IV. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS C. VISUAL RESOURCES 1. INTRODUCTION New development can affect the aesthetic quality of a community. This section will address the potential impacts that could result from the proposed Project with regard to aesthetics, views, light and glare, and shade/shadow. Aesthetics refers to the overall visual qualities of an area or within a given field of view. Aesthetics includes aspects such as size, shape, color, texture, and general composition, as well as the relationships between these elements. Aesthetic features often consist of unique or prominent natural or man-made attributes or several small features that, when viewed together, create a whole that is visually interesting or appealing. The degree of visual access to an aesthetic resource contributes to the value of aesthetic features. The analysis of aesthetics as presented below addresses the Project's visual relationship with existing and future known land uses in the surrounding area, as well as consistency of the proposed Project with the applicable regulatory environment (e.g., West Los Angeles Community Plan). The analysis of views focuses on the extent to which the Project may interfere with visual access to aesthetic features. Viewsheds are those areas that can be seen from a particular location. Existing views may be partially obstructed or entirely blocked by modifications to the environment. Conversely, modifications to the natural or man-made landscape of an area may create or enhance view opportunities. In general, visual access is closely tied to topography and distance from a visual resource (i.e., something that someone wants to look at). Light impacts are typically associated with the use of artificial light during the evening and nighttime hours. Artificial light may be generated from point sources (i.e., a lit sign), as well as from indirect sources (i.e., reflected light). Uses such as residences, hospitals, and hotels are considered light sensitive since they are typically occupied by persons who have expectations for privacy during evening hours and who are subject to disturbance by bright light sources. Glare is primarily a daytime occurrence caused by the reflection of sunlight or artificial light off of highly polished surfaces, such as window glass or reflective materials, and, to a lesser degree, from broad expanses of light-colored surfaces. Daytime glare generation is common in urban areas and is typically associated with mid- to high-rise buildings with exterior façades largely or entirely comprised of highly reflective glass or mirror-like materials from which the sun can reflect, particularly following sunrise and prior to sunset. Glare can also be produced City of Los Angeles 10131 Constellation Boulevard State Clearinghouse No. 2005051145 November 2005 Page 181 PRELIMINARY WORKING DRAFT – Work-in-Progress IV.C Visual Resources during evening and nighttime hours by the reflection of artificial light sources, such as automobile headlights. Glare generation is typically related to either moving vehicles or sun angles, although glare resulting from reflected sunlight can occur regularly at certain times of the year. Glare-sensitive uses generally include residences and transportation corridors (i.e., roadways). Shade/shadow is of interest as new buildings can cast shadows onto existing buildings and/or outdoor open spaces used for recreational and outdoor dining purposes. Shading is a common and expected quality in urban areas, and it is often considered a beneficial feature of the environment when it provides cover from excess sunlight and heat. However, it can have an adverse impact if the blockage of direct sunlight substantially affects adjacent properties or when it interferes with the performance of sun-related activities. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING a. Existing Visual Environment (1) Century City Area The Project site being located in Century City is situated in a highly urbanized area characterized by distinctive high- and mid-rise buildings. The physical setting of Century City consists of rolling terrain, which is generally higher in elevation than adjacent areas to the north and south. Since the cluster of high-rise buildings in Century City is higher than the built environment of the surrounding area, and because the ground elevation of Century City is generally higher than the surrounding terrain, the predominant high-rise structures of Century City, which are visible from a great distance throughout the Los Angeles Basin, create a distinctive component of the west Los Angeles urban skyline. Figure 22 on page 183, is an example of the view of the Century City skyline within the broad geographic context (i.e., this view is from a location in Culver City). In its inception, Century City was envisioned as an area of broad, landscaped boulevards and distinctive buildings set within large city blocks