Recommendations for Council action, pursuant to Motion (Wesson - Harris-Dawson):
 

1. INITIATE consideration of a CPIO Amendment and accompanying Height District Change for the property located at 5741 West Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016, and 3336 - 3348 South La Cienega Place, Los Angeles, CA 90016.
    
2. INSTRUCT the Department of City Planning to expeditiously process the CPIO Amendment and Height District Change for the property to permit the continuation and modernization of this community resource and to address the evolving needs of this transit-oriented area.

Fiscal Impact Statement: Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

1. FIND, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15074(b), after consideration of the whole of the administrative record, including the MND, No. ENV-2019-4339-MND, as circulated on August 19, 2021, and all comments received, with the imposition of mitigation measures, there is no substantial evidence that the project will have a significant effect on the environment; FIND, the MND reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City; FIND, the Mitigation Measures have been made enforceable conditions on the project; and, ADOPT the MND and the MMP prepared for the MND.
    
2. ADOPT the REVISED FINDINGS of the Central Los Angeles Area Planning Commission (CLAAPC), dated March 4, 2022, as the Findings of Council.
    
3. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEAL filed by Doug Haines, joint with La Mirada Avenue Neighborhood Association, and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the CLAAPC in approving: 1) a Conditional Use Permit to allow a hotel within 500 feet from a Residential Zone; 2) a Conditional Use Permit to allow the sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption within 36 hotel rooms (minibars) and a rooftop bar/lounge; 3) a Specific Plan Exception from Section 9.A.1 of the Vermont/Western Station Neighborhood Area Plan to allow commercial uses above the ground-floor and from Section 9.C of the Vermont/Western to allow the proposed building to exceed the Transitional Height limits for a project abutting a Subarea A lot; and, 4) a Project Permit Compliance to allow for the demolition of an existing two-story duplex and surface parking lot, and the construction, use, and maintenance of a new four-story (60-foot), mixed-use boutique hotel with 36 guest rooms, 10 residential apartment units, and an at-grade parking level with one subterranean level, the project will reserve two units as affordable including one Very Low Income Household unit and one Low Income Household unit, it will include 47 overall parking spaces with a maximum of 12 residential parking spaces (including two guest spaces) designated for the proposed apartments, 24 bicycle parking spaces, and 1,343 square feet of open space, the site is located on a 14,478 square-foot lot that would include 26,080 square feet of total floor area with a Floor Area Ratio of 1.8:1, there are four existing trees on the site, which are all unprotected fruit trees that would be removed as part of the project scope; for the property located at 1530 North Western Avenue (1524-1530 North Western Avenue and 5446 West Harold Way), subject to Conditions of Approval.
    

Fiscal Impact Statement: The CLAAPC reports that there is no General Fund impact as administrative costs are recovered through fees.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

1. FIND, based on the whole of the administrative record, that the project is exempt from the CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15332, Article 19, Class 32, and there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies.
    
2. ADOPT the FINDINGS of the Central Los Angeles Area Planning Commission (CLAAPC) as the Findings of Council.
    
3. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEAL filed by Enrique Velasquez, Coalition for an Equitable Westlake Macarthur Park, and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the CLAAPC, in approving a Categorical Exemption as the environmental clearance for a proposed Tier 4 Transit Oriented Communities Affordable Housing project involving the construction, use, and maintenance of a new eight-story multi-family development, containing a total of 92 dwelling units, with 11 proposed dwelling units reserved for Extremely Low Income Households, the proposed development will contain approximately 43,818 square feet of floor area, provides a total of 6,900 square feet of open space; for the property located at 603, 603 ½, and 605 South Mariposa Avenue.
    

Fiscal Impact Statement: The CLAAPC reports that there is no General Fund impact as administrative costs are recovered through fees.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

1. FIND, based on the whole of the administrative record, that the project is exempt from the CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Article 19, Section 15332, Class 32, and there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies.
    
2. ADOPT the FINDINGS of the Department of City Planning (DCP) as the Findings of Council.
    
3. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEAL filed by Enrique Velasquez, Coalition for an Equitable Westlake Macarthur Park, and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the Director of Planning, in approving a Categorical Exemption as the environmental clearance for the construction, use and maintenance of a 56,112 square foot, 60-unit residential development including six dwelling units set aside for affordable housing (or 10 percent of the proposed density) reserved for Extremely Low Income Households Transit-Oriented Communities project, for the property located at 1037 South Dewey Avenue (1031 – 1043 South Dewey Avenue).
   ​

Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by the DCP. Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

1. FIND, based on the whole of the administrative record, that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15332, Article 19, Class 32, and there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies.
    
