significant environmental effects of a project as well as “cumulative impacts.” Cumulative impacts are two or more individual effects which, when considered together, are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts (CEQA Guidelines Section 15355). Cumulative impacts may be analyzed by considering a list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts (CEQA Guidelines Section 15130 [b][1][A]).
All proposed (those with pending entitlement applications to be submitted to the Department of City Planning), recently approved, under construction, or reasonably foreseeable projects that could produce a related or cumulative impact on the local environment when considered in conjunction with the Project are included in this EIR. For an analysis of the cumulative impacts associated with these related projects and the Project, cumulative impact discussions are provided under each individual environmental impact category in Section IV (Environmental Impact Analysis) of this EIR.
The list of 68 projects (see Table III-‐1, List of Related Projects) includes all approved, under construction, proposed, or reasonably foreseeable projects within the Study Area . The Study Area extends to Highland Avenue to the west, Melrose Avenue to the south, US-‐101 to the east, and Franklin Avenue to the north.
The list of related projects is intended to demonstrate the reasonably anticipated magnitude of development that may occur in the Study Area during this period based on projects currently on file with appropriate local municipalities. Analysis of the Project and the related projects is conservative because it is unlikely that all of the related projects would be developed due to various circumstances. The related projects are shown on Figure III-‐3, Location of Related Projects.
Table III-‐1 List of Related Projects
ID Project Name Land Use Location
1 Temple Israel of Hollywood Temple Expansion and Improvement 7300 W Hollywood Bl
2 Mixed-‐Use 248 Apartments & 14.71 ksf Retail 1610 N Highland Av
3 Highland Ave Indigo Hotel Project
100 Room Business Hotel 1841 N Highland Av
4 Capitol Records Mixed-‐Use Project
Millennium Hollywood Mixed-‐Use; 492 Residential Units, 200 Hotel Rooms, 115.802 ksf Office, 17.25 ksf Retail, 39.1 ksf Food & Beverage, 40.365 ksf Fitness Center
1740 N Vine St
5 Mixed-‐use 437 Apartments & 377.9 ksf Retail 5651 Santa Monica Bl
6 Paramount Studios 2,152.2 ksf Office, 111.2 ksf Retail, & 971 ksf Other Use
5555 W Melrose Av
7 Apartments 76 Apartments 1411 N Highland Av
8 Apartment Project 118 Apartments 1824 N Highland Av 9 BLVD 6200 Mixed-‐Use 952 Apartments & 190 ksf Retail 6200 Hollywood Bl
10 Sunset & Gordon Mixed-‐use 8.5 ksf Restaurant, 5 ksf Retail, 40 ksf Office & 311 Condos
5935 Sunset Bl
11 Selma & Vine Mixed-‐Use 306 Apartments & 68 ksf Retail 1540 Vine St
12 Sunset Bronson Studios 535.396 ksf Office/Studio Expansion 5800 W Sunset Bl
City of Los Angeles March 2016
Academy Square Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-‐6
Table III-‐1 List of Related Projects
ID Project Name Land Use Location
13 Argyle Hotel Project 225 Hotel Rooms 1800 Argyle Av 14 Restaurant 17.717 ksf Restaurant 6757 Hollywood Bl
15 Seward St Office Project 130 ksf Office 956 N Seward St
16 Hotel & Restaurant Project 80 Room Hotel & 15.29 ksf Restaurants 6381 W Hollywood Blvd
17 Emerson College Project (Student Housing)
224 Student Housing Units with 16 Faculty/Staff & 6.4 ksf Retail 1460 N Gordon St
18 Television Center (TVC Expansion)
155.652 ksf Office and 38.075 ksf studio with expansion of gym & dance studio and new parking structure
6300 W Romaine St
19 Hollywood Center Studios Office
104.155 ksf Office & 1.970 ksf Storage 6601 W Romaine St
20 Selma Community Housing 66 Affordable Apartments 1603 N Cherokee Ave 21 Hudson Building 10.402 ksf Restaurant & 4.074 ksf Office 6523 W Hollywood Bl
22 The Lexington 786 Apartments, 4 ksf Restaurant, 5.5 ksf Coffee Shop/Juice Bar & 12.7 ksf Retail
6677 Santa Monica Blvd
23 Hanover Gower Mixed-‐Use 151 Apartments & 6.2 ksf Retail 6100 Hollywood Blvd
