GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

Transcription

1 III. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 1. INTRODUCTION Section of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines requires that an environmental impact report (EIR) include a description of the existing environment. This section is intended to give a general overview of the environmental setting for this project. More detailed information on existing conditions is provided under each individual environmental topic studied in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis. This section also provides an overview of the related projects that are considered as part of the future conditions in evaluating cumulative impacts. 2. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING a. Project Site and Surrounding Area i. Location The approximately 3.9-acre Project site encompasses an entire city block located in the Wilshire Community Plan Area of the City of Los Angeles, and is bordered by Wilshire Boulevard to the south, 6 th Street to the north, Hobart Boulevard to the west, and Harvard Boulevard to the east. Specifically, the Project site is located within the Wilshire Regional Commercial Center, a 100-acre dense collection of high-rise office buildings, large hotels, regional shopping complexes, churches, entertainment centers, and a mix of high-rise and low-rise apartment buildings. ii. Existing Land Uses The Project site is currently developed with 123,280 square feet of Temple, administrative, educational, and commercial uses, and associated surface parking. Temple facilities include a 36,600-square-foot Sanctuary, 13,300 square feet of event space, which includes Piness Auditorium and Stalford Hall, and associated administrative uses, all of which are located in the southwest portion of the Project site, close to the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Hobart Boulevard. A 3,200-square-foot nursery school administered by the Temple is located mid-block along Hobart Boulevard. Non-Temple uses on the Project site include a 35,600-square-foot elementary school, which is presently occupied by the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, located mid-block along Harvard Boulevard and a 13,600 square-foot office building housing several businesses and located in the northeast portion of the Project site near the intersection of 6 th Street and Harvard Boulevard. The remainder of the Project site is developed with paved surface parking areas, a children s playground, and landscaped grounds. Existing development on City of Los Angeles III-1 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

2 the Project site and in the vicinity is shown in Figure IV.A-1, Aerial Photograph of Project Site and Adjacent Uses, in Section IV.A, Aesthetic Resources: Aesthetics and Views. Existing land uses immediately surrounding the Project site include the following institutional, commercial, and residential uses: North: United States Post Office - Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Station, and a vacant lot. South: Multi-story mixed use office and retail building, three-story retail structure, and surface parking. East: St. Basil's Catholic Church, hotel, commercial and retail uses, and associated surface parking. West: Mixed use, multifamily housing, the Wilshire Smiling Tree preschool and kindergarten, and an auto body shop. b. Historical Context The Wilshire Boulevard Temple building, built in , consists of the sanctuary, assembly halls (Piness Auditorium and Stalford Hall) and the school building. The Wilshire Boulevard Temple was designated Historic-Cultural Monument #116 in the City of Los Angeles March 21, 1973, and it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 21, Because the building is listed in the National Register, it is automatically listed in the California Register of Historic Resources; therefore it is a historical resource under CEQA. c. Transportation i. Roadway Infrastructure Regional access is provided to the Project site from the Hollywood (U.S. 101) Freeway, 1.7 miles to the north, and the Santa Monica (I-10) Freeway, 1.75 miles to the south. Local access to the Project site is provided via Wilshire Boulevard, a designated Class II Major Highway. ii. Public Transportation Services As shown in Figure IV.F-3, Existing Transit Routes, in Section IV.F, Transportation, the County of Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) operates four express bus lines and five local bus routes in close proximity to the Project site. Additionally, the Project site is located two blocks west of the Wilshire/Normandie station, which provides service to the Metro Purple line. The Purple line provides service from Wilshire/Normandie station to Union Station, thereby linking the Project area to the regional rail system. City of Los Angeles III-2 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

