III. Environmental Setting

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2 A. Overview of Environmental Setting This section of the Draft EIR provides an overview of the existing regional and local setting in which the Project Site is located, and a brief description of the existing conditions at the Project Site. Detailed environmental setting information is provided in each of the environmental issue analyses found in Section IV (Environmental Impact Analysis) of this Draft EIR. In addition, Section II, Project Description, of this Draft EIR, provides additional information regarding existing conditions at the Project Site. 1. Project Location and Environmental Setting The approximately 1.55-acre Project Site is located within the Hollywood Community of the, approximately six miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 12.5 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Primary regional access is provided by the Hollywood Freeway (US-101), which runs southeast-northwest approximately 0.2 mile east of the Project Site. The Project Site is developed as an active surface parking lot with a total of 204 spaces. The Project Site is currently used by the Applicant for overflow parking from its Sunset Bronson Studios property located southeast of the Project Site along Sunset Boulevard. 1 Access to the Project Site is provided by one entry and exit driveway on Bronson Avenue. Vine-covered concrete walls and chain-link fencing surround the Project Site. With the exception of a few shrubs along the northern property line, the Project Site is paved with asphalt surface. Several pole lights are also located throughout the Project Site. The Project Site is located in a highly urbanized area that is developed with a diverse mix of land uses. The surrounding area includes a mixture of low-, mid-, and high-rise buildings, both historic and modern, occupied by commercial, residential, and entertainment-related uses along the major arterials in the area, including Sunset 1 It is noted that as part of the Sunset Bronson Studios Entertainment Center Project (State Clearinghouse No ), approximately 1,399 net new parking spaces would be provided within Sunset Bronson Studios. This additional parking would accommodate some of the overflow parking currently directed to the Project Site. Additional overflow parking from the Sunset Bronson Studios may also continue to be directed to the Project Site and be accommodated by the proposed parking facilities. Page III-1

3 Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, and Hollywood Boulevard, with residential neighborhoods and a variety of urban land uses interspersed between the major arterials. To the north of the Project Site are five two-story multi-family residential buildings with additional and more expansive multi-family residential developments and commercial buildings located further north. East of the Project Site, across Bronson Avenue and fronting Sunset Boulevard is a Mobil gas station. Located north of the Mobil gas station are additional two-story multi-family residential uses. Commercial and multi-family residential developments continue east of the Project Site along Sunset Boulevard and include the three-story St. Moritz hotel building with lower level retail and a bar, the 12-story Metropolitan Residential Tower, a three-story walk-up office structure, and a Midas auto repair and service center. South of the Project Site, across Sunset Boulevard, are additional commercial uses including a tax service center, hair salon, flower studio, a café, a paintball store, and an Arby s fast food restaurant and are followed by multi- and singlefamily residential uses. East of these uses, across Bronson Avenue and along Sunset Boulevard, is the Sunset Bronson Studios campus. Located immediately west of the Project Site is the Sunset and Gordon Mixed-Use Project, which includes a high-rise building including residential, office, retail and restaurant uses with associated parking and a landscaped public plaza area with seating. Commercial uses interspersed with multifamily residential developments continue further west of the Project Site. 2. Land Use Plans Local land use plans applicable to the Project Site include the following: the Citywide General Plan Framework Element and the Hollywood Community Plan. 2 Regional plans that are applicable to the Project Site include: the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, Growth Vision Report, and Regional Comprehensive Plan; the South Coast Air Quality Management District s Air Quality Management Plan; and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority s Congestion Management Plan. Refer to Section IV.F, Land Use, of this Draft EIR, for additional information regarding land use plans applicable to the Project Site. 2 On February 11, 2014, the Los Angeles County Superior Court invalidated the Hollywood Community Plan Update and all City actions related to its EIR. On, April 2, 2014 the City Council repealed the Hollywood Community Plan Update and reverted to the adopted 1988 Hollywood Community Plan. Page III-2

4 B. Related Projects The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Section 15130(a)) require that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) discuss the cumulative impacts of a project when the project s incremental effect is cumulatively considerable. As set forth in Section 15065(a)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, cumulatively considerable means that the incremental effects of an individual project are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(a)(3), a project s contribution is less than cumulatively considerable if the project is required to implement or fund its fair share of a mitigation measure or measures designed to alleviate the cumulative impact. In addition, the lead agency is required to identify facts and analysis supporting its conclusion that the contribution will be rendered less than cumulatively considerable. CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(b) further provides that the discussion of cumulative impacts reflect the severity of the impacts and their likelihood of occurrence, but the discussion need not provide as great detail as is provided for the effects attributable to the project alone. Rather, the discussion is to be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness, and should focus on the cumulative impact to which the identified other projects contribute. CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(b) also states that one of the following two elements are necessary to provide an adequate discussion of significant cumulative impacts: (A) A list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts including, if necessary, those projects outside the control of the agency; or (B) A summary of projections contained in an adopted local, regional or statewide plan, or related planning document, that describes or evaluates conditions contributing to the cumulative effect. Such plans may include: a general plan, regional transportation plan, or plans for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A summary of projections may also be contained in an adopted or certified prior environmental document for such a plan. Such projections may be supplemented with additional information such as a regional modeling Page III-3

