Westside Purple Line Rodeo Station North Portal Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2020 Westside Purple Line Rodeo Station North Portal EIR Draft Environmental Impact Report Westside Purple Line Wilshire/ Rodeo Station North Portal Project State Clearinghouse No.: 2019090104 Prepared for: City of Beverly Hills 455 North Rexford Drive Beverly Hills, California 90210 Prepared by: 300 South Grand Avenue, 8th Floor Los Angeles, California 90071 August 2020 Westside Purple Line Rodeo Station North Portal EIR Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................ES-1 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose and Legal Authority .............................................................................. 1-2 1.2 Scope and Content ............................................................................................. 1-2 1.2.1 CEQA Updates ....................................................................................... 1-3 1.3 Lead, Responsible, and Trustee Agencies ......................................................... 1-4 1.4 Environmental Review Process .......................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Environmental Impact Report Background ......................................................... 1-5 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Background Overview ........................................................................................ 2-1 2.1.1 Purple Line Extension Project Background ............................................ 2-1 2.1.2 Wilshire/Rodeo Station North Portal Project Background ....................... 2-2 2.2 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................. 2-3 2.3 Project Objectives .............................................................................................. 2-3 2.4 Project Setting and Location .............................................................................. 2-3 2.4.1 The Project (Beverly Drive) ..................................................................... 2-8 2.4.2 Cañon Drive-Half Portal Alternative ........................................................ 2-8 2.4.3 Cañon Drive Staging Yard Alternative .................................................... 2-8 2.4.4 Surrounding Land Uses .......................................................................... 2-9 2.5 Project Alternatives ............................................................................................ 2-9 2.5.1 No Project Alternative ............................................................................. 2-9 2.5.2 The Project (Beverly Drive) ..................................................................... 2-9 2.5.3 Cañon Drive-Half Portal Alternative ...................................................... 2-11 2.5.4 Cañon Drive Staging Yard Alternative .................................................. 2-17 2.6 Construction Scenario ...................................................................................... 2-22 2.6.1 Site Establishment ................................................................................ 2-22 2.6.2 Laydown and Staging ........................................................................... 2-23 2.6.3 Utilities .................................................................................................. 2-25 2.6.4 Piling and Excavation ........................................................................... 2-26 2.6.5 Construction of the North Portal Entrance/Exit ..................................... 2-27 2.6.6 Connection to Existing Station .............................................................. 2-27 2.6.7 Architectural Finishes and Commissioning ........................................... 2-28 2.6.8 Haul Routes .......................................................................................... 2-28 2.6.9 Road Closures and Traffic Control ....................................................... 2-30 2.6.10 Work Hours ........................................................................................... 2-32 2.6.11 Construction Best Management Practices ............................................ 2-32 2.7 Activities to be Completed by Metro ................................................................. 2-33 2.7.1 Knockout Panel Connection ................................................................. 2-33 2.7.2 Identification and Removal of Existing Piles ......................................... 2-34 2.7.3 Wilshire/Rodeo Station Catwalk Walkway ............................................ 2-34 2.7.4 Changes to the UPE Room to Facilitate Entrance ................................ 2-34 2.7.5 Changes to Purple Line Section 2 Systems ......................................... 2-34 2.8 Intended Uses of This EIR ............................................................................... 2-34 2.9 Required Permits and Approvals ...................................................................... 2-35 2.10 Related Projects ............................................................................................... 2-35 Page i | Table of Contents August 2020 Westside Purple Line Rodeo Station North Portal EIR 3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Aesthetics & Visual Quality.............................................................................. 3.1-1 3.1.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3.1-1 3.1.2 Methodology and CEQA Thresholds ................................................... 3.1-3 3.1.3 Existing Conditions .............................................................................. 3.1-5 3.1.4 Impact Evaluation ................................................................................ 3.1-7 3.1.5 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................... 3.1-30 3.1.6 Impacts After Mitigation ..................................................................... 3.1-31 3.1.7 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................... 3.1-31 3.2 Air Quality ........................................................................................................ 3.2-1 3.2.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3.2-1 3.2.2 Methodology and CEQA Thresholds ................................................... 3.2-9 3.2.3 Existing Conditions ............................................................................ 3.2-15 3.2.4 Impact Evaluation .............................................................................. 3.2-17 3.2.5 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................... 3.2-28 3.2.6 Impacts after Mitigation...................................................................... 3.2-29 3.2.7 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................... 3.2-29 3.3 Biological Resources ....................................................................................... 3.3-1 3.3.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3.3-1 3.3.2 Methodology and CEQA Thresholds ................................................... 3.3-7 3.3.3 Existing Conditions .............................................................................. 3.3-8 3.3.4 Impact Evaluation .............................................................................. 3.3-11 3.3.5 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................... 3.3-17 3.3.6 Impacts after Mitigation...................................................................... 3.3-17 3.3.7 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................... 3.3-17 3.4 Cultural Resources .......................................................................................... 3.4-1 3.4.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3.4-1 3.4.2 Methodology and CEQA Thresholds ................................................... 3.4-5 3.4.3 Existing Conditions .............................................................................. 3.4-8 3.4.4 Impact Evaluation .............................................................................. 3.4-14 3.4.5 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................... 3.4-18 3.4.6 Impacts after Mitigation...................................................................... 3.4-19 3.4.7 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................... 3.4-19 3.5 Energy ............................................................................................................. 3.5-1 3.5.1 Regulatory Setting ............................................................................... 3.5-1 3.5.2 Methodology and CEQA Thresholds ................................................... 3.5-4 3.5.3 Existing Conditions .............................................................................. 3.5-5