3 d. Public Services and Utilities Systems The Project site is within the City of Los Angeles. As such, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) provide fire and police protective services, respectively, to the Project site and the surrounding area. Water and electricity are provided by the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). Natural gas service is provided by Southern California Gas Company. Wastewater is conveyed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works sewer lines to the Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP), located in Playa del Rey, which is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Public Library, the City of Los Angeles Community College District, the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Unified School District also serve the Project site vicinity. 3. APPLICABLE PLANS AND POLICIES The following presents an overview of the regulatory framework applicable to the Project site. a. Local Plans and Policies i. The City of Los Angeles General Plan California state law (Government Code Section 65300) requires that each city prepare and adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for its future development. Adopted in 1996, the City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element presents the City s long-range, comprehensive growth strategy and provides a Citywide context within which local planning can take place. Los Angeles is a large metropolitan area with diverse characteristics. Consequently, the City s General Plan Land Use Element is made up of 35 community plans that establish land use policy and standards for each of the community planning areas defined in the Land Use Element to respond to the diverse characteristics of these communities. ii. Wilshire Community Plan As stated above, the Project site lies within the Wilshire Community Plan Area. The Wilshire Community Plan Area is bounded by Melrose Avenue and Rosewood Avenue to the north, Hoover Street to the east, 18 th Street, Venice Boulevard and Pico Boulevard to the south, and the cities of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills to the west. The Wilshire Community Plan further refines the Los Angeles City General Plan and is intended to promote an arrangement of land uses, streets, and services, which will encourage and contribute to the City of Los Angeles III-3 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

4 economic, social, and physical health, and to the welfare of the people that work and reside in the community. The Wilshire Community Plan sets forth planning goals and objectives to maintain the community s distinctive character by enhancing the positive characteristics of residential neighborhoods while providing a variety of housing opportunities; improving the function, design and economic viability of commercial areas; preserving and enhancing the positive characteristics of existing uses, which provide the foundation of community identity such as scale, height, bulk, setbacks and appearance; maximizing development opportunities around existing and future transit systems while minimizing adverse impacts; preserving and strengthening commercial developments to provide diverse job-producing economic base; and improving the quality of the built environment through design guidelines, streetscape improvements, and other physical improvements, which enhance the appearance of the community. The Project site is designated as Regional Commercial in the Wilshire Community Plan. Properties immediately south, east, and west of the Project site are also designated Regional Commercial. Properties to the north of the Project site, including the United States Post Office, are designated as Neighborhood Commercial. As stated above, the Wilshire Community Plan designates the Project site as being located within the Wilshire Center Regional Commercial Center. Wilshire Center includes a dense collection of high-rise office buildings, large hotels, regional shopping complexes, churches, entertainment centers, and a mix of high-rise and low-rise apartment buildings. The 100-acre Regional Commercial Center includes Wilshire Boulevard in the eastern central portion of the Wilshire Community Plan Area, and is generally bounded by 3 rd Street on the north, 8 th Street on the south, Hoover Street on the east, and Wilton Place on the west. iii. The City of Los Angeles Municipal Code The Project site is subject to the provisions of the City of Los Angeles Municipal Code, including the planning and zoning provisions of Volume 1. The Los Angeles Zoning Code is the primary tool for implementing the General Plan Land Use Element. For each defined zone, the Zoning Code identifies permitted uses and applicable development standards for characteristics of development, such as density, height, parking, and landscaping requirements. Per the City's Zoning Ordinance, 2.1 acres of the Project City of Los Angeles III-4 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

