iii. environmental setting - department of city...

City of Los Angeles New Century Plan State Clearinghouse No. 2006061096 March 2008

30

PRELIMINARY WORKING DRAFT – Work in Progress

III. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

A. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

The project site is located in Century City, a highly urbanized regional center on the westside of the City of Los Angeles. The following is a summary of the general environmental setting on and around the project site. More complete and specific discussions are contained under each respective section, as presented in Section IV of this Draft EIR.

1. Aesthetics/Visual Resources

(a) Visual Quality/Views

Located within Century City, the project site is situated in a highly urbanized area characterized by distinctive mid- and high-rise buildings. The physical setting of Century City consists of rolling terrain, which is generally higher in elevation than adjacent areas to the north and south. Since the cluster of high-rise buildings in Century City is higher than the built environment of the surrounding area, and because the ground elevation of Century City is generally higher than the surrounding terrain, the predominant high-rise structures of Century City, which are visible from a great distance throughout the Los Angeles Basin, create a distinctive component of the West Los Angeles urban skyline. Notable buildings in the vicinity include the twin 44-story Century Plaza towers, the 36-story MGM Tower, the 39-story AIG-SunAmerica Building, the two 23-story Watt Plaza towers, the 39-story Fox Plaza building, and the 19-story Century Plaza Hotel. Other notable features in the vicinity of the site include landscaped setbacks, plazas, fountains, streetscape, and pedestrian bridges across Avenue of the Stars, a designated scenic highway. With its scenic corridor designation, Avenue of the Stars and its landscape bordered by high-rise development are considered aesthetic resources in this urban context.

The project site currently consists of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center, a mix of one- to four-story retail, restaurant, and cinema buildings fronting Santa Monica Boulevard, Century Park West, and Constellation Boulevard; a five-story 1930 Century Park West office building located at the southwest corner of the project site; and the 13-story 1801 Avenue of the Stars office building located at the northeast corner of the project site.

Several buildings along the Westfield Century City Shopping Center’s and Constellation Boulevard frontages have undergone recent renovation and are characterized by modern buildings over a partially subterranean parking plaza. Due to recent construction along these

III. General Description of Environmental Setting


Page 131


frontages, existing landscaping consists primarily young street trees along Century Park West and portions of Constellation Boulevard. A mix of young and mature street trees and landscape are located along Santa Monica Boulevard, reflecting recent construction and street improvements along Santa Monica Boulevard. More mature landscape is located along the project’s Avenue of the Stars frontage. A pedestrian bridge crosses Avenue of the Stars at the south edge of the 1801 Avenue of the Stars building. The low-rise elements of the project site are visible only from adjacent streets, although rooftops of the existing uses are visible from adjacent high-rise buildings. The 1801 Avenue of the Stars building is visible from off-site areas to the north and west, including the Los Angeles Country Club Golf Course, since it is located at the north edge of the existing Century City high-rise cluster.

(b) Light, Glare, and Shading

Existing nighttime lighting within the project vicinity consists of streetlights and illuminated building signs, light spillage from high-rise buildings, security lighting, architectural lighting on building facades and in landscaped areas, and vehicle headlamps. Illuminated signage, including building identification signs and billboards or other types of advertising signage, and streetlights occur within commercial areas along the length of Santa Monica Boulevard to the east and west of the project site. Nighttime illumination is lowest in the area’s single-family residential neighborhoods and open space areas such as the Los Angeles Country Club golf course. In the more immediate vicinity of the project, sensitive uses with respect to artificial or nighttime light and glare are the residential neighborhoods located to the north of Santa Monica Boulevard and to the west of Century Park West, and the Century Plaza Hotel.

Daytime glare is generally associated with reflected sunlight from buildings with highly reflective surfaces. Land uses that would be sensitive to daytime glare from reflected sunlight include motorists traveling on the adjacent roadways and adjacent office uses. No buildings on the project site are known to generate daytime glare since these structures do not feature reflective glass, shiny surfaces, or metal or other reflective materials in the building façades. From the adjacent thoroughfare (Santa Monica Boulevard), the most visible building on the project site is the 13-story 1801 Avenue of the Stars building. The surface detailing on this building is articulated by broad horizontal lines that break up the surface plane and reduce reflectivity. As such, this building is not a source of substantial glare.

