CITY OF LOS ANGELESOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK

200 NORTH SPRING STREET, ROOM 360 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT

COUNTY CLERK'S USE CITY CLERK’S USE

NOTICE OF EXEMPTION(California Environmental Quality Act Section 15062)

Filing of this form is optional. If filed, the form shall be filed with the County Clerk, 12400 E. Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650, pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21152 (b). Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21167 (d), the filing of this notice starts a 35-day statute of limitations on court challenges to the approval of the project. Failure to file this notice with the County Clerk results in the statute of limitations being extended to 180 days._____________________________________________________________LEAD CITY AGENCY COUNCIL DISTRICTCity of Los Angeles Department of City Planning 4PROJECT TITLE VTT-73037

LOG REFERENCE ENV-2015-837-CE

PROJECT LOCATION800 S. LORRAINE BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90005DESCRIPTION OF NATURE, PURPOSE, AND BENEFICIARIES OF PROJECT:MERGER OF EXCESS CITY RIGHT-OF-WAY ALONG 8th STREET AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN 11-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING.NAME OF PERSON OR AGENCY CARRYING OUT PROJECT, IF OTHER THAN LEAD CITY AGENCY: KAMRAN KHOUBIAN

CONTACT PERSON KAMRAN KHOUBIAN

AREA CODE |TELEPHONE NUMBER | 985-1745

EXT.310

EXEMPT STATUS: (Check One)

STATE CEQA GUIDELINES CITY CEQA GUIDELINES

MINISTERIAL Sec. 15268 Art. II, Sec. 2b

DECLARED EMERGENCY Sec. 15269 Art. II, Sec. 2a (1)

EMERGENCY PROJECT Sec. 15269 (b) & (c) Art. II, Sec. 2a (2) & (3)

X CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION Sec. 15300 etseq. Art. Ill, Sec. 1

GENERAL EXEMPTION Sec. 15060 n/a

(City CEQA Guidelines) (City CEQA Guidelines)

ClassClass

CategoryCategory

5 332

OTHER (See Public Resources Code Sec. 21080 (b) and set forth state and City guideline provision.

IF FILED BY APPLICANT, ATTACH CERTIFIED DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT STATING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS FQUND THE PROJECT TO BE EXEMPT.

2SIGNATURi TITLECity Planning Associate

DATE09/30/2016

FEE: .RECEIPT NO. 0104406872

REC’D. BY Ralph Avila

DATE02/26/15$2,280.

DISTRIBUTION: (1) County Clerk, (2) City Clerk, (3) Agency Record Rev. 11-1-03 Rev. 1-31-06 Word

IF FILED BY THE APPLICANT:

NAME (PRINTED) SIGNATURE

DATE

I

JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT EXEMPTION: Minor street, alley and utility easement vacations where the vacated property does not constitute a buildable site that would allow a commercial or industrial development of more than 10,000 square feet or a residential development of more than 25 units.

The project is a vesting tentative tract map for the merger of 7 feet of excess City right-of-way along 8lh Street with the 7,853 square-foot subject property. After dedication and merger the lot area will be approximately 8,041 square feet. A future 11-unit apartment building will be constructed on the site.

In-fill development meeting the conditions described in this section.

(a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with the applicable zoning designation and regulations.

The project is located in the Wilshire Community with a plan designation of Medium Residential with a corresponding zone of R3. The project site is zoned [QjR3-1-HPOZ. The R3 Zone requires a minimum lot area of 5,000 square feet and a minimum area of 800 square feet per dwelling unit. The project site is 7,853 square feet prior to dedication and merger, which permits a maximum of nine dwelling units on the site. The apartment building will include one very low income unit which will permit a 35 percent density bonus or four extra units. The apartment building will include only two extra units for a total of 11 units. The project request does not include any deviations from the Zoning Code. The project is consistent with the General Plan and the zone.

(b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses.

The proposed project is located within the City limits and is less than one-half acre. Surrounding properties are zoned [Q]R3-1-HPOZ and R3-1-HPOZ, and are developed with single-family and multi-family dwellings, and a church.

(c) The project site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species.

The project site is located in a highly urbanized area and has not been identified as an ecologically sensitive area. Furthermore, the surrounding area is presently developed with residential structures and does not provide a natural habitat for either fish or wildlife.

