DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING RECOMMENDATION REPORT City Planning Commission Case No.: CPC-2019-627-CU-ZAD- SPR Date: June 25, 2020 CEQA No.: CPC-2019-628-CE Time: 8:30 a.m. Incidental Cases: N/A Place: Van Nuys City Hall Related Cases: CPC-2005-6118-VCU-SPR, 14410 Sylvan Street, Room 201 CPC-2008-3537-CU, CPC- Van Nuys, CA 91401 2015-2664-CU Council No.: 12 – Lee Public Hearing: February 28, 2020 Plan Area: Chatsworth – Porter Ranch Appeal Status: Appealable to City Council Specific Plan: N/A Expiration Date: June 26, 2020 Certified NC: Chatsworth Multiple Approval: N/A GPLU: Very Low I Residential Zone: A2-1, RA-1 Applicant: James Skrumbis, Sierra Canyon School Foundation Representative: Edgar Khalatian, Mayer Brown, LLP PROJECT 11047 – 11055 North De Soto Avenue LOCATION: PROPOSED The Sierra Canyon School proposes the expansion of bleacher seating for the Athletic Field PROJECT: from the current 300 seats to 1,630 seats, a net increase of 1,330 seats. Maximum attendance would be a total of 1,680 players and spectators. The Project would not result in any changes to the use of the existing Athletic Field as authorized by CPC-2008-3537-CU, which allows for up to seven varsity football home games per season (late August through early December), occurring between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM on Friday evenings. The Project also includes a request to allow the sharing of 326 parking spaces for shared parking, using the 236 parking spaces at the Upper Campus and the 90 spaces at the Athletic Field, for the Athletic Field’s sports events. No protected trees would be impacted as part of the Project. The Project proposes grading quantities in the amount of 1,075 cubic yards of cut, 180 cubic yards of fill, 300 cubic yards to be removed and recompacted, and 895 cubic yards of export. No increase in enrollment is proposed. REQUESTED 1. The City Planning Commission shall consider an exemption from California ACTIONS: Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, Article 19, Section 15314, Class 14 (Minor Additions to Schools) and that there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies. 2. Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24.U.24, a Conditional Use Permit (CU) in the A2-1 and RA-1 zones to allow the expansion of bleacher seating for the Sierra Canyon School’s Athletic Field from the current 300 seats to 1,630 seats, a net increase of 1,330 seats. 3. Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24.X.20, a Zoning Administrator’s Determination (ZAD) to permit a total of 326 parking spaces for shared parking, using the 236 parking spaces at the Upper Campus and the 90 spaces TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Analysis ........................................................................................................ A-1 Project Summary Background Issues Conclusion Conditions of Approval ............................................................................................. C-1 Findings ...................................................................................................................... F-1 General Plan/Charter Findings Entitlement Findings CEQA Findings Public Hearing and Communications ....................................................................... P-1 Exhibits: A – Maps A1 – Vicinity Map A2 – Radius Map A3 – Legal Description B - Plans Parking Plan Site Plans Sections/Elevation Plans C – Environmental Clearance D - Others D1 – Site Photos D2 – LADOT Traffic Assessment D3 – Shared Parking Analyses D4 – Arborist’s Statement D5 – Public Comments CPC-2019-627-CU-ZAD-SPR A-1 PROJECT ANALYSIS Project Summary The Sierra Canyon School proposes the expansion of bleacher seating for the Athletic Field from the current 300 seats to 1,630 seats, a net increase of 1,330 seats. Maximum attendance would be a total of 1,680 players and spectators. The Project would not result in any changes to the use of the existing Athletic Field as authorized by CPC-2008-3537-CU, which allows for up to seven Varsity football home games per season (late August through early December), occurring between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM on Friday evenings. The Project also includes a request to allow the sharing of 236 parking spaces located on the Upper Campus across De Soto Avenue from the Athletic Field. No protected trees would be impacted as part of the Project. The Project proposes grading quantities in the amount of 1,075 cubic yards of cut, 180 cubic yards of fill, 300 cubic yards to be removed and re-compacted, and 895 cubic yards of export. Background Sierra Canyon School owns multiple parcels with a total lot area of approximately 32-acres zoned A2-1, RA-1, RE11-1, and (T)RE11-1, located on Rinaldi Street and De Soto Avenue in