III. Environmental Setting A. Overview of Environmental Setting The purpose of this Section is to provide an overview of the existing regional setting in which the Project Site is located and a brief description of the existing conditions of the Project Site, as they apply to each of the environmental issue areas analyzed. Detailed environmental setting information is provided in each of the environmental issue analyses provided in Section IV, Environmental Impact Analysis, of this Draft EIR. Additionally, Section II, Project Description, of this Draft EIR provides additional information about baseline conditions at the Project Site. The Project is located at the southeastern edge of the San Fernando Valley at the existing Forest Lawn Memorial-Park – Hollywood Hills property, located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, in the City of Los Angeles (“Project Site”). The existing Project Site comprises approximately 444 acres at the northeastern base of the Santa Monica Mountains and is bounded by Forest Lawn Drive, the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel and the SR 134 Freeway on the north, Griffith Park on the south and east, adjacent undeveloped property owned by Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Association on the west, and by Mount Sinai Memorial Park and the administrative offices of the Junior Achievement of Southern California, Inc. to the north and northeast. Surrounding land uses beyond the SR 134 Freeway to the north include the Disney Studios, the ABC studio office buildings, the Warner Brothers Studios lot, Providence High School, a hospital, parks and single-family residential uses, which are located within the City of Burbank. The Project Site is buffered from residential and commercial uses to the north by Forest Lawn Drive, the SR 134 Freeway, and the Los Angeles River Flood Control Channel. 1. Aesthetics a. Visual Character and Viewsheds The approximately 444-acre Project Site is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains in the City of Los Angeles, and is largely developed with the existing Forest Lawn Memorial-Park—Hollywood Hills property. The Project Site is located between a highly developed urban area and the undeveloped Santa Monica Mountains and Griffith Park. Much of the developed and undeveloped portions of the Project Site, which generally slopes south to north, are not visible from off-site vantage points to the north due to the topography of the Project vicinity, existing vegetation, and the developed urban City of Los Angeles Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan SCH. No. 2008111048 February 2011 Page III-1 CONFIDENTIAL WOR K ING DRAFT - Not for Public R eview III. Environmental Setting environment. South of the Project Site, large portions of the Site are visible from a limited number of vantage points within Griffith Park due to topography and natural vegetation. The public vantage points of the Project Site from Griffith Park include Mount Hollywood Drive, the Toyon Trail, Mount Lee, and Mount Chapel. The on-site natural landscape is characterized by hillsides, terraced hills, and generally level areas. The areas of the Project Site that are developed with the existing cemetery use are professionally landscaped and incorporate shrubbery, flower gardens, ornamental trees, and native oak trees. Portions of the Project Site’s undeveloped areas have been disturbed by past development and continued grading efforts for Interim Projects. These graded areas contain unvegetated soil, terraces, and sediment controls and are visible from vantage points within the Project Site and from vantage points in Griffith Park. The Project Site is buffered from both residential uses and studio office uses located to the north, and much of the property is not visible from off-site locations to the north due to the topography of the immediate area. The most prominent public views of the Project Site are available from Griffith Park to the south and east. The areas of Griffith Park that border the Project Site to the south and east are characterized by rugged, chapparal- covered hillsides and canyons, and feature a network of roadways and trails, which are primarily used by hikers, equestrian riders, and cyclists. Two other public open space locations in the vicinity of the Project Site include Buena Vista Park, located on Riverside Drive, and Johnny Carson Park, located further to the north of Buena Vista Park. Views of the Forest Lawn Mortuary and Flower Shop on the Project Site, as well as the adjacent hillside areas within the Project Site can be seen from Buena Vista Park. However, the Project Site is not visible from Johnny Carson Park due to the low elevation standpoints in Johnny Carson Park, combined with the dense year-round tree canopy that lines the SR 134 Freeway. Forest Lawn Drive (from Barham Boulevard to Griffith Park Drive), a Major Class II Highway, is designated as a scenic parkway in the City of Los Angeles General Plan Transportation Element. It is situated at a lower elevation than the Project Site. Forest Lawn Drive is characterized as a winding road past the