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Home , La Brea Avenue, Pico Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard

III. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

Section 15125 of the Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines requires that an 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.

A. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

1. Project Site and Surrounding Area

Location

As stated in Section II, Project Description, the project site is located in the Wilshire Community Plan Area, approximately 2.5 miles north of the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10). In addition, the northern one-third portion of the project site is located within the Miracle Mile District, a mile-long commercial corridor fronting Wilshire from Sycamore Avenue to . The Wilshire and LaBrea Project consists of a residential component and a retail/restaurant component. Specifically, the proposed project is situated on a 147,057-square-foot site that is bound by to the north, Sycamore Avenue to the east, 8th Street on the south, and to the west.

Existing Land Uses

The Wilshire Community Plan Area has a pattern of low- to medium-density residential uses interspersed with areas of higher-density residential uses. Long, narrow corridors of commercial activity can be found along major , including Wilshire Boulevard. The Miracle Mile District consists of a mixture of commercial, retail, upscale restaurants, and museums that are very popular destinations for tourists. The district also consists of single-family and multi-family residential areas predominately found to the south and east of the project site.

Other prominent land uses in the immediate vicinity of the project site include high-rise office buildings, , , County Museum of Art (LACMA), Cantor Sculpture Garden, Japanese Art Pavilion, and many surface parking lots. The photographs contained in Figures III-1, Surrounding Land Uses, through III-5, Surrounding Land Uses, depict surrounding land uses.

The project site is currently occupied by a church, a commercial strip center, and paved parking areas. The paved parking areas are utilized by both the church and commercial strip center patrons. Land uses

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-1 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting surrounding the Wilshire and La Brea site generally include: commercial-retail, office, and residential uses. Specifically, surrounding the site are the following:

 North: Existing land uses north of the project site include a Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Customer Center, the E. Clem Wilson Building, an office building with ground-floor retail, the Zephyr Club, an office building a fast food restaurant, and a car dealership.

 South: Existing land uses south of the project site currently include a tire store and other small retail stores and apartments.

 East: Existing land uses east of the project site currently include residential dwellings and a commercial strip center with various commercial-retail uses.

 West: Existing land uses west of the project site include commercial retail and office uses.

Transportation

Roadway Infrastructure

The project site is served by the local road system. Regional access to and from the project site is provided by the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), located approximately 2.5 miles south of the site. The primary north-south street serving the project site is La Brea Avenue. The primary east-west street serving the project area is Wilshire Boulevard. Immediate access to the Wilshire and La Brea Project site is provided via Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. The existing streets in the vicinity of the project site generally form a grid system, thus allowing easy access to and from the site in all directions.

Public Transportation Services

There are two main sources of public transportation near the project site: the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT). As shown in Figure III-6, Public Transportation Routes, the MTA and LADOT operate several bus routes in the vicinity of the project site. The MTA offers routes 212 and 312 along La Brea Avenue between and Hawthorne, but the routes are generally limited. Along Wilshire Boulevard, the MTA also offers bus routes 20/21 and 720 between and Santa Monica. In addition, the MTA operates the Metro Purple Line in the vicinity of the project. The closest Purple Line station to the proposed project is located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue, approximately 2 miles east of the project site. The Purple Line provides service from the Wilshire and Western Station down to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, thereby linking the project area to the continually expanding rail network. There is also a transfer station located at Wilshire Boulevard and that allows people traveling on the Purple Line to transfer to the Metro Red Line. The Red Line provides rail transportation through Downtown Los Angeles, the Mid-Wilshire District, and North Hollywood.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-2 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 Surrounding land use for southwest corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing south

Surrounding land use for southwest corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing southwest

SOURCE: EFI Global, Inc. – November 2006 FIGURE III-1 Surrounding Land Uses

906-001•06/07 Surrounding land use for southwest corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing west.

Surrounding land use for southeast corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing east.

SOURCE: EFI Global, Inc. – November 2006 FIGURE III-2 Surrounding Land Uses

906-001•06/07 Surrounding land use for northeast corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing east.

