DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING RECOMMENDATION REPORT Central Area Planning Commission Case No.: APCC-20 15-795-BL-ZAA- CLQ Date: November 24, 2015 CEQANo.: ENV-2015-796-MND Time: After 4:30A.M. Incidental Cases: VTT -73293-SL Place: Los Angeles City Hall Related Cases: CPC-2009-944-GPA-ZC-HD 200 North Spring Street, Room 1020 Council No.: 4 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Plan Area: Hollywood Specific Plan: None Public Hearing: September 2, 2015 Certified NC: Hollywood Hills West Appeal Status: Building Line Removal is appealable GPLU: Low Medium II Residential only by the applicant to City Council if Zone: (T)(Q)RD1.5-1XL disapproved in whole or in part. Zoning Administrator's Adjustment Applicant: Daniel Farasat, Sunset and "Q" Clarification are appealable Fountain Partners, LLC to the City Council by any party. Representative: Kamran Kazemi, Tala & Expiration Date: December 27, 2015 Associates Multiple Approval: Yes PROJECT 1352-1356 North Fairfax Avenue LOCATION: PROPOSED The project involves the demolition of two (2) single-family dwellings and the construction, use PROJECT: and maintenance of eight (8) small lot homes. The units would range between approximately 1 ,400 square feet to 1 ,800 square feet. Lot 1 would have a maximum height of 35 feet to the top of the parapet and guardrails, and Lots 2 through 8 would have a maximum height of 33 feet, 6 inches to the top of the parapet and guardrails. Each unit would provide two parking spaces. REQUESTED 1) Pursuant to Section 12.32-R of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Building Line ACTIONS: Removal for a 15-foot Building Line established by Ordinance No. 133,548; 2) Pursuant to Section 12.28-A of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment to permit a maximum building height of 35 feet for Lot 1 and 33 feet, 6 inches for all other lots in lieu of the maximum permitted 30 feet; 3) Pursuant to Section 12.32-H of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Clarification of the Q Classification to clarify conditions relating to Site Plan, parking, height and perimeter walls (Conditions No. 2, 3, 4 and 18) of Ordinance No. 181 ,586; and, 4) Pursuant to Section 21082.1 ( c)(3) of the California Public Resources Code, adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration (ENV-2015-796-MND) and Mitigation Monitoring Program for the subject use. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: 1) Approve and recommend that the City Council adopt the Building Line Removal a Building Line Removal for a 15-foot Building Line established by Ordinance No. 133,548; APCC-2015-795-BL-ZAA-CLQ Page 2 2) Approve a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment to permit a maximum building height of 35 feet for Lot 1 and 33 feet, 6 inches for all other lots in lieu of the maximum permitted 30 feet; 3) Approve a Clarification of the Q Classification to clarify conditions relating to Site Plan, parking, height and perimeter walls (Conditions No. 2, 3, 4 and 18) of Ordinance No. 181 ,586; 4) Adopt the attached findings; 5) Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration No. ENV-2015-796-MND; 6) Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring Program for Mitigated Negative Declaration No. ENV- 2015-796-MND; 7) Advise the applicant that, pursuant to California State Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, the City shall monitor or require evidence that mitigation conditions are implemented and maintained throughout the life of the project and the City may require any necessary fees to cover the cost of such monitoring; and, 8) Advise the applicant that pursuant to State Fish and Game Code Section 711.4, Fish and Game Fee is now required to be submitted to the County Clerk prior to or concurrent with the Environmental Notice of Determination (NOD) Filing. Jae H. Kim Associate Zoning Administrator Oliver Netburn, City Planning Associate Hearing Officer Telephone: (213) 978-1382 ADVICE TO PUBLIC: *The exact time this report will be considered during the meeting is uncertain since there may be several other items on the agenda. Written communications may be mailed to the Commission Secretariat, Room 532, City Hall, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Phone No. 213-978-1300). While all written communications are given to the Commission for consideration, the initial packets are sent to the week prior to the Commission's meeting date. If you challenge these agenda items in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing agendized herein, or in written correspondence on these matters delivered to this agency at or prior to the public hearing. As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability, and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to these programs, services and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or other services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request