northeastern base of the Santa Monica Mountains, the gateway entrance to the Project Site, the Junior Achievement of Southern California, Inc., Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the entrance to Griffith Park. Public views of the Project Site from Forest Lawn Drive are limited to the Site’s foreground due to the location of existing vegetation and on-site structures, and the Project Site’s topography in relation to Forest Lawn Drive. Additionally, views of the base of the Santa Monica Mountains from Forest Lawn drive are obstructed by the same features. In general, the Project Site is not easily viewed from street level vantages to the north within the Burbank community, with only a limited number of elevated standpoints City of Los Angeles Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan SCH. No. 2008111048 February 2011 Page III-2 CONFIDENTIAL WOR K ING DRAFT - Not for Public R eview III. Environmental Setting and street alignments at greater distances affording limited public views of the Project Site. These locations include roadways such as Buena Vista Street as it approaches the SR 134 Freeway, and the segment of West Alameda Avenue between the Interstate 5 Freeway and Victory Boulevard. Public views of the Project Site are available from several locations immediately to the east and south, within Griffith Park. The public vantage points of the Project Site from Griffith Park include Mount Hollywood Drive, the Toyon Trail, Mount Lee, and Mount Chapel. From Mount Hollywood Drive, the steep topography and canyons, as well as the extent of mature vegetation adjacent to the roadway, substantially limits the visibility of the portions of the Project Site’s East Area; however, the remainder of the Project Site is visible. Views from the Toyon Trail are somewhat obstructed by topography and native vegetation, although there are segments of the trail (particularly along the trail’s southwestern extent) where the majority of the Project Site is visible from the trail. Regarding views from Mount Lee and Mount Chapel, the Project Site’s southern boundary is largely obstructed from view by the area’s topography and mature vegetation. However, the Project Site’s developed areas, as well as portions of the Project Site’s proposed development areas are visible. Private views of the Project Site are available from the southeast edge of Mount Sinai Memorial Park at its interface with a small section of the Project Site. Currently, the combined effect of a grade separation between the two properties and the absence of any intervening structures, landscape or ridgelines, enables unobstructed private views across the eastern section of the Project Site. b. Light & Glare (1) Existing Nighttime Lighting The Project area provides relatively low levels of ambient nighttime lighting, most of which is generated from the surrounding street network including Forest Lawn Drive. Nighttime lighting along these corridors is generated by street lights; vehicle headlights; and architectural lighting, security lighting, and building illumination (light emanating from the interior of structures through windows) from surrounding studio, commercial office, and residential uses. Existing uses on the Project Site generate a moderate amount of lighting from security, signage, and parking. Additionally, the Forest Lawn Memorial-Park— Hollywood Hills property hosts several nighttime events and services throughout the year, which may generate additional temporary nighttime lighting. City of Los Angeles Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan SCH. No. 2008111048 February 2011 Page III-3 CONFIDENTIAL WOR K ING DRAFT - Not for Public R eview III. Environmental Setting (2) Existing Daytime Glare Most glare in the Project area is generated by reflective materials on commercial buildings and from vehicles passing on the surrounding street network. Minimal glare is currently generated on the Project Site itself. Specifically, the surface parking areas that can be the source of glare (from reflective surfaces on cars) are located near the entrance of the Memorial-Park, near Forest Lawn Drive on the southern portion of the Project Site. This area is shielded from public view. The vast majority of the Project Site is generally landscaped, thus it does not contribute to glare. c. Sensitive Land Uses Due to the topography of the Project Site, as well as the surrounding land uses, the Project Site is not typically susceptible to lighting impacts from other properties. Because all activities within the Project Site are coordinated and controlled by Forest Lawn, the Project Site is not considered a sensitive land use. However, uses that would be considered sensitive to substantial light or glare would include visitors to Mount Sinai Memorial Park or Junior Achievement of Southern California, Inc., located immediately north of and adjacent to the Project Site, and Griffith Park to the south. No other land and glare sensitive land uses were identified due to the topography of the Project Site, as well as the distance to the non-residential surrounding land uses to the north across the SR 134 Freeway.