Notice of Preparation OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING September 28, 2017 CASE NO.: ENV-2017-2513-EIR PROJECT NAME: 945 W. 8 th Street Project PROJECT APPLICANT: Maguire Properties 755 S. Figueroa, LLC PROJECT ADDRESS: 925, 945 & 1013 W. 8 th St.; 701, 705, 707, 709, 711, 725, 735, 775, & 777 S. Figueroa St.; and 906, 914 & 920 W. 7 th Street., Los Angeles, CA, 90015 COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA: Central City Community Plan Area COUNCIL DISTRICT: 14 - José Huizar PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: September 28, 2017 October 27, 2017 SCOPING MEETING: 5:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M., October 19, 2017. See below for additional information. The City of Los Angeles (City) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed 945 W. 8th Street Project (Project). In accordance with Section 15082 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the City has prepared this Notice of Preparation to provide the public, nearby residents and property owners, responsible agencies, and other interested parties with information regarding the Project and its potential environmental effects. The EIR will be prepared by outside consultants under the supervision of the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning. The City requests your written comments as to the scope and contents of the EIR, including mitigation measures or project alternatives to reduce potential environmental impacts from the project. Comments must be submitted in writing according to directions below. If you represent a public agency, the City seeks written comments as to the scope and content of the environmental information in the EIR that are germane to your agency s statutory responsibilities in connection with the project. Your agency may need to use the EIR prepared by the City when considering your permit or other approval for the project. A Public Scoping Meeting will be held to receive input as to what environmental topics the EIR should study. No decisions about the project are made at the Public Scoping Meeting. Additional project details, meeting information, and instructions for public comment submittal are listed below. PROJECT LOCATION AND EXISTING ON-SITE USES: The Project Site is located at 945 W. 8 th Street. The Project Site is part of the greater Unified Development Site. 1 The Unified Development site includes the Project Site and the remainder of the block bounded by SR-110, W. 7 th Street, S. Figueroa Street, and W. 8 th Street. The Project Site and greater Unified Development Site are located within the Financial District and near the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment District (LASED) and Convention Center, within the Central City Community Plan Area in Downtown Los Angeles (See attached Project Location Map). The 945 W. 8 th Street Project (The Project) proposes to develop a mixed-use residential and commercial development on an approximately 1.29-acre (56,220-square-foot) vacant rectangular site (Project Site) within the larger approximately 7.7-acre Unified Development Site. No new development is proposed outside of the 1 Unified Development is a term used in the Conditional Use Permit entitlement that allows the averaging or the transfer of excess floor area from one or more lots to another lot that meets the definition of a Unified Development. Pursuant to the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) 12.24 W.19, Floor Area Ratio Averaging and Residential Density Transfer in Unified Developments (Amended by Ord. No. 182,451, Eff. 4/4/13), a Unified Development is a development comprised of a combination of functional linkages, such as pedestrian or vehicular connections; which is in conjunction with common architectural and landscape features, which constitute distinctive design elements of the development; which is composed of two or more contiguous parcels, or lots of record separated only by a street or alley; and when the development is viewed from adjoining streets appears to be a consolidated whole. Notice of Preparation for 945 W. 8th Street Project Page 1 of 5
Project Site, and existing uses within the Unified Development Site would continue to operate as under existing conditions. The mixed-use Project would include up to 791,843 square feet of floor area in a single tower atop an 11-level podium (Podium) with two entirely subterranean levels (below grade relative to W. 8 th Street), three partially subterranean levels (above grade as viewed from W. 8 th Street and below grade relative to W. 7 th Street), and six above-grade levels. The total maximum building height would be approximately 64 stories or 695 feet above grade as viewed from W. 8 th Street, with residential uses located within 56 abovegrade floors. The Project would include a total of up to 781 residential units and up to approximately 