5 program. Any such document shall be referenced and made available to the public at a location specified by the lead agency. Cumulative study areas are defined based on an analysis of the geographical scope relevant to each particular environmental issue. Therefore, the cumulative study area for each individual environmental impact issue may vary. For example, a cumulative land use impact generally may only affect the compatibility of uses within the vicinity of a project site, while a cumulative air quality impact may affect the entire air basin. The specific boundaries and the projected growth within those boundaries for the cumulative study area of each environmental issue, are identified in the applicable environmental issue section in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis, of this Draft EIR. A list of development projects that could affect environmental conditions in the Project area was prepared based on information obtained primarily from the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation during preparation of the Project s Traffic Study and information from the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. A total of 71 potential related development projects have been identified within the vicinity of the Project Site for inclusion in the cumulative impact analysis for this EIR. These related projects are in varying stages of the approval/entitlement/development process and consist of a variety of land uses reflecting the diverse range of land uses in the vicinity of the Project Site. The related projects include mixed-use, office, residential, commercial, institution, recreation, museum, and motion picture uses. The related projects are listed in Table III-1 on page III-5, which identifies the location of each related project along with the types of land uses. The locations of the related projects are shown in Figure III-1 on page III-12. It is noted that some of the related projects may not be built out by 2017 (the Project s anticipated build out year), may never be built, or may be approved and built at reduced densities. To provide a conservative forecast, the future baseline forecast assumes that all of the related projects are fully built out by Page III-4

6 Table III-1 1. Hollywood/Garfield Mixed-Use 5555 W Hollywood Boulevard Residential 108 du 9,937 sf 2. Mixed-Use 5651 W Santa Monica Boulevard Apartments 437 du 378,000 sf 3. BLVD 6200 Mixed-Use 6200 W Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 952 du 190,000 sf 4. Selma & Vine Mixed-Use 1540 N Vine Street Apartments 306 du 68,000 sf 5. Sunset Bronson Studios 5800 W Sunset Boulevard 404,799 sf 6. Sunset & Gordon Mixed-Use 5935 W Sunset Boulevard Condominiums 311 du 40,000 sf Restaurant 8,500 sf 5,000 sf 7. Yucca Street Condos 6230 W Yucca Street Condominiums 85 du Commercial 13,890 sf N Seward Street 240,000 sf 9. Archstone Hollywood Mixed-Use Project 6914 W Santa Monica Boulevard Condominiums 374 du 15,000 sf 10. Project 6516 W Selma Avenue 85,000 sf 11. Mixed-Use 5245 W Santa Monica Boulevard Apartments 68 du 51,674 sf 12. Selma Hotel 6417 W Selma Avenue Hotel 85 rm Restaurant/Club 12,840 sf 13. Hollywood Production Center 1149 N Gower Street Apartments 21 du Condominiums 36 du 14. Hanover Gower Mixed-Use 6100 W Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 151 du 6,200 sf Page III-5

7 Table III-1 (Continued) 15. Highland Center Mixed-Use Project 1600 N Highland Avenue Condominiums 248 du 12,785 sf 16. Lanewood Apartments 7045 W Lanewood Avenue Apartments 43 du 17. Pantages Theater 6225 W Hollywood Boulevard 214,000 sf 18. Selma & Vine Project 1601 N Vine Street 121,609 sf Commercial 2,613 sf 19. Argyle Hotel Project 1800 N Argyle Avenue Hotel 225 rm 20. Seward Street Project 956 N Seward Street 130,000 sf 21. Restaurant 6757 W Hollywood Boulevard Restaurant 17,717 sf 22. Hotel & Restaurant Project 6381 W Hollywood Boulevard Hotel 80 rm Restaurant 15,290 sf 23. Emerson College Project (Student Housing) 1460 N Gordon Street Student Housing 224 du Faculty/Staff Housing 16 du 6,400 sf 24. Television Center (TVC Expansion) 6300 W Romaine Street 114,725 sf Gym 40,927 sf Dance Studio 38,072 sf 25. Hollywood Center Studios 6601 W Romaine Street 104,155 sf Storage 1,970 sf 26. Selma Community Housing 1603 N Cherokee Avenue Affordable Apartments 66 du 27. Hudson Building 6523 W Hollywood Boulevard Restaurant 10,402 sf 4,074 sf 28. Target Shopping Center Project 5520 W Sunset Boulevard Discount Store 163,862 sf Shopping Center 30,887 sf 29. Residential 712 N Wilcox Avenue Apartments 100 du 30. Restaurant & Deli 5500 W Hollywood Boulevard Restaurant 4,648 sf Deli 1,000 sf Page III-6

