Related Case Number: CPC-2019-5596-GPAJ-ZCJ-SPP-SPR, VTT-82798
Community Plan Areas: Wilshire
Project Description: The subject of this SCEA is the proposed Enlightenment Plaza Project (Project). Project site is located at 321 N. Madison Avenue [including 317, 327, 333, 339, 345 N. Madison Avenue, 312, 316, 322, 328, N. Juanita Avenue, and 3810, 3812, 3812 ½, 3814, 3814 ½, 3818, 3820, 3830, and 3838 W. Oakwood Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004. The site is comprised of 12 contiguous lots zoned M1-1 with a Land Use designation of Limited Manufacturing and is located within the Vermont/Western Station Neighborhood Area Plan (SNAP) Specific Plan, Subarea D. The site is currently improved with three residential units, three one-story commercial buildings, totaling approximately 15,000 square feet of existing floor area, and a surface parking lots with 199 parking spaces. One existing two-story office building over a one-level partially subterranean parking garage at the corner of Juanita Ave. and Oakwood Ave., which is not part of the development project, will be maintained. The project is the demolition of three existing commercial buildings, three single-family residential buildings, a surface parking lot and 4 non-protected trees (including one street tree) and the construction, use, and maintenance of a 454 affordable and permanent supportive housing development with 23 dwelling units restricted for Extremely Low Income Household Occupancy, 50 dwelling units restricted for Very Low Income Household Occupancy, 376 dwelling units restricted to Low Income Household Occupancy and five manager’s units. The project proposes five eight-story buildings with a maximum building height of 95 feet above grade totaling approximately 247,812 square feet of floor area and a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 2.8:1, with 11,772 square feet of resident supportive services space (including 5,700 square feet of case management service area as well as 6,072 square feet of interior open space). The project will provide 23 vehicular parking spaces at grade level, and 227 long-term and 24 short-term bicycle parking spaces. The project proposes 36,580 square feet of open space, including interior and exterior open space provided on site. The proposed project will require approximately 3,000 cubic yards of export and the removal of 4 trees from the site and public right-of-way. 114 new trees will be planted on site.
Permits and Approvals: Project Applicant is requesting the following discretionary approvals: (1) the SCEA; (2) A statutory exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Assembly Bill 1197; (3) A General Plan Amendment per LAMC Section 11.5.6 to change the Land Use Designation from Limited Manufacturing to Commercial Manufacturing; (4) A JJJ compliant Zone Change per LAMC Section 12.32 F from M1-1 to CM-1 and utilizing Developer Incentives per LAMC Section 11.5.11(e) to allow: a 20% reduction in open space to permit 36,580 square feet of open space in lieu of the 45,725 square feet, a zero-foot step back applied to the front property lines along Madison, Oakwood, and Juanita Avenues, in lieu of the 15-foot step back, as otherwise required by the proposed SNAP, and RAS3 side yard requirements per LAMC 12.10.5 in lieu of the yard requirements in the underlying CM Zone; (5) A Specific Plan Amendment to the SNAP to change subarea designation of the subject property from D to D.2 pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 G; (6) A Project Permit Compliance Review to all the demolition of the existing three commercial buildings, three single-family residential buildings, one surface parking lot and 4 trees, and the construction, use and maintenance of five eight-story buildings with 454 Permanent Supportive Housing dwelling units pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 C; (7) A Site Plan Review for a development project which creates, or results in an increase of 50 or more dwelling units pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05; (8) Vesting Tentative Tract Map, and (9) approval of a haul route.
Regulatory Compliance and Mitigation Measures: The SCEA determined that the Project are less than significant environmental impacts with the implementation of Regulatory Compliance Measures and Mitigation Measures. The Project has incorporated Regulatory Compliance Measures or Project Design Features for the following impact areas: Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Public Services, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems, and incorporated Mitigation Measures for Noise. This location is not a site on any of the lists enumerated under Gov. Code Section 65962.5. Pursuant to Section 21155.2 of the PRC, this SCEA: 1) incorporates all feasible mitigation measures, performance standards, or criteria set forth in the prior applicable environmental impact reports, including the 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016-2040 RTP/SCS) prepared by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and adopted in findings made pursuant to Section 21081; and 2) contains regulatory compliance measures and project design features that either avoids or lessens all potentially significant or significant effects of the Project required to be identified in the initial study prepared for the Project.
File Review and Comments: The Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment (SCEA) and the documents referenced in the SCEA are available for public review. Please contact the Staff Planner listed below to schedule an appointment.
The SCEA is also available online at the Department of City Planning's website at https://planning.lacity.gov (click on the "Development Services" tab at the top, then from the pull down menu, select “Published Documents” under the Environmental Review column. Next select "Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessments", and click on the icon to the right of the Project title).
The SCEA can also be purchased on CD-ROM for $5.00 per copy. Contact the Staff Planner, Hagu Solomon-Cary at (213) 978-1361, to purchase copies.
If you wish to submit comments following review of the SCEA, please reference the Environmental Case No. above, and submit them in writing by Monday, June 1, 2020, no later than 4:00 p.m.
Please direct your comments to:
Mail: Hagu Solomon-Cary
City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning
200 N. Spring Street, Room 621
Los Angeles, CA 90012
E-mail: hagu.solomon-cary@lacity.org
Comment Review Period: April 30, 2020 to June 1, 2020