6,700 square feet of commercial retail and/or restaurant uses. Commercial uses would be located at ground level at the Level B1 Plaza level (Level B1 Plaza) adjacent to the existing outdoor plaza immediately to the east. Parking would be provided on-site within the Podium with vehicular access provided from both W. 8 th Street and from W. 7 th Street. The Project would be constructed in a single phase, which is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2019 and end in 2023. Construction activities would generally be limited to the Unified Development Site, with staging of construction equipment, materials, and supplies occurring within the Project Site and adjacent portions of the existing outdoor plaza. Construction worker parking is expected to be provided in the existing commercial parking structure, though it is possible that off-site parking areas may also be identified, as needed, if additional parking capacity is required during peak phases of construction. It is anticipated that grading and earthwork activities for the Project would require the export of up to approximately 227,500 cubic yards of soil material, which would be transported off-site to an inert waste disposal site located in Irwindale, California, approximately 24 miles from the Unified Development Site. Proposed Project Land Use Space Residential Studio Units 208 units 1-Bedroom Units 371 units 2-Bedroom Units 171 units 3-Bedroom Units 31 units Total Residential Units 781 units Residential Unit Floor Area 774,843 sf Residential Amenities Total Residential Amenities 10,300 sf Total Residential Floor Area 785,143 sf Commercial Retail/Restaurant 6,700 sf Total Commercial Floor Area 6,700 sf Total Building Floor Area 791,843 sf Open Space Common Open Space 66,800 sf Residential Recreation Space 10,300 sf Residential Private Open Space 7,600 sf Total Open Space Area 84,700 sf Notes: sf = square feet Source: ESA PCR and Marmol Radziner, 2017 Notice of Preparation for 945 W. 8th Street Project Page 2 of 5
REQUESTED PERMITS/APPROVALS: The Project is requesting the following discretionary entitlements: 1. Certification of an Environmental Impact Report; 2. Vesting Tentative Tract Map (VTT-75003) pursuant to LAMC Section 17.05 for the following: a. An airspace subdivision with one (1) ground lot and three (3) airspace lots for a mixed-use development located at 945 W. 8th Street containing 781 residential condominium units, 6,700 square feet of commercial floor area and three (3) commercial condominium units. b. A Waiver of the Deputy Advisory Agency's Parking Policy AA 2000-1 to allow a residential parking ratio of 1.064 spaces per dwelling unit (in accordance with the Central City Area Parking Exception for dwelling units) in lieu of two residential parking spaces and.25 guest parking spaces per dwelling unit. c. The Project also requests that the proposed haul route be approved concurrent with the Vesting Tentative Tract Map. 3. Conditional Use Permit for Floor Area Averaging in Unified Developments pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24.W.19. to: a. Allow floor area averaging to permit the construction, use and maintenance of an approximately 64-story mixed-use development containing approximately 791,843 square feet; b. Allow required Common Open Space and required trees to be located on an adjacent lot within the Unified Development; and c. Pursuant to Section 12.24 F, a modification of the area regulations to allow the required passageway to be located on an adjacent lot within the Unified Development. 4. Conditional Use Permit (Alcohol) pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24.W.1 for the on-site sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages in conjunction with a proposed 6,700 square-foot restaurant; 5. Site Plan Review pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05; 6. Termination of the CRA/LA Participation Agreement; 7. Pursuant to various sections of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, the Project would request approvals and permits from the Building and Safety Department (and other municipal agencies) for construction actions including, but not limited to the following: demolition, excavation, shoring, grading, haul route, foundation and building; and 8. Other approvals as needed and as may be required. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT: Based on an Initial Study, the proposed project could have potentially significant environmental impacts in the following topic areas, which will to be addressed in the EIR: Aesthetics, Air Quality, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation/Traffic and Utilities/Service Systems/Energy. PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING: A Public Scoping Meeting will be held in an open house format to share information regarding the proposed project and the environmental review process and to receive written public comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental analysis to be addressed in the EIR. City staff, environmental consultants, and project representatives will be available, but no formal presentation is scheduled. You may stop by at any time between 5:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. to view materials, ask questions, and provide written comments. The City encourages all interested individuals and organizations to attend this meeting. Written comments may be submitted, but there will be no verbal comments or public testimony taken Notice of Preparation for 945 W. 8th Street Project Page 3 of 5
