II. Project Description (Metro)
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II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION A. PROJECT LOCATION The purpose of this Section is to identify the primary objectives and project characteristics of the Metro Universal Project (the “Project”). As discussed on the following pages, the Project would involve the construction and operation of new development on sites currently occupied by park & ride and transit bus facilities operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“Metro”) above the Universal City Metro Red Line station. The Project is proposed to be developed on an approximately 14.34-acre site, which is located in the City of Los Angeles approximately 2 miles north of Hollywood and 10 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles (the “Project Site”). Organization of the Section A. PROJECT LOCATION B. PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS 1. EXISTING CONDITIONS a. Project Site i. Sites A & B ii. Site C iii. Site D iv. Site E b. Description of Surrounding Area i. Campo de Cahuenga Historic Site ii. Surrounding Land Uses iii. Surrounding Neighborhoods 2. PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS a. Phase 1 i. Sites A and B (1) Proposed Development Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-1 City of Los Angeles August 2008 (2) Parking and Transit Facilities (a) Metro Bus Transit Plaza (b) Site B Parking Garage (c) Parking to Serve the Project (d) Loading Dock (3) Access and Circulation (4) Site Plan and Design Elements (a) Pedestrian and Retail Facilities (b) Outdoor Dining Patio (c) Potential Land Exchange (d) Communication Facilities (e) Utility Improvements ii. Site C iii. Site D iv. Site E b. Phase 2 i. Sites A and B ii. Site C (1) Proposed Development (2) Parking Facilities (3) Access and Circulation (4) Site Plan and Design Elements iii. Site D Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-2 City of Los Angeles August 2008 iv. Site E c. Additional Project Features in Phase 1 and 2 i. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Features ii. Signs and Identity Elements C. PROJECT OBJECTIVES D. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TIMEFRAME E. INTENDED USE OF EIR, RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES, AND DISCRETIONARY ACTIONS Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-3 City of Los Angeles August 2008 PROJECT LOCATION The Project Site is located approximately 1.2 miles south and east of the junction of U.S. Route 101 (Hollywood Freeway) and State Route 134 (Ventura Freeway). The Project Site is generally bounded by Bluffside Drive to the north and west, Lankershim Boulevard to the east, and Ventura Boulevard to the south and west. Campo de Cahuenga Way and the Hollywood Freeway bisect the Project Site at the central and southern portions of the site, respectively. The Project region and vicinity are shown in Figure II-1. Five separate parcels comprise the Project Site. These parcels are respectively referred to as Sites A, B, C, D, and E and are shown on Figure II-2. Sites A and B are located north of Campo de Cahuenga Way, Site C is located south of Campo de Cahuenga Way and north of the Hollywood Freeway, and Sites D and E are located on the north side of Ventura Boulevard and south of the Hollywood Freeway. Approximate acreage and current ownership for each of the parcels comprising the Project Site are shown in Table II-1. Table II-1 Project Site Parcels Site Acreage Current Ownership A 3.85 Metro B 3.58 Metro C 3.58 Metro D 1.25 State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)1 E 2.08 County of Los Angeles (County) 1 This site is leased from Caltrans by Metro for use as a park & ride lot. Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-4 City of Los Angeles August 2008 Figure II-1, Regional Vicinity Map Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-5 City of Los Angeles August 2008 Figure II-2, Project Site Parcels Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-6 II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION B. PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS 1. EXISTING CONDITIONS a. Project Site The Project Site is located entirely within the City of Los Angeles, north of the foothills of the north face of the Santa Monica Mountains and contains generally flat topography. The Project Site presently operates as a transit/transportation hub associated with the Universal City Metro Red Line station. The Metro Red Line subway runs under the Project Site, and the underground station is located just west of the corner of Lankershim Boulevard and Campo de Cahuenga Way. North of the Project Site, the subway runs under Lankershim Boulevard to the North Hollywood Metro Red Line station, which is the terminus of the Red Line (see Figure II-1). South of the Project Site, the subway runs in a tunnel beneath the Santa Monica Mountains to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Red Line station. Figure II-3 shows the existing site plan for the Project Site. Figure II-4 shows an aerial view of the Project Site and surrounding areas. The existing uses/operations located on each of the parcels that comprise the Project Site are: i. Sites A & B Sites A and B contain surface park & ride lots that provide 564 parking spaces for Metro patrons and is also used by the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre for remote parking from time to time. Except for 80 spaces that are reserved for permit holders, these spaces are made available on a first-come, first-served basis, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. There is presently no charge to park in the non-reserved park & ride spaces. For the 80 reserved spaces located within Sites A and B, Metro operates a Paid-For-Parking program that allows patrons to purchase permits that allow them to park in any space within the designated "RESERVED" parking area before 11 a.m., Monday through Friday. After 11 a.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, all parking, including reserved areas, is available to all Metro patrons. The park & ride lots are accessed by driveways located on Lankershim Boulevard and Campo de Cahuenga Way (Figure II-3). A drop-off area for transit patrons (“kiss & ride”) is located in the central part of Sites A and B, just west of the Campo de Cahuenga historic site. This area provides curbside space for approximately four automobiles to stop and discharge passengers. No parking is permitted in this area. An open plaza with landscaping is provided between the kiss & ride facility and the portal entrance to the underground Metro station located at the northwest corner of Lankershim Boulevard and Campo de Cahuenga Way. This portal provides stairway and escalator access to a mezzanine level that crosses under Campo de Cahuenga Way to the station entrance that leads down one additional level to the station platform. Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-7 City of Los Angeles August 2008 Figure II-3, Existing Site Plan Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-8 City of Los Angeles August 2008 Figure II-4, Aerial Photo of Project Site and Surrounding Area Metro Universal Project II. Project Description Draft Environmental Impact Report Page II-9 City of Los Angeles August 2008 In addition, an elevator providing access to the mezzanine and station platform levels is located adjacent to the escalator/stairway entrance, at the northwest corner of the intersection of Campo de Cahuenga Way and Lankershim Boulevard. A decorative concrete block wall and landscaped buffer area presently separate the park & ride facilities on Sites A and B from the adjacent Bluffside Drive roadway and the Weddington Park (South) recreation facility. ii. Site C Site C presently contains Metro bus loading/drop-off, transfer, and layover facilities, and a portal entrance to the Metro station (Figures II-3 and II-4). Access to this facility (bus only; no automobile access allowed) is provided from Campo de Cahuenga Way. Buses enter the facility and then proceed to the south end of Site C where they loop around to access one of ten bus loading bays, five of which are actively used at present,1 where passenger drop-off and loading take place. An open plaza with landscaping is provided between the bus bays and the portal, located at the southwest corner of Lankershim Boulevard and Campo de Cahuenga Way. This plaza provides a convenient pedestrian way for patrons to access both the buses and the Metro station. Similar to the portal on the north side of Campo de Cahuenga Way, the southwest portal provides stairway and escalator access to a mezzanine level that crosses under Campo de Cahuenga Way to the station entrance that leads down one additional level to the station platform. In addition, an elevator providing access to the mezzanine and station platform levels is located adjacent to the escalator/stairway entrance. For bus lines where the Universal City Metro Red Line station serves as the “end of the line,” a bus layover facility is provided at the north end of Site C. After discharging passengers at the bus bay, buses laying over at Site C proceed north to a parking area where the bus can remain until the driver’s next route starts. Restroom and lounge facilities accessible to Metro employees are also provided on Site C. iii. Site D Site D is owned by the State of California Department of Transportation (“Caltrans”). It is currently leased by Metro for use by the Metro transit patrons as a park & ride surface lot and contains approximately 68 striped parking spaces.