Draft Environmental Impact Report
Project Description: The Sunset Gower Studios (Project Site) is currently occupied by creative offices, production support, sound stages, and a vacant restaurant, which together comprise 616,602 square feet of floor area on a 16.5-acre site. The Sunset Gower Studios Enhancement Plan (the Project) involves the removal of 160,611 square feet of existing floor area and the construction of 627,957 square feet of new floor area, consisting of 599,335 square feet of creative office space and 27,172 square feet of production support space. The new uses would be within three buildings (Buildings A, B, and C) with a maximum building height of 18 stories (300 feet), on a 15.9-acre (693,432 square feet) portion of the site. Overall, the Project would result in a total of 852,792 square feet of creative office space, 53,778 square feet of production support, 169,412 square feet of sound stages, and 6,516 square feet of restaurant space on the Project Site, with a total floor area of 1,083,948 square feet. Demolition activities would include the removal of an individually eligible historic structure and contributors and non-contributors to a prospective historic district. The Project includes the construction of up to 1,335 new parking spaces, within: a new parking structure with six above-grade levels and three subterranean levels; three subterranean parking levels below an existing surface lot (staging area); and three subterranean levels below Building A. The Project Site’s existing 1,398 parking spaces would remain.
Permits and Approvals: The applicant is requesting: (1) Pursuant to LAMC Sections 12.24 T.3(b) and 12.24 U.14, a Vesting Conditional Use Permit for a Major Development Project; (2) Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24 W.19, a Conditional Use Permit to allow Floor Area Ratio Averaging in Unified Developments; (3) Pursuant to LAMC Sections 12.22 A.23 and 12.24 W.27, a Conditional Use Permit for a Commercial Corner Development; (4) Pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05, Site Plan Review to for a development project which results in an increase of 50,000 gross square feet of non-residential floor area; (5) Pursuant to LAMC Section 17.15, Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 80310 for merger and subdivision purposes; and (6) Other discretionary and ministerial permits and approvals that may be deemed necessary, including but not limited to; additional necessary entitlements, clearance related to the Hollywood Redevelopment Plan, temporary street closures, demolition permits, grading permits, excavation permits, foundation permits, street tree removal permits, and building permits.
Anticipated Significant Environmental Effects: Based on the analysis included in the Draft EIR, the Project would result in significant and unavoidable impacts related to: Air Quality (Regional Construction Emissions), Cultural Resources (Historical Resources), Noise (On-Site and Off-Site Construction Noise, On-Site Vibration). All other potential impacts would be less than significant or mitigated to less-than-significant levels.
File Review and Comments: The Department of City Planning recognizes the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, and having been identified as an essential City service, continues to work and respond to all inquiries pertaining to our ongoing efforts to process entitlement applications and study updates to our community plans and citywide policies.
As a result of the Mayor’s "Safer at Home" Order issued March 19, 2020, some of the previous means to access materials at libraries are no longer available to all residents or interested parties. To that end, the Department of City Planning will ensure that interested parties seeking information about the Project will have access.
If you are unable to access digital copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Report, the Department will attempt to make reasonable arrangements to supply the materials. Physical copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Report and case file can still be viewed by appointment only. The Department has implemented additional measures to ensure the safety of the public viewing physical case files, necessitating appointments.
The Draft EIR and the documents referenced in the Draft EIR are available for public review, by appointment only, City Planning offices located at 221 N Figueroa Street, Suite 1350, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please contact the Staff Planner listed below to schedule an appointment.
If you wish to submit comments following review of the Draft EIR, please reference the Environmental Case No. above, and submit them in writing by Monday July 6, 2020 no later than 4:00 p.m.
If you are unable to access project materials, or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact the staff planner Jason McCrea ((213) 847-3672 or jason.mccrea@lacity.org).
The Draft EIR is available online at the Department of City Planning’s website at http://planning4la.com/development-services/eir and copies will also be available at the following Library Branches if libraries are permitted to reopen during the comment period:
- Los Angeles Central Library, 630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
- Frances Howard Goldwyn – Hollywood Regional Library, 1623 North Ivar Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028
- Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library, 7140 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046
The Draft EIR can also be purchased on CD-ROM for $5.00 per copy. Contact Jason McCrea at (213) 847-3672 to purchase copies.
If you wish to submit comments following review of the Draft EIR, please reference the Environmental Case No. above, and submit them in writing by Monday July 6, 2020 no later than 4:00 p.m.
Please direct your comments to:
| Mail: | Jason McCrea |
| City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning 221 N. Figueroa Street Suite 1350 Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
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| E-mail: | Jason.mccrea@lacity.org |
DEIR Comment Period: May 21, 2020 to July 6, 2020