at the Scoping Meeting. No decisions about the project will be made at the Scoping Meeting. A separate public hearing for Municipal Code entitlement requests, will be scheduled after the completion of the EIR. The date, time, and location of the public scoping meeting are as follows: Date: Thursday, October 19, 2017 Time: 5:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M. Location: 777 S. Figueroa Street, 13 th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (Attendees must check in with security desk in lobby) Free (validated) parking is available at the FIGat7th parking structure adjacent to and northwest of the Project Site (945 W. 8 th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017). FILE REVIEW AND COMMENTS: The enclosed materials reflect the scope of the project. The environmental file is available for public review at the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 750, Los Angeles, CA 90012, during office hours Monday - Friday, 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. A copy of this notice and the Initial Study prepared for the project may be viewed with the environmental file or online at http://planning.lacity.org by clicking on the Environmental Review tab, then Notice of Preparation & Public Scoping Meetings. The City will consider all written comments regarding the potential environmental impacts of the project and issues to be addressed in the EIR. Written comments must be submitted to this office by 4:00 pm, October 27, 2017. Written comments will also be accepted at the scoping meeting described above. Please direct your comments to: Mail: William Lamborn Major Projects and Environmental Analysis Section Department of City Planning 200 N. Spring Street, Room 750 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone: (213) 978-1470 E-mail: william.lamborn@lacity.org ACCOMMODATIONS: As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability. The Public Scoping Meeting facility and its parking are wheelchair accessible. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. Other services, such as translation between English and other languages, may also be provided upon written request submitted a minimum of seven (7) working days in advance to: per.planning@lacity.org. Be sure to identify the language you need English to be translated into, and indicate if the request is for oral or written translation services. If translation of a written document is requested, please include the document to be translated as an attachment to your email. VINCENT P. BERTONI, AICP Director of Planning Notice of Preparation for 945 W. 8th Street Project Page 4 of 5
Sergio Ibarra City Planner Major Projects and Environmental Analysis Section Attachments: Regional and Site Location Map (Scoping Meeting Location) Aerial Photograph of Project Site and Vicinity Unified Development Site Overall Site Plan 500-foot Radius Map Puede obtener información en Español acerca de esta junta llamando al (213) 978-1300. Notice of Preparation for 945 W. 8th Street Project Page 5 of 5
Project Site Path: U:\GIS\GIS\Projects\17xxxx\D170007_755_Figueroa\03_MXDs_Projects\2017 - Project Description\Fig A-1 - Regional Location and Vicinity Map - 8x11-05-18-17.mxd, dkaneshiro 8/3/2017 N 0 600 Feet Project Site Unified Development Site SOURCE: Open Street Map, 2016. 945 W. 8th Street Project Figure 1 Regional Location and Vicinity Map
Wilshire Grand Center Wedbush Center Path: U:\GIS\GIS\Projects\17xxxx\D170007_755_Figueroa\03_MXDs_Projects\2017 - Project Description\Fig A-2 - Aerial Photograph and Surrounding Land Uses - 8x11-06-29-17.mxd, dkaneshiro 8/3/2017 Mixed-Use Multi-family Residential and Commercial Metropolis (Under Construction) N SR-110 Freeway FIG at 7th Parking Structure Commercial Parking 0 400 Feet 801 S. Figueroa Office Tower 777 Tower FIG at 7th Shopping Center Public Parking Ernst & Young Tower Project Site Unified Development Site SOURCE: Google Earth, 2016-10-18 (Aerial). 945 W. 8th Street Project Figure 2 Aerial Photograph and Surrounding Land Uses
D170007.00 N 0 128 Feet SOURCE: ESA, 2016 945 W. 8th Street Project Figure 3 Uni ied Development Site
D170007.00 N 0 100 Feet SOURCE: Marmol Radziner, 2017 945 W. 8th Street Project Figure 4 Overall Site Plan