III. Environmental Setting III

III. Environmental Setting III. Environmental Setting A. Overview of Environmental Setting

This section of the Draft EIR provides an overview of the existing regional and local setting in which the Project Site is located, and a brief description of the existing conditions at the Project Site. Detailed environmental setting information is provided in each of the environmental issue analyses found in Section IV (Environmental Impact Analysis) of this Draft EIR. In addition, Section II, Project Description, of this Draft EIR, provides additional information regarding existing conditions at the Project Site.

1. On-Site Conditions

The Project Site is comprised of the West Site and the East Site, which are located south of Sunset Boulevard and are bisected by Sierra Bonita Avenue. The West Site is located at 7550–7580 Sunset Boulevard and is comprised of approximately 43,206 square feet of gross lot area and 42,530 square feet of net lot area (after required dedications) and is rectangular in shape. The East Site is located at 7500–7528 Sunset Boulevard and is comprised of approximately 28,221 square feet of gross lot area and 28,114 square feet of net lot area (after required dedications) and is triangular in shape. Thus, the Project Site includes approximately 70,644 total square feet of net lot area.

2. Surrounding Uses

The Project Site is located in a highly urbanized area on a stretch of Sunset Boulevard generally comprised of retail, restaurant, and office uses. Uses to the immediate north, west and east of the Project Site include low-rise commercial uses zoned C4-1D. Multi-family uses zoned R3-1 are located directly south of both the West Site and the East Site. Single-family uses zoned R1 are located approximately 260 feet north and 500 feet west of the West Site and approximately 260 feet north of the East Site. Gardner Elementary School is approximately 350 feet north of the Project Site along Gardner Street and Hawthorne Avenue north of Sunset Boulevard. Publicly owned property, including Fire Station No. 41 and a strip of land currently used by Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) for surface parking, is located along Gardner Street, directly south of the East Site.

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III. Environmental Setting 3. Land Use Plans

City land use plans applicable to the Project Site include the following: the City of Los Angeles General Plan and Framework Element; the Hollywood Community Plan;1 the Citywide Urban Design Guidelines; and the City of Los Angeles Walkability Checklist Guidance for Entitlement Review. Regional plans that are applicable to the Project Site include the Southern California Association of Governments’ 2012–2035 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, 2004 Compass Growth Vision Report, and 2008 Regional Comprehensive Plan; the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s 2012 Air Quality Management Plan; and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s 2010 Congestion Management Plan.

1 As discussed in Section IV.F, Land Use, of this Draft EIR, an update to the Hollywood Community Plan (Community Plan Update) was adopted by the City Council on June 19, 2012, but was subsequently litigated and rescinded.

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III. Environmental Setting B. Related Projects

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Section 15130(a)) requires that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) discuss the cumulative impacts of a project when the project’s incremental effect is “cumulatively considerable.” As set forth in Section 15065(a)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, “cumulatively considerable” means that the incremental effects of an individual project are significant when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects. In accordance with CEQA Section 15130(a)(3), a project’s contribution is less than cumulatively considerable if the project is required to implement or fund its fair share of a mitigation measure or measures designed to alleviate the cumulative impact. In addition, the lead agency is required to identify facts and analysis supporting its conclusion that the contribution will be rendered less than cumulatively considerable.

CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(b) further provides that the discussion of cumulative impacts reflect the severity of the impacts and their likelihood of occurrence, but the discussion need not provide as great detail as is provided for the effects attributable to the project alone. Rather, the discussion is to “be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness, and should focus on the cumulative impact to which the identified other projects contribute.”

CEQA Guidelines Section 15130 (b)(1) states that complying with one of the following two protocols is necessary to provide an adequate discussion of significant cumulative impacts:

(A) A list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts including, if necessary, those projects outside the control of the agency; or

(B) A summary of projections contained in an adopted local, regional or statewide plan, or related planning document, that describes or evaluates conditions contributing to the cumulative effect. Such plans may include a general plan, regional transportation plan, or plans for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. A summary of projections may also be contained in an adopted or certified prior environmental document for such a plan. Such projections may be supplemented with additional information such as a regional modeling

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III. Environmental Setting

program. Any such document shall be referenced and made available to the public at a location specified by the lead agency.