(d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality.

The project will not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality. The estimated trip generation is below the daily vehicle trip threshold (40 apartment units) for potentially significant traffic impacts as determined by the City’s Department of Transportation. The project shall comply with Regulatory Compliance Measures that regulate construction-related noise levels including Noise Ordinance Nos. 144,331 and 161,574, such that the proposed project will not result in any significant noise impacts. Construction and operational emissions from project-related traffic will not exceed the localized significance thresholds for criteria air pollutants set by the Southern California Air Quality Management District. The project is limited to residential uses and does not involve industrial or other activities that would substantially degrade water quality.

(e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.

There is an existing sewer available in the street adjoining the project site. This project will connect to the public sewer system and will not result in violation of the California Water Code. The project is served by Los Angeles Fire Department Station No. 29, Los Angeles Police Department Wilshire Division, Los Angeles Public Library, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The site is therefore adequately served by all of the City's required utilities and public services, and the proposed project is not anticipated to create any impacts on existing utilities and public services.

There are six (6) exceptions to the Categorical Exemptions identified in the State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2.

(a) Location. Classes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are qualified by consideration of where the project is to be located - a project that is ordinarily insignificant in its impact on the environment may in a particularly sensitive environment be significant. Therefore, these classes are considered to apply in all instances, except where the project may impact on an environment resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies.

This exception is not applicable to the subject project. Although the subject site is located in a methane buffer zone, Regulatory Compliance Measures of the City of Los Angeles require that prior to the issuance of building permit that the site be independently analyzed by a qualified engineer. The engineer shall investigate and design a methane mitigation system in compliance with the LADBS Methane Mitigation Standards for the appropriate Site Design Level which will prevent or retard potential methane gas seepage into the building.

The Grading Division of the Department of Building and Safety has reviewed the subject map and determined that geology/soils reports are not required prior to planning approval as the property is located outside of a City Los Angeles Hillside Area; is exempt or located outside of a State of California liquefaction, earthquake induced landslide, or fault-rupture hazard zone; and, does not require any grading or construction of an engineered retaining structure to remove potential geologic hazards.

(b) Cumulative Impact. All exemptions for these classes are inapplicable when the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time is significant.

The immediate surrounding properties are not expected to have multiple successive projects of similar scale and type as the proposed project. The project is located in the Wilshire Community Plan, which was adopted with the vision and framework by which the City's physical and economic resources are to be managed and utilized over time. The Community Plan further refines the General Plan and is intended to promote an arrangement of land uses, streets and services which will encourage and contribute to the economic, social and physical health, safety, welfare and convenience of the people who live and work in the community. Thus, the project is not anticipated to result in a significant cumulative impact for successive projects of the same type in the same place over time.

In the immediate vicinity of the project site, along Lorraine Boulevard and 8th Street, there has been no new construction since 1994. A majority of the structures were built prior to 1940. The subject site is the sole vacant piece of property within 500 feet. Thus, the cumulative impact of prior projects of the same type in the same place over time is insignificant.

(c) Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.

This exception does not apply to the subject property. The project is the vesting of a tentative tract map to merge excess City right-of-way along 8th Street with the subject property consistent with the City’s Mobility Plan, and the future development of an 11-unit apartment building. Surrounding properties are developed with single-family and multi-family dwellings, and a church. With a ministerial density bonus per Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.25-A.25,(g), 11 units are permitted on the site. Thus, there are no unusual circumstances which may lead to a significant effect on the environment.

(d) Scenic Highways. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. This does not apply to improvements which are required as mitigation by an adopted negative declaration or certified EIR.

The project site is located on Lorraine Boulevard, which is designated a Local Standard Street in the Mobility Plan of the City’s General Plan. According to Appendix B of the Mobility Plan, the project site is not located within, nor within the vicinity, of a state scenic highway. Thus, this exception does not apply to the project.

(e) Hazardous Waste Site. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project located on a site which is included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.

The project is not located on a site identified by the State as a hazardous waste property.

(f) Historical Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.

The project site is a vacant piece of property located within the Windsor Village Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ). The project will be subject to the review of the Country Club Park - Wilshire Park - Windsor Village HPOZ Board which will make a recommendation to the Director of Planning. The Director will review and issue a determination on any entitlements needed prior to construction of the project. Thus, this exception does not apply.