24 Yucca St Condos Replace 18.614 ksf Office with 13.89 ksf Commercial & 85 Condos 6230 Yucca St
25 Mixed-‐use (68 assisted-‐living apts w/ ret. & comm. spcs) 68 Apartments & 51.674 ksf Retail 5245 Santa Monica Bl
26 Office 240 ksf Office 959 Seward St
27 Archstone Hollywood Mixed-‐Use Project 374 Condos & 15 ksf Retail
6911 Santa Monica Blvd
28 High Line West 278 Apartments & 12.5 ksf Retail 5550 Hollywood Bl
29 Office Project 85 ksf Office 6516 Selma Ave
30 Restaurant/Club 11.4 ksf Quality Restaurant, 6.1 ksf Special Events, 9.4 ksf Bar/Lounge & 3 ksf Office
6608 Hollywood Bl
31 Selma Hotel 85 Room Hotel & 12.84 ksf Restaurant/Club 6417 Selma Av
32 Selma & Vine Office Building 121.609 ksf Office including 2.613 ksf Commercial
1601 Vine St
33 La Brea Gateway 33.5 ksf Supermarket & 179 Apartments 915 N La Brea Av
34 Hollywood Production Center 21 Apartments & 36 condos 1149 Gower St
35 Yeshivath Torath Emeth Academy Expansion
120 Pre-‐K and Kindergarten with 60 Child Nursey School 7002 W Clinton St
36 Target Retail Shopping Center Project
Demolish existing buildings; construct 163.862 ksf Target & 30.887 ksf Shopping Center 5520 Sunset Bl
37 Fountain and Cahuenga Mixed Use 369 apartments and 2.5 ksf commercial
Fountain at Cahuenga NW corner
38 Pantages Theatre Office 214 ksf Office 6225 Hollywood Bl
39 Mixed Use -‐ Office/Retail 88.75 ksf Office, 12 ksf Retail 936 La Brea Ave 40 Residential 100 Apartments 712 Wilcox Ave
City of Los Angeles March 2016
Academy Square Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-‐7
Table III-‐1 List of Related Projects
ID Project Name Land Use Location
41 Hotel 118 Room Hotel 1133 Vine St
42 Columbia Square Mixed-‐Use [8]
200 Apartments, 422.5 ksf Office, 23.5 ksf High Turnover Restaurant, 2 ksf Fast Food Restaurant, 16.5 ksf Retail, 15 ksf Health Club
6121 Sunset Bl
43 Expedited CPC 1012-‐3028 Tutoring Facility 927 Highland Ave
44 Apartments 29 Condos, 196 Apartments 1718 Las Palmas Ave
45 Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use project at the corner of Sunset Blvd and Detroit St
46 Hollywood Freeway Central Park 1-‐mile "cap" park over US-‐101 US-‐101 Freeway
47 Restaurant and Deli 4.7 ksf Restaurant and 1 ksf Deli 5500 Hollywood Bl 48 Starbucks 0.8 ksf Coffee Shop with Drive-‐Thru 859 Highland Ave
49 Office/Retail Project 169.5 ksf Office and 24.2 Retail 1546 Argyle Ave
50 Sunset + Wilcox 225 Room Hotel 1541 Wilcox Ave 51 Hyatt House Hotel & Retail 195 Room Hotel and 26 ksf Commercial 6611 Hollywood Bl
52 Mixed Use 52 Residential Units and 4.5 ksf Commercial 1350 Western Ave 53 Sunset/Vine Mixed-‐Use 200 Residential Units and 4.7 ksf Commercial 6230 Sunset Bl
54 Mixed-‐Use 274 ksf Office and 26 ksf Retail 5901 Sunset Bl
55 Palladium Residences 731 Apartments/Condos or 598 Apartments/Condos and 250 rm Hotel and Retail/Restaurants
6201 W Sunset Bl
56 Hollywood Hotel 80 Room Hotel 5600 W Hollywood Bl
57 925 La Brea Av 17 ksf Shopping Center and 53 ksf Office 925 N La Brea
58 904-‐932 N La Brea MU 169 Apartments and 40 ksf Retail 904 N La Brea 59 Residential 84 Apartments 707 N Cole
60 1921 Wilcox Hotel 146 Room Hotel 1921 N Wilcox 61 1041 Formosa Ave (The Lot) Office/Media Support 1041 N Formosa
62 1222 La Brea Ave 187 Apartments, 5,664 sf Convenience, 7 ksf Restaurant, 2.3 ksf Coffee, 4.5 ksf Bank 1222 La Brea
63 1201 La Brea Ave 8,833 sf Retail, 8 Apartments 1201 N La Brea 64 1145 La Brea Ave Apartment/Office 1145 N La Brea
65 7113 Santa Monica Blvd 184 Apartments, 3.3 ksf Convenience, 4.8 ksf Restaurant, 3.25 ksf Pharmacy, 2 ksf Bank 7113 Santa Monica
66 7144 Santa Monica Blvd Mixed-‐Use Project 7144 Santa Monica
67 7302 Santa Monica Blvd (Movietown) Movietown 7302 Santa Monica
68 Fountain and Gower 11 Apartments Fountain and Gower Notes: sf = square feet; ksf = thousand square feet Source: Fehr & Peers, 2014.
Source: Fehr & Peers, February 2015.
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LOCATION OF
FIGURE 6
Not to Scale
N
CUMULATIVE PROJECTS
Figure III-3Location of Related Projects