The concentration of high-rise buildings in the Century City Regional Center creates a varying pattern of shadows that rotates in a sweeping arc within and beyond the boundaries of Century City toward the west, north, and east, according to the movement of the sun. Century City’s shadows primarily extend beyond Century City into the surrounding area during the early morning and late afternoon hours throughout the year. Shading increases with proximity to Century City’s commercial core that is centered to the east of Avenue of the Stars. Shadows generated by the project site’s low-rise retail uses and the existing five-story and 13-story



Page 132


buildings do not extend beyond existing shadows generated by surrounding high-rise towers. As such, existing buildings do not generate any off-site shading patterns unique to these existing buildings. Shade sensitive uses in the area include the multi-family and hotel uses along Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, residential neighborhoods north of Santa Monica Boulevard, the residential neighborhood west of Century Park West, the Century Woods multi-family neighborhood located to the south of Constellation Boulevard, and the residential neighborhoods south of Olympic Boulevard. Residential neighborhoods in the City of Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills High School, east of the project site, are also considered shade-sensitive uses. Shade-sensitive recreational uses in the area include the Los Angeles Country Club golf course; outdoor recreational or dining areas at the Century Plaza Hotel, including the outdoor swimming pool; and the Roxbury Recreation Center in the City of Beverly Hills.

2. Air Quality

The proposed project is located within the South Coast Air Basin (Basin), an approximately 6,745 square-mile area bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains to the north and east. The Basin includes all of Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, in addition to the San Gorgonio Pass area in Riverside County. Its terrain and geographical location determine the distinctive climate of the Basin, as the Basin is a coastal plain with connecting broad valleys and low hills.

The southern California region lies in the semi-permanent high-pressure zone of the eastern Pacific. As a result, the climate is mild, tempered by cool sea breezes. The usually mild climatological pattern is interrupted infrequently by periods of extremely hot weather, winter storms, or Santa Ana winds. The extent and severity of the air pollution problem in the Basin is a function of the area’s natural physical characteristics (weather and topography), as well as man-made influences (development patterns and lifestyle). Factors such as wind, sunlight, temperature, humidity, rainfall, and topography all affect the accumulation and dispersion of pollutants throughout the Basin, making it an area of high pollution potential.

The greatest air pollution impacts throughout the Basin occur from June through September. This condition is generally attributed to the large amount of pollutant emissions, light winds, and shallow vertical atmospheric mixing. This frequently reduces pollutant dispersion, thus causing elevated air pollution levels. Pollutant concentrations in the Basin vary with location, season, and time of day. Ozone concentrations, for example, tend to be lower along the coast, higher in the near inland valleys, and lower in the far inland areas of the Basin and adjacent desert. Over the past 30 years, substantial progress has been made in reducing air pollution levels in southern California.



Page 133


3. Historic Resources

The project site consists of the existing Westfield Century City Shopping Center at 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, and two adjacent properties addressed as 1801 Avenue of the Stars and 1930 Century Park West.

The Westfield Century City Shopping Center consists of a two-level parking structure topped by an open-air promenade anchored by a pair of three-and four-level department stores. The Shopping Center was designed by the architectural firm of Welton Becket and Associates. Visual inspection, historic photographs, original plans, and newspaper articles show that the Westfield Century City Shopping Center has undergone numerous additions, alterations, and demolitions since it first opened in 1964. The only remaining elements of Westfield Century City Shopping Center that are consistent with Welton Becket’s design are: the locations and structural skeletons of the central anchor department store and the two remaining, one-story retail buildings sited near the northeast corner of the property; pedestrian circulation patterns; open-air promenades; a two-level covered parking garage and the north parking garage entrance. Due to the extensive modifications to the shopping center, there is little historic fabric associated with the property remaining. In addition, within the history of shopping center design and the work of Welton Becket, the Westfield Century City Shopping Center does not stand out as a work of distinction or importance. Overall, the shopping center does not retain sufficient integrity or significance to be recommended considered potentially eligible for listing in the federal, state or local or local registers and is not considered an historic resource.

The 1801 Avenue of the Stars building within the project site was completed in 1963 and was designed by the architectural firm of Welton Becket and Associates. The 1801 Avenue of the Stars building contains 13-stories with a rectangular footprint surrounded by a wide concrete plaza, which is raised above street grade. The building is a representative example of a corporate Modern office building and includes use of aluminum throughout. Characteristic features of type and style such as the building’s reinforced-concrete construction; flat roof with parapet; symmetrical, modular pattern of bays; a sealed-unit curtain wall glazing system; anodized aluminum metal elements; and ground and second floor setbacks remain in good condition. Overall, the exterior appearance of the subject property indicates a high degree of integrity. However, much of the interior has been repeatedly remodeled to accommodate changes in tenants.