5 site are zoned C4-2 or C2-2, and 1.8 acres of the Project site are zoned R5-2, where C indicates a Commercial Zone designation and R indicates a Residential Zone designation. Religious and educational uses are permitted in the R5-2, C2-2, and C4-2 zones. b. Regional Plans and Policies i. SCAG Regional Comprehensive Plan and Guide The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the Southern California region. The Project site is within the six-county jurisdiction of SCAG, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Imperial Counties. To coordinate regional planning efforts, SCAG has prepared the Regional Comprehensive Plan and Guide (RCPG). The RCPG is a comprehensive document intended to serve the SCAG region as a framework for decision-making for the next 20 years. The plan includes broad goals for the region and identifies strategies designed to guide local decision making. The Growth Management Chapter of the RCPG focuses on the relationship of land use patterns and transportation in the region. This chapter provides guidelines for development in relation to growth and land use issues. Employment, housing, and population forecasts are included for each sub-region within the RCPG. These forecasts provide parameters for the development of the Regional Mobility Element. The Regional Mobility Element links the goal of sustaining mobility with the goals of fostering economic development, enhancing the environment, reducing energy consumption, promoting transportation-friendly development patterns, and encouraging fair and equitable access to residents affected by socio-economic, geographic and commercial limitations. ii. SCAG Regional Transportation Plan In addition to the RCPG, SCAG has prepared the 2008 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP is a 20-year transportation plan that envisions a future multi-modal transportation system for the region. In compliance with state and federal requirements, SCAG prepares the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) to implement projects and programs listed in the RTP. Updated every other year, the RTIP includes a listing of all transportation capital projects proposed for the region over a six-year horizon. City of Los Angeles III-5 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

6 iii. SCAG Compass Growth Vision Report In an effort to maintain the region s prosperity, continue to expand its economy, house its residents affordably, and protect its environmental setting, SCAG embarked on a visioning process by soliciting input from public and private stakeholders throughout the region. The 2004 Growth Vision Report represents the outcome of this process. The report contains principles to promote and maximize regional mobility, livability, prosperity, and sustainability. Decisions regarding growth, transportation, land use, and economic development in the region should support and be guided by these principles. iv. Los Angeles County Congestion Management Plan Los Angeles is one of 32 urbanized counties in California required by state statute to develop a Congestion Management Program (CMP). The Los Angeles County CMP also meets the federal requirements for a Congestion Management System (CMS) pursuant to the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The MTA is the designated Congestion Management Agency for Los Angeles County. The CMP not only addresses regional congestion, but also supports efforts to improve air quality. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is consulted to ensure that the CMP is developed in accordance with the region s air quality goals. The CMP provides an opportunity to coordinate transportation control measures (TCM) with the SCAQMD s Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). Increased mobility and reduced congestion also serve the goal of benefiting the local economy. Moreover, the CMP contains specific provisions to pursue economic development opportunities while managing congestion. v. South Coast Air Quality Management Plan The Project site is located within the jurisdiction of the SCAQMD. In 2007, the SCAQMD adopted a new AQMP to accommodate growth, reduce levels of pollutants within the air basin, to return clean air to the region and minimize the impact of pollutants on the economy. Projects that are considered to be consistent with the AQMP would not interfere with attainment because this growth is included in the projections utilized in the formulation of the AQMP. Therefore, projects, uses, and activities that are consistent with the applicable assumptions used in the development of the AQMP would not jeopardize attainment of the air quality levels identified in the AQMP, even if they exceed the SCAQMD s recommended daily emissions thresholds. vi. Los Angeles Basin Regional Water Quality Control Plan The Project site is located within the 414-square-mile Santa Monica Bay Water Management Area (WMA) and within the Central Basin of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board s (LARWQCB) City of Los Angeles III-6 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