8 Table III-1 (Continued) 31. Mixed-Use 1610 N Highland Avenue Apartments 248 du 14,710 sf 32. Highland Avenue Indigo Hotel Project 1841 N Highland Avenue Business Hotel 100 rm 33. Millennium Hollywood Development a 1740 N Vine Street Apartments 461 du Hotel 254 rm Health Club 80,000 sf 264,303 sf 100,000 sf Restaurant 25,000 sf 34. Paramount Studios a,b 5555 W Melrose Avenue Sound Stage 21,000 sf Stage Support 1,900 sf Production 635,500 sf 638,100 sf 89,200 sf 35. Mixed-Use 4900 W Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 200 du 25,000 sf 36. Apartments 1411 N Highland Avenue Apartments 90 du 37. Apartment Project 1824 N Highland Avenue Apartments 118 du 38. Hotel 1133 N Vine Street Hotel 112 rm 39. The Lexington Mixed-Use 6677 W Santa Monica Boulevard Apartments 786 du Restaurant 4,000 sf Coffee Shop/Juice Bar 5,500 sf 12,700 sf Page III-7

9 Table III-1 (Continued) 40. Columbia Square Mixed-Use 6121 W Sunset Boulevard Apartments 200 du 422,500 sf High-Turnover Restaurant 23,500 sf Fast Food Restaurant 2,000 sf 16,500 sf Health Club 15,000 sf 41. Mixed-Use (High Line West) 5550 Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 278 du 12,500 sf 42. Tutoring Center 927 N Highland Avenue School 100 students Tutoring 18 empl 43. Las Palmas Residential (Hollywood Cherokee) 1718 N Las Palmas Avenue Condominiums 29 du Apartments 196 du 378 sf 44. Kaiser Permanente Medical 4905 W Hollywood Boulevard 43,000 sf 45. Sunset & Vine Mixed-Use 1538 N Vine Street Apartments 306 du 68,000 sf 46. Apartments & 6758 W Yucca Street Apartments 270 du 8,500 sf 47. Restaurant & Multi-Purpose Entertainment Venue 6506 Hollywood Boulevard Drinking Place 12,255 sf Restaurant 745 sf 48. Condos & 5663 Melrose Avenue Condominiums 96 du 3,350 sf 49. & Building 6904 W Hollywood Boulevard 29,900 sf 16,700 sf 50. Residential Development 6001 W Carlton Way Condominiums 42 du 51. Hotel 6600 W Sunset Boulevard Hotel 50 rm Page III-8

10 Table III-1 (Continued) 52. Mixed-Use Residential and 6911 W Santa Monica Boulevard Condominiums 374 du 15,000 sf 53. Wilcox Selma Condo 6156 Selma Avenue and Condos 85,000 sf 54. Apartments 7046 W Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 42 du 55. Paseo Plaza 5601 W Santa Monica Boulevard Apartments 437 du 377,900 sf 56. Nickelodeon Hollywood 6254 W Sunset Boulevard Apartments 223 du 23,000 sf Shopping Center 5,000 sf 57. Hollywood Freeway Central Park a,c Hollywood Freeway (US 101) Cap Park Over US acres 58. NBC Universal Evolution Plan a,d 100 Universal City Plaza N/A Mixed-Use Residential & 7107 Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 410 du 10,000 sf 60. John Anson Ford Theatre a,e 2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East Theater (net new) 311 seats Restaurant 5,400 sf Hiking Trail 0.75 miles 30 empl Bronson Avenue 1717 N Bronson Avenue Apartments 93 du 62. Ametron 1546 N Argyle Avenue 169,463 sf 24,200 sf 63. Sunset + Wilcox 1541 N Wilcox Avenue Hotel 225 rm 64. Hyatt House Hotel & 6611 W Hollywood Boulevard Hotel 195 rm Grocery Store 19,500 sf High-Turnover Restaurant 1,500 sf Quality Restaurant 7,200 sf 65. Mixed-Use 1350 N Western Avenue Apartments 52 du 4,200 sf Page III-9

11 Table III-1 (Continued) 66. Palladium Residences 6201 W Sunset Boulevard Apartments 731 du High-Turnover Restaurant 5,000 sf 21,000 sf Coffee Shop 2,000 sf 67. Hollywood Hotel 5600 W Hollywood Boulevard Hotel 80 rm Hollywood 5750 Hollywood Boulevard Apartments 162 du 5,000 sf 69. Sunset Crescent Heights 8150 Sunset Boulevard Apartments 249 du 51,150 sf Supermarket 24,811 sf Bank 5,094 sf Quality Restaurant 22,189 sf Dance/Yoga Studio 8,095 sf Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard Apartments 236 du 20,000 sf High-Turnover Restaurant 10,000 sf 71. Academy Square 1341 Vine Street 282,500 sf Apartments 250 du Hotel 100 rm du = dwelling units sf = square feet rm = rooms empl = employees a This related project is not anticipated to be completed by the Project buildout year of b Transportation Study for the Paramount Studios Master Plan, Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., c Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report, Page III-10

12 Table III-1 (Continued) d NBC Universal Evolution Plan Alternative 10 Transportation Analysis, Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., e Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Ford Theatres Project, Source: Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc. in consultation with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, September 2013 and June 2014; and Los Angeles Department of City Planning, November Page III-11

13 Figure III-1 Location of Related Projects Source: Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., 2015.

III. Environmental Setting

III. Environmental Setting A. Overview of Environmental Setting This section of the Draft EIR provides an overview of the existing regional and local setting in which the Project Site is located, and a brief description of the existing