Surrounding land use for northeast corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing south.

SOURCE: EFI Global, Inc. – November 2006 FIGURE III-3 Surrounding Land Uses

906-001•06/07 Surrounding land use for northeast corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing northeast.

Surrounding land use for northeast corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing north.

SOURCE: EFI Global, Inc. – November 2006 FIGURE III-4 Surrounding Land Uses

906-001•06/07 Surrounding land use for northwest corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing north.

Surrounding land use for northwest corner of the Wilshire/La Brea property viewing west.

SOURCE: EFI Global, Inc. – November 2006 FIGURE III-5 Surrounding Land Uses

906-001•06/07 Project Site

Metro Bus and Metro Train Routes Map

Project Site

LADOT Dash Routes Map

SOURCE: LADOT City of Los Angels Department of Transportation; LACMTA Metro System Map - 2007. FIGURE III-6 Public Transportation Routes

906-001•06/07 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

The LADOT also provides a bus service in the vicinity of the project site. The DASH Fairfax (E) route provides service to the project site with two local bus stops, one at Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, and another on La Brea Avenue just south of 6th Street. Bus service at these locations is available about every 15 minutes.

Public Services and Utility 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 through the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). Natural gas service is provided through Gas Company. Wastewater is conveyed and treated by the Los Angeles Department of Public Works (LADPW). 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 vicinity.

2. Applicable Plans and Policies

The following presents an overview of the regulatory framework applicable to the project site. A review of the consistency of the project with these local and regional plans is included in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis.

The City of Los Angeles General Plan

California state law (Government Code Section 65300) requires that each City prepares and adopts a comprehensive, long-term general plan for its future development. Adopted in 1996, the City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element presents the long-range, comprehensive growth strategy and provides a Citywide context within which local planning can take place. The City’ general plan Land Use Element is composed of community plans that establish land use policy and standards for each of the 35 community planning areas. The project site is located within the Wilshire Community Plan Area, which is surrounded by the Hollywood Community Plan Area to the north, the Silver Lake–Echo Park and Westlake Community Plan Areas to the east, the South and West-Adams- Leimert-Baldwin Hills Plan Areas to the south, and the Community Plan Area to the west. In addition, the northern one-third portion of the project site is also located within the boundaries of the Miracle Mile Community Design Overlay District (CDO), which oversees and implements specific plans for enhancing the Miracle Mile District of the Wilshire Community Plan.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-9 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

Wilshire Community Plan

As stated above, the proposed project lies within the Wilshire Community Plan Area. The Wilshire Community Plan Area is bounded by and Rosewood Avenue to the north, Hoover Street to the east, 18th Street, and 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 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 quality of the built environment through design guidelines, streetscape improvements, and other physical improvements, which enhance the appearance of the community.

Miracle Mile Community Design Overlay District

The Miracle Mile District is a 1-mile stretch of Wilshire Boulevard that is located between Sycamore Avenue to the east and Fairfax Avenue to the west. Conceived as an affluent shopping area for the nouveau riche in the early 1920s, the district was designed with the newly introduced automobile in mind. As a result, Wilshire Boulevard was much wider than other streets in the City at the time with large storefronts and windows so that motorists could easily see what was inside of the stores lining the roadway. However, unlike commercial strip malls of today, the Miracle Mile still resembled a traditional main street with a strong pedestrian orientation. Thus, the Miracle Mile was developed to accommodate

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-10 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting both pedestrians and automobiles with parking located in the rear and two dominant entrances, one in the front for pedestrians and one in the rear for those traveling by car. These retail buildings were also highly stylized, designed in Art Deco, and constructed of high-quality materials to lure wealthy clients.

Today, Miracle Mile is characterized by numerous high-rise office buildings, neighborhood retail, well-known entertainment establishments, and the City’s greatest concentration of museums. The district also contains some of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the country. Over the years, many of the premier examples of this Art Deco architecture have been demolished to make room for new development. Unfortunately, much of this new development has been inconsistent with the surrounding environment.