2. ADOPT the FINDINGS of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission (LACPC) as the Findings of Council.
    
3. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEALS filed by Nicole Antoine and  David Richardson, and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the LACPC in approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow a Density Bonus for a housing development project in which the density increase is greater than otherwise permitted by Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 12.22 A.25; approving a Conditional Use Permit, pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24 W.1 for the sales and dispensing of a full-line of alcoholic beverages for on and off-site consumption for two establishments; and, approving a Site Plan Review for a project that results in an increase of 50 or more dwelling units; for the demolition of an existing one- and two-story auto shop with an adjoining surface level parking lot and the construction, use, and maintenance of a new 84,662 square-foot, seven-story mixed-use residential development consisting of 86 residential units (with 10 units reserved for Very Low-Income Households), the project proposes to include a total 69 parking spaces within an at grade parking garage; for the property located at 3209 - 3227 West Sunset Boulevard, subject to Conditions of Approval.

Fiscal Impact Statement: The LACPC reports that there is no General Fund impact as administrative costs are recovered through fees.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

1. FIND, pursuant to Public Resources Code (PRC), Section 21155.2, after consideration of the whole of the administrative record, including the SB 375 SCEA, ENV-2021-3327-SCEA, and all comments received, after imposition of all mitigation measures, that:
    
   1. There is no substantial evidence that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment.
       
   2. The City Council held a hearing on September 6, 2022 for adoption of the SCEA pursuant to PRC Section 21155.2(b)(6).
       
   3. The Project is a transit priority project pursuant to PRC Section 21155, and the Project has incorporated all feasible mitigation measures, performance standards, or criteria set forth in prior Environmental Impact Report(s) (EIR), including the 2020-2045 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) Program EIR, SCH No. 2019011061.
       
   4. All potentially significant effects required to be identified in the initial study have been identified and analyzed in the SCEA.
       
   5. With respect to each significant effect on the environment required to be identified in the initial study for the SCEA, changes or alterations have been required in or incorporated into the Project that avoid or mitigate the significant effects to a level of insignificance or those changes or alterations are within the responsibility and jurisdiction of another public agency and have been, or can and should be, adopted by that other agency.
       
   6. The SCEA reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City. 
       
   7. The mitigation measures have been made enforceable conditions on the Project.
       
2. FIND that the Project complies with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act for using the SCEA as authorized pursuant to PRC Section 21155.2(b).
    
3. ADOPT, pursuant to PRC Section 21155.2, the SCEA and the MMP prepared for the SCEA, for a proposed demolition of the existing two-story commercial building and surface parking lots to develop an eight-story mixed-use building with 242 residential dwelling units and 10,900 square feet of commercial space fronting Wilshire Boulevard; the Project would set aside 25 dwelling units for Extremely Low Income Households; the Project would encompass a total floor area of 260,000 square feet resulting in a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 3.54:1 and would have a maximum building height of 105 feet; the northern lots and Carling Way (which would be merged into the Project Site through Case No. VTT-83358-CN) would be redeveloped into a 16,822 square-foot green belt that would be utilized as a publicly-accessible common open space; the Project would provide 26,350 square feet of open space which includes the green belt, a courtyard, roof deck, private balconies, and amenity rooms; the Project would comprise of 293 residential parking spaces located within two subterranean levels and one above-grade level, and 30 commercial parking spaces located on the ground level; designated driveways would provide ingress and egress for residential and commercial parking and would be located along South Citrus Avenue; the Project would also provide 164 bicycle spaces (143 long-term and 21 short-term); for the properties located at 5001 Wilshire Boulevard, 671-677 South Highland Avenue, and 668 South Citrus Avenue.

Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by the DCP. Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

Recommendation for Council action:

VACATE the Council’s November 24, 2020, action approving the Project’s CEQA NOE.

Fiscal Impact Statement: None submitted by the City Attorney. Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

(Public Works Committee waived consideration of the above matter)