Iii. Environmental Setting
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III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 1. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING A. Regional Setting The project site is located in Los Angeles County, in the Hollywood community of the City of Los Angeles (the “City”) (see Section II [Project Description], Figure II-1 [Regional and Project Vicinity Map]). The project site is also located within the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area and the Vermont/Western Station Neighborhood Area Plan (SNAP) Specific Plan. Regional access to the project site is provided via the Hollywood Freeway (US-101), located less than one half mile east of the project site, the Harbor Freeway (SR-110), located 4.2 miles northwest of the project site, and the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), located 4.2 miles north of project site. Hollywood Boulevard to the north, Western Avenue to the east, Santa Monica Boulevard to the south, and Vine Street to the west serve as the primary arterial roadways providing access to the area surrounding the project site. The project site spans across an entire block on Sunset Boulevard between Western Avenue and St. Andrews Place and is bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the north, St. Andrews Place to the west, De Longpre Avenue to the south, and Western Avenue to the east. Several public transport services run adjacent to the project site, including several Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) stations, City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT) bus routes, and the Metro Red Line. The nearest Metro Red Line station is located at Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue, three blocks north of the project site. B. Local Setting and Land Uses The project site, located in the Hollywood Community Plan Area and Hollywood Redevelopment Plan Area, encompasses approximately 3.69 acres, or approximately 160,736 square feet of land area on a rectangular shaped parcel. The project site has a corresponding existing zoning classification of C2-1. The project site is also located with Subarea C of the SNAP, which designates the site for Community Center uses as defined by the Framework Element of the General Plan. The SNAP restricts all Community Center uses to C4 uses as defined by the LAMC. Currently, the project site is occupied by a Department of Water and Power (DWP) electrical substation, a surface parking lot, and approximately 59,561 square feet of one-story vacant commercial buildings that used to house various businesses including a CVS/Pharmacy, a 3 Hermanos department store, a Farm Fresh Ranch Market, and a Carl’s Jr. Restaurant. The electrical facilities associated with the DWP substation are above ground and are enclosed by a chain link fence and masonry enclosures and occupy a substantial portion of the southeast corner of the site. Additionally, a vacant part of the southwestern corner of the site previously included a recycling center operation. Existing buildings are located on the southern portion of the lot with a surface parking area located on the northern portion of the lot. The existing buildings were constructed in the mid 1970s. The project site has minimal vegetation consisting of some shrubs and scattered pine and palm trees. The topography of the project site is relatively flat, with a gradual slope from the north to the south. Views of the existing project site are shown in Figures III-1 (Views of the Project Site, Views 1, 2, and 3) and III-2 (Views of the Project Site, Views 4, 5, and 6). Target at Sunset and Western III. Environmental Setting Page III-1 View 1: View from Sunset Boulevard looking south- View 2: View from Sunset Boulevard looking west across the project site. The parking lot, southwest across the project site. The parking vacant CVS Pharmacy, and vacant Farm Fresh lot, vacant Farm Fresh Market, and vacant 3 Market are visible on the project site. Hermanos are visible on the project site. Harold Way Western Avenue Western St. Andrew Place St. 2 1 Sunset Boulevard 3 De Longpre Avenue View 3: View from Sunset Boulevard looking south across the project site. The parking lot, PROJECT SITE vacant CVS Pharmacy, and vacant Carl’s Junior PHOTO LOCATION MAP Restaurant are visible on the project site. Source: EcoTierra Consulting, November 2010. Figure III-1 Views of the Project Site, Views 1, 2, and 3 View 4: View from De Longpre Avenue looking View 5: View from Western Avenue looking west north towards the project site. The electrical towards the project site. The electrical substation substation and the Carl’s Junior Restaurant are and the rear of the vacant commercial uses are visible on the project site. The Hollywood Hills to visible on the project site. the north of the project site are visible in the distance. Additionally, multi-family residential uses to the