Cumulative study areas are defined based on an analysis of the geographical scope relevant to each particular environmental issue. Therefore, the cumulative study area for each individual environmental impact issue may vary. For example, a cumulative land use impact generally may only affect the compatibility of uses within the vicinity of the project site, while a cumulative air quality impact may affect the entire South Coast Air Basin. The specific boundaries and the projected growth within those boundaries for the cumulative study area of each environmental issue, are identified in the applicable environmental issue section in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis, of this Draft EIR.

A list of proposed development projects in the area of the Project that could affect conditions in the Project area (e.g., by adding traffic volumes to study area intersections and/or generating population increases) was prepared based on information obtained primarily from the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, and the City of West Hollywood Community Development Department. A total of 126 potential related development projects have been identified within the vicinity of the Project Site for inclusion in the cumulative impact analysis for this EIR. These related projects are in varying stages of the approval/entitlement/development process and consist of a variety of land uses reflecting the diverse range of land uses in the vicinity of the Project Site. The related projects comprise a variety of uses, including apartments, condominiums, restaurants, and retail uses, as well as mixed-use developments incorporating some or all of these elements.

The related projects are listed in Table III-1 on page III-5, which identifies the location of each related project along with the types of land uses. The locations of the related projects are shown in Figure III-1 on page III-13. It is noted that some of the related projects may not be built out by 2019 (i.e., the Project buildout year), may never be built, or may be approved and built at reduced densities. To provide a conservative forecast, the future baseline forecast assumes that all of the related projects are fully built out by 2019. Additionally, as the Hollywood area is a built out environment, development of most of the related projects would result in removal of existing uses located on those sites. No credits were taken for removal of existing uses to provide the most conservative possible analysis.

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III. Environmental Setting

Table III-1 Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 1 1222 La Brea Ave. Retail 18,159 sf Apartments 187 units 2 1145 La Brea Ave. Apartments 37 units Retail 1,315 sf 3 7113 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 12,800 sf Apartments 184 units 4 7141 Santa Monica Blvd. Apartments 166 units Retail 9,655 sf 5 1041 Formosa Ave. Office 100,000 sf 6 7300 Santa Monica Blvd. Apartments 76 units Condominiums 294 units Retail 22,500 sf 7 8120 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 13,830 sf Apartments 25 units 8 8240 Sunset Blvd. Apartments 27 units 9 8305 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 13,000 sf 10 8350 Santa Monica Blvd. Apartments 20 units Retail 7,099 sf 11 8418 Sunset Blvd. Hotel 149 rooms Condominium 40 units Apartments 5 units 12 8490 Sunset Blvd. Hotel 296 rooms 13 959 N. Seward St. Office 240,000 sf 14 6901 Santa Monica Blvd. Apartments 247 units Retail/Restaurant 15,000 sf 15 1603 N. Cherokee Ave. Apartments 66 units 16 6523 Hollywood Blvd. Office 4,074 sf Restaurant 10,402 sf 17 915 N. La Brea Ave. Apartments 179 units Market 33,500 sf 18 1610 N. Highland Ave. Apartments 248 units Retail 14,710 sf 19 1841 N. Highland Ave. Hotel 100 rooms 20 1411 Highland Ave. Residential 76 units Retail 2,500 sf 21 1824 N. Highland Ave. Apartments 118 units

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Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 22 The Lexington Apartments 786 units 6677 Santa Monica Blvd. Restaurant 5,500 sf Retail 12,700 sf 23 927 N. Highland Ave. Tutoring Center 100 students 24 Hollywood Cherokee Project Apartments 225 units 1718–1730 N. Las Palmas 1719–1727 Cherokee 25 859 Highland Ave. Restaurant 806 sf 26 7120 Sunset Blvd. Retail 2,900 sf Apartments 44 units 27 8150 Sunset Blvd. Retail 111,000 sf Apartments 249 units 28 1541 Wilcox Ave. Hotel 225 rooms 29 6611–6637 Hollywood Blvd. All Suites Hotel 195 rooms Ground Floor Commercial 24,000 sf Second Floor Restaurant 4,200 sf 30 7300 Hollywood Blvd. Temple Israel School Improvement 31 6516–6526 Selma Ave. Office 85,000 sf 32 6608 Hollywood Blvd. Restaurant 11,400 sf Special Events 6,100 sf Bar/Lounge 9,400 sf Office 3,000 sf 33 6417 Selma Ave. Hotel 180 rooms 34 936 N. La Brea Ave. Office 88,750 sf Retail 12,000 sf 35 956 Seward St. Office 130,000 sf 36 6757 Hollywood Blvd. Restaurant 17,717 sf 37 6381 Hollywood Blvd. Hotel 80 room Restaurant 15,920 sf 38 6601 W. Romain St. Office 104,155 sf Storage 1,970 sf 39 7107 Hollywood Blvd. Apartments 410 units Retail 5,000 sf Restaurant 5,000 sf 40 6531 Hollywood Blvd. Restaurant 6,321 sf