connected by a network of pedestrian paths. In accordance with the urban design of Century City, the high-rise core is primarily located north of Olympic Boulevard and is centered on the area bisected by both Avenue of the Stars and Constellation Boulevard. Century City high-rises also present a distinctive visual effect, as viewed from adjacent east-west major arterials, including Santa Monica Boulevard at the north edge of Century City; Pico Boulevard, located at the south edge of Century City; and Olympic Boulevard, which is grade-separated at Avenue of the Stars. The activity of these roadways also serves to create an ambience of urban activity and vitality in the area. City of Los Angeles 10131 Constellation Boulevard State Clearinghouse No. 2005051145 November 2005 Page 182 PRELIMINARY WORKING DRAFT – Work-in-Progress Figure 22 View of the Century City Skyline from Culver City Source: Lenoir Photography, 2005 Page 183 IV.C Visual Resources An oblique aerial view of Century City, as shown in Figure 23 on page 185, depicts the context of Century City within its surrounding geographic area. As shown in the photograph, the high-rise element of Century City forms a unique urban skyline that is visible from the surrounding area due to topography and the low-rise character of the surrounding area. The view in the photograph, which is toward the north, shows the multiple-lane Olympic Boulevard in the foreground as well as the Avenue of the Stars bridge over Olympic Boulevard. Low-rise single- family residential neighborhoods are shown to the west and to the southwest. The Century Woods multiple-family residential area, west of Avenue of the Stars and north of Olympic Boulevard, is shown in the foreground of the curved Century Plaza Hotel and Century City’s high-rise core. In the proximity of the Avenue of the Stars bridge over Olympic Boulevard is the 39-story Fox Plaza tower and, beyond the tower, east of Avenue of the Stars are mid-rise and high-rise multi-family uses along Galaxy Way and Century Park East. The Los Angeles Country Club Golf Course is visible north of Century City. The Hollywood Hills are located in the background of the golf course and the Century City high-rise buildings. Because of the high-quality architecture characterizing Century City’s high-rises, the existing Century City skyline is considered a valued aesthetic resource. Individual, distinctive high-rise structures are depicted in the aerial photograph of Century City shown in Figure 24 on page 186. Prominent high-rise development in the immediate vicinity of the Project site include, the 28-story 1900 Avenue of the Stars building to the north; the 39-story SunAmerica building to the west across Avenue of the Stars; the two 44-story Century Plaza towers to the southeast across Constellation Boulevard, which, at 849 feet above mean sea level, are the highest buildings in Century City; and, the two 23-story Watt Plaza buildings to the east. Southwest of the Project site, across Avenue of the Stars, is the 19-story Century Plaza Hotel. Further southwest are the 36-story MGM building, the 30-story St. Regis Hotel, and the 39-story Fox Plaza building. The 2000 Avenue of the Stars project, currently under construction, is located to the south of the Project site, directly across Constellation Boulevard. The 2000 Avenue of the Stars project will include a 15-story, approximately 200-foot-high office building and mixed commercial uses. 40 40 As the 2000 Avenue of the Stars site was previously developed with buildings and will be developed with a 15-story office building and mixed-use plaza prior to the development of the proposed Project, the existing 2000 Avenue of the Stars construction site does not reflect the prior or anticipated condition of that property. Therefore, the lack of development at this site is a short-term temporary condition, as construction has been underway for some time and is thus an appropriate baseline for the Project’s views analysis. Therefore, the analysis of existing and future views, as presented in this Section of the Draft EIR, reflects conditions once construction of the 2000 Avenue of the Stars project is completed. City of Los Angeles 10131 Constellation Boulevard State Clearinghouse No. 2005051145 November 2005 Page 184 PRELIMINARY WORKING DRAFT – Work-in-Progress Page 185 N Figure 23 Not to scale Oblique Aerial View of Century City Source: Johnson Fain, 2005 Los Angeles Country Club M OR City of Beverly Hills E N Northrop O D Plaza R IV E CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD CITY OF LOS ANGELES Beverly Hills High School Watt Towers EVARD UL BO IC MP LY Century City O Hospital Roxbury 2000 Recreational Avenue of Center The Stars Century Plaza Westfield SunAmerica (Under Construction) Towers Shopping Mall D R Century Park East Century City VA E Condominiums L U O CENTURY PARK EAST B N IO T A L L E Century Plaza T S N Hotel O C Park Plaza MGM Tower Condominiums St.