7 Los Angeles region. The LARWQCB protects ground and surface water quality in the Los Angeles Region, including the coastal watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. The LARWQCB has adopted a Water Quality Control Plan for the Los Angeles Basin (the Basin Plan) as a resource, information source and implementation tool for preserving and enhancing water quality in the region. The Basin Plan designates beneficial uses of water bodies, sets water quality objectives to protect those uses, addresses localized water quality problems and sets forth a plan to protect water quality. General discharge permits issued by the LARWQCB under the Basin Plan are used to regulate polluted storm water runoff, treated groundwater, non-hazardous soil disposal and other discharges. 4. RELATED PROJECTS The analysis contained in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis, of this EIR examines both Project-specific impacts, and the potential environmental effects associated with the Project in conjunction with cumulative development. CEQA requires that an EIR evaluate cumulative impacts. The State CEQA Guidelines Section 15355, defines cumulative impacts in part as two or more individual effects which, when considered together, are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts. Section 15130(b)(1) states that cumulative impact analysis should be based on either a list of past, present and probable future projects or a summary of projections contained in an adopted General Plan or related document. The selection of methodology is dependent on the appropriateness and availability of the data. When assessing cumulative impacts upon broad regional issues, such as air quality, global climate change, and water supply and conservation, the analysis takes into consideration projections of cumulative growth that are contained in adopted planning documents of the City, SCAG or the SCAQMD. (See Sections IV.B and IV.G, respectively.) Conversely, the analysis of the cumulative effects of localized impacts focuses on a list of related projects in the Project vicinity. A list of potential projects in the Project vicinity that might be developed within the study time frame was compiled by the traffic consultant for the Project, Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., and is based on information currently available from the City of Los Angeles Planning Department, the County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles Unified School District and recent studies of projects in the area. This list is provided in Table III-1, Related Projects. The locations of these projects relative to the proposed Project are shown in Figure IV.F-6, Locations of Related Projects, in Section IV.F, Transportation. This list of projects accurately reflects the related project proposals at the time of issuance of the Notice of Preparation (NOP) for this Project. A total of 46 related projects were identified to be located within a 1.5-mile radius of the Project site. As indicated in Table III-1, related projects would add approximately 4,357 residential units, 730,402 square City of Los Angeles III-7 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

8 feet of commercial-retail and market space, 160,136 square feet of office space, 123,197 square feet of restaurant space, educational space for approximately 3,629 students, 8,000 square feet of other space, 25,700 square feet of health club space, 9,700 square feet of night club space, 367 hotel rooms and 13,707 square feet of hotel space. Table III-1 Related Projects Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 1 Laborers Local 300 HQ 2009-CEN ,300 sf Office 2005 W Pico Boulevard 2 Medical Office & Apartments 27,720 sf Medical Office EAF , 2004-CEN du Apartments 3323 Olympic Boulevard 3 Private Elementary School EAF Students Private Elementary School th Street 4 Mixed-Use 117 du Condominium 2008-CEN Rooms Hotel 3240 W Wilshire Boulevard 4,419 sf Restaurant 38,047 sf High-Turnover Restaurant 13,707 sf Hotel Retail 5 Central LA Middle School # CEN Students Middle School 6 th Street & Vermont Avenue 6 Apartments & Retail 54 du Apartments EAF ,000 sf Retail 5920 Melrose Avenue 7 Mixed-Use 240 du Apartments 2004-CEN ,900 sf Retail 648 S Western Avenue City of Los Angeles III-8 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

9 Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 8 Apartments & Retail 63 du Apartments EAF ,500 sf Retail 922 Western Avenue 9 Condominiums & Retail 87 du Condominium EAF ,231 sf Retail 2323 Olympic Boulevard 10 Condominiums & Retail 70 du Condominium EAF ,558 sf Retail 600 Hobart Boulevard 11 Apartments EAF du Apartments 3800 Wilshire Boulevard 12 Private Elementary School Expansion ENV Students Private Elementary School 238 S Manhattan Place 13 Medical Office Expansion ENV ,075 sf Medical Office 2100 W 3 rd Street 14 Office ENV , 2005-CEN ,670 sf Office 936 S Crenshaw Boulevard 15 Mixed-Use 60 du Condominium 2005-CEN ,000 sf Retail 981 S Arapahoe Street 16 LAUSD - Central Region Elementary School # CEN Students Elementary School 3200 W Washington Boulevard 17 LAUSD - Central Region Elementary School # CEN Students Year-Round Elementary School 1723 W Cordova Street City of Los Angeles III-9 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