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Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 41 Columbia Square Apartments 200 units 6121 Sunset Blvd. Office 422,500 sf Restaurant (ht) 23,500 sf Restaurant (ff) 2,000 sf Retail 16,500 sf Health Club 15,000 sf 42 1717 Vine St. Condominiums 57 units Restaurant 5,489 sf 43 W Hotel and Residences Apartments 375 units 6250 Hollywood Blvd. Condominiums 150 units Restaurant 49,500 sf Hotel (open) 305 units Specialty Retail 12,000 sf 44 Paseo Plaza Apartments 437 units 5651 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 377,900 sf 45 6200–6201 Hollywood Blvd. Apartments 952 units Retail 190,777 sf 46 5800 Sunset Blvd. Office 404,799 sf 47 1538 Vine St. Apartments 306 units Retail 68,000 sf 48 5925 Sunset Blvd. Condominiums 311 units Office 40,000 sf Retail 5,000 sf Restaurant 8,500 sf 49 Emerson College School 224 students 1460 Gordon St. Retail 6,400 sf 50 6506 Hollywood Blvd. Restaurant 12,225 sf 51 5663 Melrose Ave. Condominiums 96 units Retail 3,350 sf 52 6001 Carlton Way Condominiums 42 units 53 6230 Yucca St. Condominiums 85 units Office 13,790 sf Live work 10 units 54 6600 Sunset Blvd. Hotel 50 rooms 55 1149 Gower St. Residential 57 units

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III. Environmental Setting

Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 56 6100–6116 Hollywood Blvd. Residential 151 units Retail 6,200 sf 57 6225 Hollywood Blvd. Office 214,000 sf 58 1601 N. Vine St. Office 121,450 sf Restaurant 6,150 sf Bar 2,300 sf 59 1800 Argyle Ave. Hotel 225 rooms 60 6381 Hollywood Blvd. Hotel 80 units Restaurant 15,290 sf 61 6311 Romaine St. Health Club 62 1313 Vine St. Museum 79,231 sf 63 Ametron Office 169,463 sf 1546 Argyle Ave. Retail 24,200 sf

64 6230–54 Sunset Blvd. Apartments 200 units Office 32,125 sf Retail 4,700 sf 65 Capitol Records Office 264,303 sf 1740 Vine St. Apartments 461 units Hotel 254 rooms Retail 100,000 sf Restaurant 25,000 sf Health Club 80,000 sf 66 Palladium Office 237,000 sf 6215 Sunset Blvd. Condominiums 170 units Hotel 251 rooms Restaurant 12,700 sf 67 1720 Gower St. Apartments 70 units 68 5825 Sunset Blvd. Office 40,000 sf 69 6142 Franklin Ave. Apartments 130 units 70 6107 Hollywood Blvd. Hotel 86 rooms Retail 5,000 sf 71 922 Western Ave. Apartments 63 units Retail 13,500 sf

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Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 72 6201 Sunset Blvd. Apartments 731 units Restaurant 5,000 sf Retail 21,000 sf Coffee 1,000 sf 73 5901 Sunset Blvd. Office 274,000 sf Retail 26,000 sf 74 1921 Wilcox Ave. Hotel 146 rooms 75 5555 Melrose Ave. Studio 21,000 sf (buildout 2038) Production 635,000 sf Office 638,100 sf Retail 89,200 sf 76 1133 N. Vine St. Hotel 118 rooms 77 6300 Romaine St. Office 114,725 sf Gym 40,927 sf Studio 38,072 sf 78 Hollywood Cap Park Park 79 nwc Selma/Cherokee Apartments 202 units 80 6406 Franklin Ave. Apartments 126 units 81 1840 Highland Ave. Apartments 118 units 82 1818 Cherokee Ave. Apartments 63 units 83 1737 Las Palmas Ave. Apartments 82 units Retail 1,115 sf 84 694 Hobart Ave. Condominiums 242 units Health Club 25,700 sf Restaurant (Q) 26,600 sf Restaurant (ht) 4,200 sf Club 9,700 sf Office 13,600 sf Retail 4,400 sf 85 600 Hobart Ave. Condominiums 70 units Retail 8,558 sf 86 5920 Melrose Ave. Apartments 54 units Retail 16,000 sf 87 7045 Lanewood Ave. Apartments 43 units 88 712 Wilcox Ave. Apartments 100 units