As discussed in detail in Section IV.C., Historic Resources, a conservative assessment may conclude that 1801 Avenue of the Stars is a potential historic resource. The building at 1801 Avenue of the Stars appears ineligible for the National Register. However, while the property’s candidacy for the California Register is mixed with clear arguments both for and against, a conservative assessment promotes a conclusion that the property is an historical resource and is potentially eligible. Specifically, the building is representative of a design type that is characteristic of a particular period in state architectural history, and the building is also the product of an important creative individual’s firm, Welton Becket and Associates. However,



Page 134


the building is not a widely recognized or noteworthy example within the Becket firm’s body of work, it cannot be directly associated with Welton Becket, himself, and has outlasted the context in Century City for which it was designed and built. In addition, the building may be considered potentially eligible as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument under a combination of the City’s third and fourth criteria, though it does not appear to fully satisfy either one. The building does embody certain distinguishing architectural characteristics of an architectural-type specimen. In particular, it is a representative example of a Modern commercial office building in the context of a large scale master planned corporate and commercial center in post war Southern California. However, it cannot be argued that the building is inherently valued for a study of period, style or method of construction, as it is representative but not a notable example of its type. While the building is the work of a prolific architect’s firm, it is not recognized as an exceptionally important work of the firm or the architect.

The five-story office building located at 1930 Century Park West is corporate modern in architectural style and capped by a flat roof with recessed parapet. A period rendering of the building, along with original descriptions of the property’s exteriors and visual inspection shows that the building has been altered since its construction in 1966. Specifically, the upper stories of the north and south elevations originally consisted of concrete balconies accessible from offices on each floor. All of the balconies have been enclosed by horizontal bands of tinted glazing within a framework of aluminum mullions. On the building’s ground floor, the outward-curving main entrance area located on the north elevation is not original. The design and materials of the dual entrances, glass panels, and entrance surrounds appear to have been installed in the 1990s. 1930 Century Park West is not thematically associated with Century City because it was not a planned component of the 1961 master plan; however, it does fall within the 1958 through 1975 period of significance for the master plan. The primary thematic context for 1930 Century Park West is the architecture of the Modern period in Los Angeles, particularly in association with the development of Century City. The property cannot be placed under a historic milieu, nor can it be associated with a significant person or the work of a master architect. Additionally, although it is a product of a notable local architectural firm, Ladd and Kelsey, it is does not appear to be a distinctive or outstanding work by the firm. The building itself, when evaluated as an individual resource within the larger context of Century City and Los Angeles, lacks sufficient integrity and significance to be recommended eligible for listing in the federal, state or local registers.

4. Geology and Soils

Based on current available geologic information, no active or potentially active faults with the potential for surface fault rupture are known to be located directly beneath or projecting toward the project site.26

26 MACTEC, “Report of Geotechnical Investigation, Proposed Phase II Expansion Westfield Shoppingtown –

Century City,” April 2007.



Page 135


The closest active fault to the project site is the Santa Monica Fault located approximately 300 feet northwest of the site. Other nearby active faults include the Inglewood Fault of the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone located approximately 1.1 miles east of the site; the Hollywood Fault located approximately 1.6 miles north of the site; and the Malibu Coast Fault located approximately 2.0 miles west of the site. The closest potentially active fault to the project site is the Overland Fault located approximately 0.8 mile west-southwest of the site. Other nearby potentially active faults includes the Charnock Fault and the MacArthur Park Fault located approximately 1.8 miles west-southwest and 6.0 miles east-northeast of the site, respectively.

The project site is underlain up to approximately 31 feet in thickness by engineered fill soils comprised of silts, clays, and sands. The underlying natural soils are Pleistocene age older alluvium and consist predominantly of stiff to very stiff clays with layers of medium dense to dense sand and silt. The on-site soil can be classified as having low to medium expansion potential.

Groundwater is present at depths ranging from approximately 25 to 45 feet below ground surface.27 Because the project site is currently developed with subterranean parking levels that extend beyond the groundwater table, a permanent dewatering system is currently in place at 1801 Avenue of the Stars.