not later than three working days (72 hours) prior to the meeting by calling the Commission Secretariat at (213) 978- 1300. APCC-20 15-795-BL-ZAA-CLQ A-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Analysis ......................................................................................................... A-1 Project Summary Background Issues Conclusion Conditions of Approval ............................................................................................. C-1 (Q) Clarification ..........................................................................................................Q-1 Findings ...................................................................................................................... F-1 Building Line Removal Zoning Administrator's Adjustment "Q" Clarification CEQA Findings Public Hearing and Communications ...................................................................... P-1 Exhibits: Exhibit A - Vicinity Map Exhibit B - Radius Map Exhibit C - Plans: Renderings, Site Plan, Elevations, and Landscape Plan Exhibit D - Environmental Clearance (ENV-2015-796-MND) Exhibit E- Mitigation Monitoring Program for ENV-2015-796-MND Exhibit F- VTT-73293-SL Tract Map APCC-20 15-795-BL-ZAA-CLQ A-2 PROJECT ANALYSIS Project Summary The project involves the demolition of two (2) single-family dwellings and the construction, use and maintenance of eight (8) small lot homes. The units would range in size between approximately 1 ,400 square feet to 1 ,800 square feet. Lot 1 would have a maximum height of 35 feet to the top of the guardrails, and Lots 2 through 8 would have a maximum height of 33 feet, 6 inches to the top of the guardrails. Each unit would provide two parking spaces. The applicant is requesting the following discretionary approvals: (1) a Building Line Removal to remove a 15-foot Building Line established by Ordinance No. 133,548; (2) a Clarification of the (Q) Classification to clarify conditions relating to the site plan, parking, height and perimeter walls (Conditions No. 2, 3, 4 and 18) of Ordinance No. 181,586; and (3) a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment to permit a maximum building height of 35 feet for Lot 1 and 33 feet, 6 inches for all other lots in lieu of the maximum permitted 30 feet. A Vesting Tentative Tract Map (Case No. VTT-73293-SL) for a maximum of eight (8) small lots was filed concurrently with the instant request and was approved by the Advisory Agency on September 30, 2015. Background The subject property is a .flat, rectangular site consisting of two interior lots and a total of approximately 13,100 square feet with a 100-foot long frontage along Fairfax Avenue and a depth of 130 feet. The property is developed with a one-story, 1 ,343 square-foot, single-family dwelling and a one-story, 1,544 square-foot, single-family dwelling, both built in 1920. The property is located within the Hollywood Community Plan and includes a 15-foot Building Line. The site is located on Fairfax Avenue which is the border between the City of Los Angeles and the City of West Hollywood. In 2009, a project was filed on the subject property for a 16-unit, 25,800 square-foot, 35-foot tall apartment building with 36 parking spaces at the ground floor. The applicant requested a General Plan Amendment from Low Medium II Residential to Medium Residential land use designation and a Zone Change from R1-1 and R2-1XL to R3-1. In 2010, the City Planning Commission denied the requested General Plan Amendment and Zone Change and recommended that the City Council approve a Zone Change from R1-1 and R2-1XL to (T)(Q)RD1.5-1XL. In 2011, the City Council adopted the recommendation of the Planning Commission, approving a Zone Change to (T)(Q)RD1.5-1XL allowing a density of eight (8) units on the site. The Zone Change adopted by the City Council imposed numerous (Q) Qualified Classification Conditions including the following: 2. Site Plan. Prior to the issuance of any building permit, detailed development plans, including a complete landscape and irrigation plan and a parking area and driveway plan, shall be submitted to the Planning Department for review and sign-off clearance (Landscape plans shall be forwarded to the local Council Office for review and comment prior to submission to the Planning Department).These plans shall be in substantial conformance with the plot plan, elevations and landscape plans dated APCC-20 15-795-BL-ZAA-CLQ A-3 October 14, 2010, attached to the administrative file. The plans shall comply with applicable provisions of the Municipal Code, the subject conditions herein and the intent of the subject permit authorization. 3. Parking. Parking shall be required pursuant to LAMC Section 12.21-A,4. The number of spaces provided, their location and access shall be in substantial conformance with the site plan marked Exhibit B-1 and attached to the administrative file. The following shall also apply: a.