Env-2018-1651-Is-4

Appendix IS-4 Paleontological Resources Records Search Vertebrate Paleontology Section Telephone: (213) 763-3325

22 August 2018

Eyestone Environmental 2121 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 3355 El Segundo, CA 90245

Attn: Stephanie Eyestone-Jones, President re: Paleontological resources for the proposed 8000 West 3rd Street Project, in the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, project area

Dear Stephanie:

I have conducted a thorough check of our paleontology collection records for the locality and specimen data for the proposed 8000 West 3rd Street Project, in the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, project area as outlined on the portion of the Hollywood USGS topographic quadrangle map that Jacqueline De La Rocha sent to me via e-mail on 8 August 2018. We have a vertebrate fossil locality that occurs within or adjacent to the proposed project area boundaries, and we have other localities nearby from the same sedimentary deposits that occur subsurface in the proposed project area.

The surficial deposits in the entire proposed project area consist of younger Quaternary Alluvium, derived as alluvial fan deposits from the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. These deposits typically do not contain significant vertebrate fossils in the uppermost layers, but in this vicinity these deposits grade down into older Quaternary deposits typically referred to as the Palos Verdes Sand that do contain significant fossil vertebrate remains. Near the intersection of 3rd Street and Edinburgh Avenue, at the northeast corner of the proposed project area, our older Quaternary locality LACM 1268 produced an undetermined fossil elephant, Proboscidea, at a depth of 20 feet below the surface. We have several older Quaternary localities from excavations at the Park La Brea just to the east: LACM 7513-7516, immediately east of the proposed project area south of Third Street between Curson Avenue and Genesee Avenue; and LACM 7517-7518, further east of the proposed project area south of Third Street near the intersection with Fuller Avenue. These localities produced a similar fauna containing fossil specimens of garter snake, Thamnophis, ground sloth, Glossotherium harlani, cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus, kangaroo rat, Dipodomys, meadow mouse, Microtus californicus, deer mouse, Peromyscus, pocket gopher, Thomomys, spotted skunk, Spilogale, horse, Equus occidentalis, and camel, Camelops hesternus, at depths as shallow as 3 feet. We have two vertebrate fossil localities from excavations for the adjacent The Grove project: LACM 7495, directly north of the proposed project area, that produced a fossil fauna containing specimens of pond turtle, Clemmys, garter snake, Thamnophis, mammoth, Mammuthus columbi, cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus, kangaroo rat, Dipodomys, meadow mouse, Microtus, pocket gopher, Thomomys, horse, Equus occidentalis, bison, Bison antiquus, and camel, Camelops hesternus, at a depth of about 10 feet; and LACM 7478, just east of north of the proposed project area, that produced fossil specimens of pocket gopher, Thomomys, at a depth of 46 feet. Just west of north of the proposed project area, along Beverly Boulevard near the intersection with Kilkea Drive, our older Quaternary locality LACM 2034 [equals LACM 3261 collected from excavations for the North Outfall Sewer project in the early 20th Century produced fossil specimens of mastodon, Mammut americanum, and mammoth, Mammuthus, at unknown depth;

Shallow excavations in the younger Quaternary Alluvium exposed throughout the proposed project may not uncover significant vertebrate fossils. Deeper excavations that extend down into older Quaternary sediments exposed, however, may well encounter significant fossil vertebrate remains. Any substantial excavations in the proposed project area, therefore, should be closely monitored to quickly and professionally collect any specimens without impeding development. Sediment samples from the proposed project area should also be collected and processed to determine the small fossil potential of the site. Any fossils recovered during mitigation should be deposited in an accredited and permanent scientific institution for the benefit of current and future generations.

This records search covers only the vertebrate paleontology records of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. It is not intended to be a thorough paleontological survey of the proposed project area covering other institutional records, a literature survey, or any potential on-site survey.

Sincerely,

Samuel A. McLeod, Ph.D. Vertebrate Paleontology enclosure: invoice