5. Hazards and Hazardous Materials

Small quantities of hazardous substances are currently used on the project site including common cleaning, maintenance, and painting supplies, and water treatment chemicals. The water treatment chemicals are utilized in conjunction with a groundwater dewatering system located at 1801 Avenue of the Stars. The system removes groundwater that has infiltrated into the parking garage’s air handling system and discharges it to the sewer. Additionally, one 5-gallon and two 25-gallon aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and several canisters totaling 15 gallons containing diesel fuel are located on the project site in conjunction with four emergency generators. All the substances are properly labeled and stored with no evidence of leaks, spills, or stains. Hydraulic elevators and trash compactors are located on the project site. However, they are serviced with hydraulic fluid that does not contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Chapter IX, Article 1, Division 71, Section 91.7103 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC), also known as the Los Angeles Methane Seepage Regulations, provides requirements for buildings and paved areas located in areas classified as being located either in a methane zone 27 Ibid.



Page 136


or a methane buffer zone. Requirements for new construction within such zones include installing a barrier (i.e., a membrane shield) between the building and underlying earth, installing a vent system(s) beneath the barrier and/or within the building, and installing a gas (methane) detection system. The project site is located in a methane zone. As such, it must comply with the Los Angeles Building Code Methane Seepage District Regulations, as required by the Los Angeles Department of Building Safety (LADBS).

The project site is located within the boundaries of the Beverly Hills Oil Field, though no oil wells or test holes were identified directly on the project site based on Department of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) records. Groundwater is located approximately 25 to 45 feet below the ground surface at the project site and flows in a southwest direction. A permanent dewatering system is currently in place at 1801 Avenue of the Stars as the project site is currently developed with subterranean parking levels that extend beyond the groundwater table.

6. Hydrology and Surface Water Quality

The project site is relatively flat with an average slope of approximately 0.5 percent. The site is fully developed, with impervious surfaces comprising approximately 90 percent of the site. Such impervious surfaces include buildings, plazas, walkways and parking areas. Pervious surfaces are minimal and include ornamental landscaping.

Surface water runoff from the site is directed into an extensive storm drain collection system in the project area. Storm drains are located in Santa Monica Boulevard, Avenue of the Stars, Constellation Boulevard, and Century Park West. The system drains into the Ballona Creek Flood Control Channel and eventually into the Pacific Ocean approximately six miles away. The Ballona Creek, which is located approximately 3.5 miles to the south of the project site, is a federally listed impaired water body.28

During a 50-year, 24-hour storm event, the project site receives approximately 6.2 inches of rainfall.

As described in more detail in Section II, Project Description, of this Draft EIR, the project involves redevelopment of an existing developed shopping center located on an existing podium of underground parking. Two drainage subareas referred to as Subareas A and B were identified for the project site by SEC Civil Engineers. Subarea A includes approximately

28 An impaired water body is a water body that is not attaining water quality standards after technology based

discharge limits on point sources have been implemented. Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires each state to maintain a list of impaired water bodies and revise the list from time to time.



Page 137


19.5 acres, including the existing developed shopping center and the building and surface parking at 1930 Century Park West, and thus comprises the majority of the project site. Subarea B includes approximately 2.4 acres and is generally comprised of the property at 1801 Avenue of the Stars, which is also fully developed with subterranean parking. Runoff from Subarea A generates a 50-year peak flow of approximately 43.0 cubic feet per second (cfs). This discharge is picked up by an on-site drainage system, which flows southerly and westerly toward series of existing catch basins which connect to the existing storm drains on Constellation Boulevard and Century Park West. Subarea B generates a 50-year peak flow of approximately 6.8 cfs, which flows easterly toward Avenue of the Stars where it is picked up by series of existing catch basins which connect to the existing storm drain on the Avenue of the Stars. The site in its entirety generates a total peak flow of 49.8 cfs during a 50-year event. All of the storm drains that serve the project site merge and flow southerly along Century Park West. However, based on data from SEC Civil Engineers, the 1930 Century Park West portion of project site to the southwest drains directly to the existing public drainage system and not to the on-site drainage system.

The project site is not located within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or City of Los Angeles designated 100-year flood plain and is located within an area of minimal flooding potential according to the Federal Insurance Administration. According to the City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework, the project area is not mapped as a potential inundation area that may result from failure of a levee or dam, and therefore would not expose people or structures to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving flooding. The project site is relatively distant from the ocean; is not in the vicinity of a reservoir, harbor, lake, or storage tank capable of creating a seiche; and is not positioned down slope from an area of potential mudflow. Accordingly, the project site is not mapped as an inundation or tsunami hazard area by the City of Los Angeles.

The project site includes pollutant sources that are typical of urban areas. Similar to other developed properties, existing stormwater runoff from the project site has the potential to contribute oil and grease, suspended solids, gasoline, and pesticides, and other pollutants to the stormwater conveyance system.