The Miracle Mile Community Design Overlay works within the Wilshire Community Plan to specifically create guidelines that enhance the identity of the 1-mile district. These guidelines set forth in the Miracle Mile CDO help establish goals that

 promote development that preserves and enhances the physical appearance of the corridor and contributes to the District’s unique historical context;

 encourage development that adds to a pedestrian friendly retail environment and contributes to the safety and comfort of both pedestrian and automobile traffic;

 provide direction in site planning and insure a high degree of design quality in development of the Miracle Mile through the use of Design Guidelines and Standards; and

 preserve architecturally significant buildings in the Miracle Mile by providing direction of the responsible rehabilitation of these developments.

The Miracle Mile CDO has also created five specific building design-principles for new developments to help coincide with the structures that already exist along the Miracle Mile. These guidelines have helped promote and enhance the quality of the district. The Wilshire and La Brea Project will adhere to these five guidelines to help establish an appropriate development for the property. Specifically, these five guidelines state

 Consistency: The Miracle Mile CDO features a mixture of development types including high-rise office towers, large-scale commercial development, neighborhood-serving retail, nighttime entertainment venues, and regionally significant museums. Design of these structures has been influenced by use, age, and site dimensions. Within the context of these constraints, developments can achieve the principle of consistency through selection of colors, exterior surface materials, landscaping and sign programs.

 Activity: Active street life, which can be enhanced by design considerations, is a major component of thriving pedestrian commercial districts. In spite of recent development, which has detracted from a pedestrian environment, many of the area’s residents, workers and shoppers opt to walk along the Miracle

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-11 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

Mile. Through building orientation, circulation, storefront design and landscaping, development can further promote the principle of pedestrian activity.

 Pedestrian Orientation: Pedestrian orientation can be achieved through storefront ornamentation, reduction of blank surfaces, building articulation, color, and texture. Guidelines and Standards based upon this principal address wall surfaces, windows, awnings, signage, and architectural treatments.

 Safety: Public safety is critical to the success of a commercial district. Public safety in this case refers not only to safety from criminal activity, but also creating an environment in which pedestrian and automobile traffic can safely coexist. The design and development of commercial centers and the public open space adjacent to them should include considerations of public safety. Public safety issues can be addressed through site planning considerations such as the location of parking lots, lighting, signage and landscaping.

 Simplicity: Design Guidelines and Standards for the Miracle Mile CDO should provide for public convenience by clearly identifying the nature of the business and communicating points of ingress and egress for pedestrian and automobile traffic

The City of Los Angeles Municipal Code

The project site is subject to the provisions of the City of Los Angeles Municipal Code, particularly the planning and zoning provisions of Chapter 1. The Los Angeles Zoning Code is the primary tool for implementing the general plan Land Use Element. For each defined zone, the ordinance identifies permitted uses and applicable development standards for characteristics of development, such as density, height, parking, and landscaping requirements.

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 subregion within the RCPG. These forecasts provide parameters for the development of the Regional Mobility Element. The Regional

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-12 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

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.

Regional Transportation Plan

In addition to the RCPG, SCAG has prepared the 2004 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.

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 four 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.

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 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.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-13 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

South Coast Air Quality Management Plan

The Wilshire and La Brea Project 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, return clean air to the region, and minimize the impact on the economy. Projects that are considered 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.

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). The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (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 as a resource, information source and implementation tool for preserving and enhancing water quality in the region. This document 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.

B. RELATED PROJECTS

The analysis contained in Section IV of this draft EIR examines both project-specific impacts and the potential environmental effects associated 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, the analysis takes into consideration projections of cumulative growth that are contained in adopted planning documents of the City, SCAG, or the SCAQMD. Conversely, the analysis of the cumulative effects of localized impacts focuses on a list of related projects in the project vicinity.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-14 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

A list of potential projects in the project vicinity that might be developed within the study time frame was compiled based on information currently available from the City of Los Angeles City Planning Department, LADOT, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and recent studies of projects in the area. This list is presented in Table III-1, Related Projects. The locations of these projects relative to the proposed project are shown in Figure III-7, Related Projects. This list of projects accurately reflects the related project proposals at the time of preparation of this document.

