INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION SUNSET STRIP OFF-SITE SIGNAGE POLICY PREPARED FOR: CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD Community Development Department 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, California 90069 PREPARED BY: DUDEK 38 North Marengo Avenue Pasadena, California 91101 APRIL 2017 PRINTED ON 30% POST -CONSUMER RECYCLED MATERIAL. SUNSET STRIP OFF-SITE SIGNAGE POLICY INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... III 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 California Environmental Quality Act .............................................................................................................. 2 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Location and Setting ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Background ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Project Details ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Methodology for Environmental Analysis ..................................................................................................... 20 2.5 Construction Scenarios ...................................................................................................................................... 22 2.6 Operational Scenarios ........................................................................................................................................ 24 2.7 Required Permits and Approvals ..................................................................................................................... 25 3 INITIAL STUDY CHECKLIST ................................................................................................ 27 3.1 Aesthetics ............................................................................................................................................................. 30 3.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources ................................................................................................................ 47 3.3 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Biological Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 65 3.5 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................................................. 70 3.6 Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................................................... 75 3.7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions .............................................................................................................................. 81 3.8 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ................................................................................................................... 89 3.9 Hydrology and Water Quality........................................................................................................................... 98 3.10 Land Use and Planning.................................................................................................................................... 105 3.11 Mineral Resources ............................................................................................................................................ 115 3.12 Noise................................................................................................................................................................... 116 3.13 Population and Housing .................................................................................................................................. 124 3.14 Public Services .................................................................................................................................................. 126 3.15 Recreation .......................................................................................................................................................... 131 3.16 Transportation and Traffic ............................................................................................................................. 132 3.17 Tribal Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................................ 147 3.18 Utilities and Service Systems........................................................................................................................... 150 3.19 Mandatory Findings of Significance .............................................................................................................. 155 4 REPORT PREPARERS ................................................................................................. 161 8727 i DUDEK APRIL 2017 SUNSET STRIP OFF-SITE SIGNAGE POLICY INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) SECTION PAGE APPENDICES A Proposed Off-Site Signage Regulations B Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases FIGURES 2-1 Regional Map ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2-2 Project Location .................................................................................................................................................................. 7 2-3 Sunset Specific Plan Regions ............................................................................................................................................. 9 2-4 Static Billboard Examples ................................................................................................................................................ 11 2-5 Digital Billboard Example ................................................................................................................................................ 15 TABLES 2-1 Existing and Potential Off-Site Sign Faces ................................................................................................................... 17 2-2 Existing and Potential Digital Billboards ....................................................................................................................... 17 3.3-1 Construction Schedule, Equipment, and On-Road Vehicles ..................................................................................... 53 3.3-2 Estimated Maximum Daily Construction Emissions .................................................................................................. 54 3.3-3 Construction Localized Significance Thresholds Analysis ......................................................................................... 59 3.7-1 Estimated Annual Construction Greenhouse Gas Emissions ................................................................................... 84 3.10-1 General Plan Consistency Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 106 3.10-2 Sunset Specific Plan Consistency Analysis .................................................................................................................. 111 3.12-1 Construction Equipment Noise Emission Levels ...................................................................................................... 118 3.16-1 Allowable Digital Faces Per Geographic Zone .......................................................................................................... 141 8727 ii DUDEK APRIL 2017 SUNSET STRIP OFF-SITE SIGNAGE POLICY INITIAL STUDY / NEGATIVE DECLARATION ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Acronym/Abbreviation Definition AB Assembly Bill AQMP Air Quality Management Plan BUG Backlight, Uplight and Glare CAAQS California Ambient Air Quality Standards CAP Climate Action Plan CARB California Air Resources Board CalEEMod California Emissions Estimator Model CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CEC California Energy Commission CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CH4 methane City City of West Hollywood CMP Congestion Management Program CNDDB CNRA CO carbon dioxide CO2 carbon dioxide equivalent CO2E carbon dioxide equivalent CRHR California Register of Historical Resources CUP Conditional Use Permit DA Development Agreement EIR Environmental Impact Report EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration GHG greenhouse gas GIS geographic information system GWP global warming potential IESNA Illuminating Engineering Society of North America IS/ND initial study/negative declaration kWh kilowatt-hour LED light emitting diode LOS level of service LST Localized Significance Threshold MT