7. Land Use

The project site is located within the West Los Angeles community of the City of Los Angeles, approximately 8.5 miles west of downtown Los Angeles and 6 miles northeast of the Pacific Ocean. The project site is bounded to the north by Santa Monica Boulevard, a heavily traveled corridor that traverses the City, Avenue of the Stars to the east, Constellation Boulevard to the south, and Century Park West to the west. The site lies within the commercial core of Century City, a highly urbanized area generally characterized by mid- to high-rise office buildings, hotels, entertainment, retail, and residential uses. This dense regional center physically contrasts with surrounding development, which consists primarily of low-rise



Page 138


commercial and residential uses. The heights of the existing structures within Westfield Century City Shopping Center range from one story to three stories (approximately 16 to 73 feet above the shopping center plaza).

The entire project site is designated for Regional Commercial uses within the General Plan Framework and the West Los Angeles Community Plan, and lies within the Century City North Specific Plan area. The site encompasses three zoning designations as follows: C2-2-O along Avenue of the Stars (i.e., the 1801 Avenue of the Stars building); C2-1L-O extending from Santa Monica Boulevard to Constellation Boulevard through the center of the site (i.e., the majority of the existing shopping center); and C2-1VL-O along Century Park West (i.e., the western portion of the shopping center and the 1930 Century Park West building). The C2 portions of these designations indicate that the site is zoned for commercial uses (multi-family residential uses are also permitted within this zone). The second part of these zoning designations indicates the height districts that the site is located in. Three height districts apply to the project site: Height District No. 2 allowing for unlimited building height, Limited Height District No. 1 (1L) restricting building heights to a maximum of 75 feet, and Very Limited Height District No. 1 (1VL) restricting building heights to a maximum of 45 feet and three stories. Additionally, the third part of these zoning designations indicates that the project site is within a supplemental oil-drilling district (O). Under the Specific Plan, the site area zoned C2-1VL-O is part of the “Buffer Area” with a permitted FAR of 4.5:1, while the site areas zoned C2-1L-O and C2-2-0 are part of the “Core Area” with a permitted FAR of 6:1.

Land uses in the project area include a variety of primarily mid- and high-rise office, hotel, entertainment, hospital, and residential uses. Within the same city block as the project site along Avenue of the Stars are a 20-story office building at 1901 Avenue of the Stars and the 39-story SunAmerica office building and associated parking structure at 1999 Avenue of the Stars. To the north of the project site across Santa Monica Boulevard are commercial and multi-family uses as well as the Los Angeles Country Club. Single-family residential uses are located further to the north of these uses.

Across Avenue of the Stars to the east are a 13-story office building at 1800 Avenue of the Stars, a 28-story office building at 1900 Avenue of the Stars, and a two-story commercial building at 1950 Avenue of the Stars. Also within that block on Constellation Boulevard are a small building located at 10131 Constellation Boulevard, an office complex with twin 23-story structures known as Watt Plaza, a 27-story office building at 10076 Santa Monica Boulevard, a 27-story office building 1801 Century Park East, and associated surface and structured parking lots. The buildings located at 10131 Constellation Boulevard and 1950 Avenue of the Stars are proposed for demolition and replacement with 483 condominium units housed in two 47-story (570-foot) towers and a 12-story (135-foot) building.



Page 139


Uses directly south of the project site include the 19-story Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel and the 36-story MGM building. In addition, a new approximately 480-foot high building with 147 condominium units is expected to replace the recently demolished 30-story St. Regis Hotel located just south of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. In addition, this block includes the Century Woods Condominium complex, located at the northeast corner of Century Park West and Olympic Boulevard. Further to the south across Olympic Boulevard are the 39-story Fox Plaza office building, the Park Hyatt Hotel, and 20th Century Fox Studio. To the southeast of the project site at 2000 Avenue of the Stars, is a 15-story, approximately 790,000 square foot mixed-use office building. In addition, the two 44-story Century Plaza Towers are located on the same block fronting Century Park East. At approximately 849 feet above mean sea level (amsl), the Century Plaza Towers are the tallest structures in the project vicinity.

To the west of the project site are single-family residential uses. These uses are separated from the site by Century Park West and a fence with mature landscaping that runs along the western portion of Century Park West in the vicinity of the site. Other residential uses in the area include high-density multi-family residential uses further south of the project site near Olympic Boulevard. The Century Towers, two 28-story residential towers, are also located further to the south of the site at the northeast corner of Avenue of the Stars and Pico Boulevard. The jurisdictional boundary between the City of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills is located east of Century Park East and forms the eastern boundary of Century City. Beverly Hills High School is located adjacent to the jurisdictional boundary, with a residential neighborhood located east of the school. Low-rise commercial uses are located to the north of the High School along Santa Monica Boulevard. To the south of the High School and south of Olympic Boulevard are multi-family residences and Roxbury Recreation Center.