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III. Environmental Setting

Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 89 1718 Las Palmas Ave. Condominiums 29 units Apartments 196 units Retail 378 sf 90 6758 Yucca St. Apartments 270 units Retail 8,500 sf 91 6904 Hollywood Blvd. Retail 29,900 sf Office 16,700 sf 92 7046 Hollywood Blvd. Apartments 42 du 93 1525 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Hotel 64 rooms Office 1,500 sf Other 700 sf 94 1717 N. Bronson Ave. Apartments 78 units 95 1350 Hayword Ave. Condominiums 17 units 96 1345 Hayvenhurst Dr. Condominiums 16 units 97 8497 Sunset Blvd. Apartments 31 units Condominiums 11 units Retail 4,528 sf Restaurant 6,712 sf 98 8500 Sunset Blvd. Office 208,000 sf Retail 111,000 sf Restaurant 32,050 sf Hotel 371 rooms Theater 198 seats 99 8555 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 32,955 sf Apartments 102 units Restaurant 6,308 sf 100 8500 Santa Monica Blvd. Condominiums 19 units Retail 8,700 sf 101 8564 Melrose Ave. Retail 24,474 sf 102 8711 Melrose Ave. Retail 21,565 sf 103 623 La Peer Dr. Hotel 105 rooms Retail 1,750 sf Restaurant 2,680 sf

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Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 104 9040 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 45,110 sf Art Gallery/Showroom 28,700 sf Restaurant 8,200 sf Apartments 76 units 105 8899 Beverly Blvd. Retail 36,000 sf Apartments 82 units 106 9001 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 10,550 sf Restaurant 10,000 sf Condominiums 42 units 107 8950 Sunset Blvd. Hotel 196 rooms Apartments 4 units 108 9040 Sunset Blvd. Hotel 148 rooms Day Spa 8,000 sf Restaurant 5,710 sf Retail 18,080 sf Condominiums 20 units Apartments 46 units 109 2000 N. Fuller Ave. Parking Lot 70 spaces 110 1341 Vine St. Hotel 100 rooms Office 282,500 sf Apartments 250 units 111 6915 Melrose Ave. Condominiums 13 units Retail 7,500 sf 112 NBCUniversal Plan 100 Universal City Plaza 113 John Anson Ford Theatres Theater 311 seats 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. Restaurant 5,400 sf (No construction by study year) Office 30 employees 114 925 La Bea Ave. Retail 17,000 sf Office 53,000 sf 115 904 La Bea Ave. Retail 17,000 sf Apartments 169 units 116 707 N. Cole Ave. Apartments 84 units 117 1201 N. La Brea Ave. Apartments 8 units Retail 8,833 sf 118 920 Fairfax Ave. Retail/Office 9,000 sf

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Table III-1 (Continued) Related Projects

Project Description # Address Land Use Units 119 1216 Flores St. Condominiums 14 units 120 1264 Harper St. Condominiums 16 units 121 1125 Kings Rd Condominiums 10 units 122 926 Sycamore Ave. Retail 15,000 sf Office 74,154 sf 123 1310 North Cole Avenue Apartments 375 units Office 2,800 sf 124 6409 Sunset Boulevard Hotel 221 rooms Retail 1,893 sf 125 901 North Vine Street Apartments 85 units Retail 4,000 sf Restaurant 4,000 sf 126 525 Wilton Place Apartments 88 units

Source: Overland Traffic Consultants, Inc, 2015.

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Project Site

Figure III-1 Related Projects Location Map

Page III-13 Source: Overland Traffic Consultants, 2015.