Chatsworth. The Sierra Canyon School consists of: . the Lower Campus for grades early K through 6th, is comprised of six parcels of land located west of the Los Angeles County Flood Control Channel/Brown’s Creek. the Upper Campus for grades 7th through 12th, is comprised of five parcels of land located on the east side of De Soto Avenue. the Athletic Fields are comprised of four parcels of land located on the west side of De Soto Avenue and east of the Los Angeles County Flood Control Channel/Brown’s Creek. All three facilities are located north of Rinaldi Street and are within 1,200 feet of each other. The subject site is located within a Hillside Area, an Equine Keeping Area, a Very High Fire Severity Zone, a High Wind Velocity Area, a Special Grading Area, and a Liquefaction Area. On Rinaldi Street, on the south side of the school, is a public equestrian trail and sidewalk between Independence Avenue to De Soto Avenue. Cars going to the Sierra Canyon Athletic Fields and Upper Campus can access the sites by driving north or south along De Soto Avenue and turning west into the Athletic Fields parking lots or turning east onto Rinaldi Street to access the Upper Campus. The Athletic Fields parking lots, provide a total of 90 parking spaces (Athletic Field Parking), are comprised of two lots including a 75-space parking lot abutting Rinaldi Street (Rinaldi Parking Lot) and a 15-space parking lot along De Soto Avenue (De Soto Parking Lot). The Rinaldi Parking Lot is used for short-term parking for drop-off and pick-up of Lower School students during the morning and early afternoon and Lower School parents may not park at the Athletic Fields parking lot after 4 pm. The Upper Campus parking lots provide a total of 236 parking spaces (Upper Campus Parking) and are comprised of three lots including a 50-space parking lot behind the gymnasium known as Parking Lot A; a 74-space parking lot under the classrooms known as Parking Lot B; and, a 112- space parking lot west of the classrooms known as Parking Lot C. Between the Athletic Field Parking and the Upper Campus Parking, Sierra Canyon provides approximately 326 parking spaces. When measured from lot line to lot line along the streets between the two sites, the distance between the Athletic Field and the Upper Campus is approximately 600 feet. CPC-2019-627-CU-ZAD-SPR A-2 Sierra Canyon proposes to expand the number of bleacher seats for the Athletic Fields from the current 300 bleacher seats to 1,420 bleacher seats for the home team; and, add 210 bleacher seats for the visiting team. In total, the Athletic Fields would contain a total of 1,630 bleacher seats. The Athletic Fields were previously approved for 300 bleacher seats under CPC-2008- 3537-CU and reviewed through subsequent Plan Approvals. This project represents an expansion of this previously approved Conditional Use related to a private school. The additional bleacher seats are not considered floor area as defined by the Los Angeles Municipal Code. However, there are parking requirements associated with assembly seating. Table 1 below outlines the Project’s parking requirements. Table 1 – Project Vehicle Parking Parking Code Requirement Calculation Required Proposed Stadium 1 per five seats 1,630 seats / 5 seats 326 326 Total 326 326* * = Parking provided by shared parking of existing Sierra Canyon spaces Properties located north of the subject property are zoned PF-1XL and improved with California State Route 118; properties to the west and south are zoned RA-1 and developed with single- family dwellings; and properties to the east across De Soto Avenue are zoned RE11-1, A2-1 and RA-1, and consist of a mix of single-family dwellings, vacant land and a Department of Water and Power (DWP) water storage facility. De Soto Avenue is a Boulevard II dedicated to a width of 110 feet, and improved on the west side with sidewalk, curb and gutter. Rinaldi Street is an Avenue I improved at the southerly boundary of the athletic field with a public horse trail and pedestrian sidewalk, but no through roadway. It is improved at the southerly boundary of the Lower School with a variable width, 75-foot to 109-foot right-of-way, and improved with roadway, curb and gutter, which terminates at the westerly property line of the athletic field, sidewalk and horse trail. Independence Avenue is a Local Street dedicated to a width of 60 feet and a roadway width of 36 feet and terminates at Rinaldi Street. Variel Avenue is a Local Street dedicated to a width of 60 feet with a 36-foot roadway. Previous zoning related actions on the site/ in the area include: ZA-2016-1883-ZAD: On July 18, 2017, the Zoning Administrator approved a determination to permit shared parking in the 75-space athletic field parking lot, by Lower School parents/guardians, weekdays during student drop-off and pick-up.