northeast of the project site and the McDon- alds Restaurant located east of the project site are also visible. Harold Way Western Avenue Western St. Andrew Place St. Sunset Boulevard 5 De Longpre Avenue View 6: View from De Longpre Avenue looking 6 4 northwest towards the project site. The rear of the PROJECT SITE vacant commercial uses are visible on the project PHOTO LOCATION MAP site. Source: EcoTierra Consulting, November 2010. Figure III-2 Views of the Project Site, Views 4, 5, and 6 City of Los Angeles January 2012 C. Surrounding Land Uses The project site is located in a highly developed urban area. General land uses in the vicinity of the project site include a mix of high-density commercial/retail uses, as well as single- and multi-family residential uses, contained in structures ranging from one- to five-stories, which are physically separated from the project site by arterial and non-arterial roadways. The following paragraphs describe the specific land uses in the project site vicinity. The project site is generally surrounded by low- to mid-height one-story commercial uses to the north, east, and west. To the northwest and north of the project site, across Sunset Boulevard, there are two, single-story commercial/retail complexes, and an associated surface parking lot. To the north of the project site, also across Sunset Boulevard, is a single-story Orchard Supply Hardware store, with an associated surface parking lot. To the northeast of the project site across Sunset Boulevard is a five- story, mixed-use building with ground floor commercial uses (a Walgreens drug store and a Verizon Store) and four floors of multi-family residential uses. On the northbound side of St. Andrews Place, north of Sunset Boulevard, is a complex of one-story residential bungalows and single-family residential uses. Views of the surrounding uses to the north are shown in Figure III-3 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 1, 2, and 3) and Figure III-4 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 4, 5, and 6). To the east of the project site, across Western Avenue, there is a single-story fast food establishment (a McDonalds), and an adjacent one-story commercial/retail complex with associated surface parking. To the southeast of the project site, across Western Avenue, is the three-story ICDC College. Views of the surrounding uses to the east are shown in Figure III-5 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 7, 8, and 9). A single-story post office and a three-story Assistance League of Southern California facility are located to the south of the project site, across De Longpre Avenue. The Assistance League provides a variety of services to the community, including the Learning Center for Young Children, which provides services to pre-kindergarten aged children, and the Children’s Club, which provides an academically-gifted kindergarten program and after school programs for ages 5 to 15. Both of these facilities are located on the west side of St. Andrews Place, south of De Longpre Avenue. Other services provided at the Assistance League include the Hollywood Senior Multi-Purpose Center, Family Service Agency, Operation School Bell (which provides school clothes to children), and the Theater for Children. The two-story Covenant House, which provides services to homeless teens, including temporary housing, is located southeast of the project site, on the southwest corner of Western Avenue and Fernwood Avenue. The remainder of the area south of the project site contains a mix of multi- and single-family residential uses in buildings one to three stories in height. Views of the surrounding uses to the south are shown in Figure III-6 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 10, 11, and 12). To the west of the project site, across St. Andrews Place, is a one-story Home Depot retail store with an attached above grade parking structure. Northwest of the project site, there are a number of one-story commercial and retail outlets and a single-story fast food outlet (Burger King). Views of the surrounding uses to the west are shown in Figure III-7 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 13, 14, and 15). Target at Sunset and Western III. Environmental Setting Page III-4 View 1: View from the south side Sunset Boulevard View 2: View from the south side of Sunset Boule- looking northwest towards one-story vard looking northwest towards the Orchard commercial/retail complexes. Supply Hardware Store. Harold Way Western Avenue Western St. Andrew Place St. Sunset Boulevard 1 2 3 De Longpre Avenue View 3: View from the southeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue looking PROJECT SITE northeast towards a Verizon Store, Walgreens, PHOTO LOCATION MAP and multi-family residential uses. Source: EcoTierra Consulting, November 2010. Figure III-3 Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 1, 2, and 3 View 4: View from St.