INITIAL STUDY ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES PROJECT CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA MAY 2013 INITIAL STUDY ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES PROJECT CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Prepared for: City of Los Angeles Planning Department 200 N. Spring Street, Room 721 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Prepared by: PCR Services Corporation 201 Santa Monica Boulevard Suite 500 Santa Monica, CA 90401 MAY 2013 Table of Contents Page ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST ATTACHMENT A ‐ PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................ A‐1 A. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ A‐1 B. Project Location and Surrounding Uses .................................................................................................................. A‐2 C. Project Background and Existing Conditions ........................................................................................................ A‐5 D. Description of the Project .............................................................................................................................................. A‐7 E. Anticipated Project Approvals .................................................................................................................................. A‐19 ATTACHMENT B: EXPLANATION OF CHECKLIST DETERMINATIONS ............................................................. B‐1 I. Aesthetics ............................................................................................................................................................................. B‐1 II. Agriculture and Forest Resources.............................................................................................................................. B‐3 III. Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................................................ B ‐ 5 IV. Biological Resources ........................................................................................................................................................ B‐6 V. Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................................................................... B‐9 VI. Geology and Soils ........................................................................................................................................................... B‐10 VII. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ........................................................................................................................................ B‐13 VIII. Hazards and Hazardous Materials .......................................................................................................................... B‐14 IX. Hydrology and Water Quality ................................................................................................................................... B‐17 X. Land Use and Planning ................................................................................................................................................ B‐20 XI. Mineral Resources ......................................................................................................................................................... B‐21 XII. Noise .................................................................................................................................................................................... B‐22 XIII. Population and Housing .............................................................................................................................................. B‐23 XIV. Public Services ................................................................................................................................................................ B‐24 XV. Recreation ......................................................................................................................................................................... B‐27 XVI. Transportation and Circulation ............................................................................................................................... B‐27 XVII. Utilities and Service Systems .................................................................................................................................... B‐30 XVIII. Mandatory Findings of Significance ....................................................................................................................... B‐39 APPENDICES Appendix A, Academy Museum Project: Surface Water Hydrology and Water Quality Conditions Appendix B, Academy Museum Project: Water and Wastewater Service Data City of Los Angeles Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Project PCR Services Corporation i Table of Contents May 2013 List of Figures Page A‐1 Regional and Project Vicinity Map ........................................................................................................................... A‐3 A‐2 Aerial Photograph of Project Site and Vicinity .................................................................................................... A‐4 A‐3 Proposed Site Plan ....................................................................................................................................................... A‐11 A‐4 North/South Section: Project Site along Fairfax Avenue ............................................................................. A‐12 A‐5 East/West Section: Project Site and LACMA Campus .................................................................................. A‐13 A‐6 Museum Entrance and New Wing ......................................................................................................................... A‐14 List of Tables Page A‐1 Proposed Development Program .......................................................................................................................... A‐15 B‐1 Estimated Construction & Demolition Waste Generation ........................................................................... B‐35 B‐2 Estimated Operational Solid Waste Generation .............................................................................................. B‐36 B‐3 Estimated Electricity Use .......................................................................................................................................... B‐37 B‐4 Estimated Natural Gas Use ....................................................................................................................................... B‐38 City of Los Angeles Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Project PCR Services Corporation ii ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST FORM CITY OF LOS ANGELES OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ROOM 615, CITY HALL LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT INITIAL STUDY AND CHECKLIST (Article IV B City CEQA Guidelines) LEAD CITY AGENCY COUNCIL DISTRICT DATE City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning 4 May 16, 2013 RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Department of Transportation (CalTrans ‐ District 7), South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts PROJECT TITLE/NO. CASE NO. Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Project PREVIOUS ACTIONS CASE NO. DOES have significant changes from previous actions. N/A DOES NOT have significant changes from previous actions. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: See Attachment A. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING: The Project Site is located at the western edge of the LACMA Campus at the May Company Building, known in recent years as LACMA West. LACMA forms the western edge of Museum Row, the segment of Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax Avenue and La Brea Boulevard also occupied by the George C. Page Museum at the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits, the Craft and Folk Art Museum, and the Petersen Automotive Museum. Museum Row is within the City‐designated Miracle Mile Community Design Overlay District within the area bounded by Sixth Street on the north, Eighth Street on the south, Sycamore Avenuee on th east, and Fairfax Avenue on the west. The Project area is generally highly urbanized, with the 160‐acre Park La Brea residential neighborhood to the north; a mix of museums, galleries, cultural institutions, and commercial business along Wilshire Boulevard to the south; and commercial uses to the to the east across Curson Avenue and to the west across Fairfax Avenue. For further discussion, see Attachment A, Project Description. PROJECT LOCATION The Project Site is located at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard, at its intersection with Fairfax Avenue, in the Wilshire Community Plan Area of the City of Los Angeles. Regional access to the site is provided by the Santa Monica Freeway (US 10), located approximately 2.0 miles to the south, and the Hollywood Freeway (US 101) located approximately 3.5 miles to the northeast. Major arterials in the project vicinity include Third Street, Sixth Street, and Beverly Boulevard to the north; Fairfax Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard to the west; Wilshire and Olympic Boulevards to the south; and La Brea Avenue and Highland Avenue