10 Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 18 Mixed-Use 378 du Condominium 2005-CEN ,000 sf Other 3670 W Wilshire Boulevard 19 Mixed-Use 2004-CEN Mixed-Use 450 S Western Avenue 20 Mixed-Use Development 118 du Condominium 2005-CEN ,000 sf Retail 2525 W Wilshire Boulevard 21 Mixed-Use Development 190 du Live/Work Condo ENV MN, 2005-CEN ,540 sf Retail 3033 W Wilshire Boulevard 22 Shopping Center ENV MN, 2006-CEN ,006 sf Shopping Center 3060 W Olympic Boulevard 23 Wilshire Center Project 8,900 sf Restaurant VTT66283, 2009-CEN du Condominium 3150 W Wilshire Boulevard 42,000 sf Retail 24 Condominiums TT du Condominium 844 S Fedora Avenue 25 Mixed-Use 242 du Condominium 2005-CEN S Hobart Boulevard 25,700 sf 26,600 sf Health Club Restaurant 4,200 sf High-Turnover Restaurant 9,700 sf Night Club 13,600 sf Office 4,400 sf Retail 26 Condominiums & Retail 96 du Condominium ENV EA 3,350 sf Retail 5663 W Melrose Avenue 27 HK Town Project (Mixed-Use) 40,800 sf Shopping Center 2006-CEN ,000 sf Supermarket 100 N Western Avenue 187 du Apartments City of Los Angeles III-10 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

11 Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 28 Mixed-Use 108 du Condominium ENV MND 3,450 sf Retail 3324 W Wilshire Boulevard 29 Medical Office & Retail 46,771 sf Medical Office ENV EA, 2008-CEN ,570 sf Retail 2789 W Olympic Boulevard 30 Mixed-Use (68 Assisted-living apartments with retail & commercial space) 68 du Apartments ENV EA, 2007-CEN ,674 sf Retail 5245 W Santa Monica Boulevard 31 Hotel, Condo Hotel, Condos, Retail & Restaurant 80 Rooms Hotel EAF , 2007-CEN du Condo Hotel 2968 W 6 th Street 165 du Condominium 13,000 sf Restaurant 7,500 sf Retail 32 MacArthur Park/Alvarado Metro Project 172 du Apartments VTT-69213, 2006-CEN ,800 sf Retail 1901 W 7th Street 33 Condominiums ENV MN 46 du Condominium 991 S Arapahoe Street 34 Mixed-Use 224 du Condominium ENV EA, 2006-CEN ,000 sf Retail 805 S Catalina Street 35 Mixed-Use 32 du Apartments 2007-CEN ,870 sf Retail 3200 W Beverly Boulevard 36 Apartments VTT CN, 2007-CEN du Apartments 670 S Berendo Street City of Los Angeles III-11 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

12 Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 37 Almond Tree Village 147 du Condominium 2007-CEN du Apartments (Senior Housing) 3400 W 3 rd Street 20,000 sf Retail 38 Gas Station with Mini-Market ENV EA, 2007-CEN ,046 sf Gas Station with Mini-Market 1600 W Olympic Boulevard 39 Condos & Retail 32 du Condominium ENV EA, 2008-CEN ,500 sf Retail 820 S Hoover Street 40 LAUSD Central MacArthur Park Elementary School 2008-CEN Students Elementary School 2300 W 7 th Street 41 LAUSD Central Region Elementary School # CEN Students Elementary School W Council Street & Westmoreland Avenue 42 Apartments 2008-CEN du Apartments 2929 W Leeward Avenue 43 Restaurant ENV EA, 2008-CEN ,033 sf Restaurant 3267 W Olympic Boulevard 44 Wilshire Hoover Shopping Center ENV EA, 2009-CEN ,000 sf Shopping Center 2908 W Wilshire Boulevard 45 Mixed-Use 136 du Condominium 2009-CEN ,998 sf Restaurant 635 S Catalina Street City of Los Angeles III-12 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

13 Map ID Project Name/Location Size (Square Feet) Dwelling Unit Description/Land Use 46 Affordable Housing and Assisted Living 37 du Affordable Housing 2009-CEN du Apartments (Senior Housing) 2924 W 8 th Street Source: Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., Traffic Study for the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan, August City of Los Angeles III-13 Wilshire Boulevard Temple Master Plan Project Draft EIR

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