Table III-1 Related Projects

# Location Land Use Size 1 820 Alta Vista Blvd. Residential 17 units 2 6824 W Lexington Ave. Residential 93 units 3 5920MelroseAve. Residential 54 units Retail 16,000 s.f. 4 5700WMelroseAve. Residential 21 units 5 803 N Wilcox Ave. Residential 14 units 6 717 N Highland Ave. Residential 27 units 7 5806 W Warning Ave. Residential 15 units 8 853 N Wilcox Ave. Residential 16 units 9 Poinsettia Place/ Lot Studio Expansion Santa Monica Blvd. 10 915 North La Brea Ave. Residential 221 units Market 40,000 s.f. 11 6911SantaMonicaBlvd. Office 60,000 s.f. Retail 20,000 s.f. Residential 350 units 12 6677SantaMonicaBlvd. Residential 787units Retail 12,700 s.f. Restaurant 9,500 s.f. 13 801FairfaxAve. Residential 93 units Retail 15,862 s.f. 14 6915MelroseAve. Residential 13 units Retail 7,500 s.f. 15 5663MelroseAve. Residential 96 units Retail 3,350 s.f. 16 7600BeverlyBlvd. Museum 8,375 s.f. 17 6300 3rd St. Residential 300 units 18 145 N. La Brea Ave. Retail 18,610 s.f. 19 La Brea Urban Lofts Residential 118 units Retail 26,400 s.f. Restaurant 3,000 s.f. 20 5863 3rd St. Residential 60 units Retail 5,350 s.f. 21 238 Manhattan Pl. Private School 90 s.f.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-15 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 III. General Description of Environmental Setting

# Location Land Use Size 22 450 Western Ave. Retail 63,692 s.f. Market 40,680 s.f. 23 648 Western Ave. Residential 240 units Retail 49,900 s.f. 24 3800 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 91 units 25 NWC Wilshire & Norton Residential 47 units Retail 8,000 s.f. 26 5115 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 173 units Retail 10,500 s.f. Restaurant 2,000 s.f. 27 5500 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 175 units 28 5600 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 288 units Retail 8,500 s.f. Restaurant 4,000 s.f. 29 725 Curson Ave. Office 28,800 s.f. 30 5900 Wilshire Blvd. Mixed Use 26,113 s.f. 31 6411 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 130 units Retail 29,060 s.f. Restaurant 2,500 s.f. 32 TheBeverlyConnection Mixed use 33 8525PicoBlvd. Residential 130 units Retail 29,060 s.f. 34 8536 Wilshire Blvd. Office 19,000 s.f. 35 8600 Wilshire Blvd. Mixed Use 41,500 s.f. 36 8601 Wilshire Blvd. Residential 37 units 37 4848 Wilshire Blvd. Apartments 20 units

Sources: 1 Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue Traffic Impact Analysis for a mixed-use project, Overland Traffic Consultant, Inc., March 2007. 2 EFI Global Final Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Wilshire Property, December 2006. 3 Los Angeles Department of Transportation Website, http://www.ladottransit.com, March 20, 2007. 4 Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority Website, http://www.mta.net/default.asp, March 20, 2007. 5 Miracle Mile Community Design Overlay District: Design and Guideline Standards, July 8, 2004. 6 Wilshire Community Plan: A part of the Los Angeles General Plan, September 19, 2001. sq. ft. = square feet

As indicated in Table III-1, related projects would result in approximately 3,600 residential units, 324,500 square feet of commercial-retail space, 107,800 square feet of office space, 80,700 square feet of market space, 67,600 square feet of mixed-use space, 17,000 square of restaurant space, 8,400 square feet of museum space, and about 100 square feet of private school space.

Los Angeles Department of City Planning III-16 Wilshire and La Brea Project Draft EIR Impact Sciences, Inc. (906-01) August 2008 n NOT TO SCALE

SOURCE: Overland Traffic Consultanta, Inc. – May 2007 FIGURE III-7 Location of Related Projects

906-001•06/07