8. Noise

The predominant noise source within the project vicinity is roadway noise from local thoroughfares such as Avenue of the Stars, Constellation Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, and Olympic Boulevard. Other community noise sources include incidental noise from existing commercial, residential, and high school uses, ambulance sirens, distant aircraft over-flights, and landscaping maintenance activities at nearby residential and commercial uses. The only sources of ground-borne vibration in the project vicinity are vehicular travel (e.g., refuse trucks, delivery trucks, and transit buses) on local roadways and automobile circulation within underground parking facilities. Existing land uses, including noise-sensitive land uses (sensitive receptor locations) in the project vicinity include the following: commercial office buildings to the east; single- and multi-family residences, commercial uses, and motels to the north; a hotel, multi-family residences, and condominiums to the south; and single-family residents located west of the project site.



Page 140


9. Public Services

(a) Fire Protection

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) provides fire prevention, fire suppression, and life safety services within the City of Los Angeles. The LAFD is a full-spectrum life safety agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services to a population of approximately four million people throughout the City of Los Angeles. The LAFD’s 3,562 uniformed personnel provide fire prevention, firefighting, emergency medical care, technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response, public education, and community service. A total of 1,091 uniformed firefighters, including 223 paramedics, are on duty at 103 fire stations across the LAFD’s 470 square mile jurisdiction. The LAFD also employs 338 non-sworn technical and administrative support personnel.

There are three LAFD fire stations located in the vicinity of the project site. Fire Station No. 92 at 10556 West Pico Boulevard in Century City is located closest to the project site at a distance of approximately 1.4 street miles and a response time of approximately 5.2 minutes. Fire Station Nos. 37 and 71 are located approximately 2.3 and 2.4 street miles from the project site with response times of 6.4 and 7.0 minutes, respectively. In the event that additional response teams are needed during a major emergency, third response fire protection and emergency medical services would be provided by other fire stations within the LAFD system in the surrounding West Los Angeles and Century City area, including Fire Station No. 59 located at 11505 West Olympic Boulevard.

(b) Police Protection

The project site is located in the West Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), which covers approximately 122 square miles encompassing the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Westwood, Century City, Venice, Hancock Park, and the Miracle Mile. The West Bureau oversees operations at four community police stations including the Hollywood Community Police Station, the Wilshire Community Police Station, the Pacific Community Police Station, and the West Los Angeles Community Police Station. The West Bureau also oversees operations at the West Traffic Division, which is responsible for investigating traffic collisions and traffic-related crimes for all operations in the West Bureau. Approximately 182 sworn officers and nine civilians serve under the West Traffic Division. The project site is served by the West Los Angeles Community Police Station located at 1663 Butler Avenue, approximately 2.3 miles from the project site. The West Los Angeles Area, which covers approximately 64.14 square miles and approximately 748 street miles.



Page 141


The West Los Angeles Community Police Station has approximately 234 sworn officers and 16 civilians deployed within the West Los Angeles Area. The West Los Angeles Community Police Station currently provides service to a residential population of approximately 221,876 residents with a service population increase of approximately one-half million people when taking into account those that work in the West Los Angeles area, those that visit neighborhoods within West Los Angeles, and those that attend surrounding educational institutions including the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). The project site is located within Reporting District (RD) 839. The service boundaries of RD 839 are Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, the Los Angeles City boundary to the east, Olympic Boulevard to the south, and Fox Hills Drive to the west.

The Westfield Century City Shopping Center currently maintains an extensive 24-hour security program to ensure visitor and property safety and assist in crime prevention. A security staff with a total of 36 officers provides security services to the shopping center that include foot patrol, bike patrol, and golf cart patrol. Westfield security also utilizes two programs to assist with security patrol activities: Tour Trax, a data collection system that collects information of the on-duty officer’s daily patrolling activities; and CASE Global (Computer-Assisted Security Environment), a computer-assisted program used for security data collection, monitoring, incident tracking and emergency notification. A total of approximately 64 security cameras are located throughout the shopping center. Westfield security also coordinates regularly with the LAPD to ensure adequate provision of law enforcement and security services at the center. Every Friday evening, the LAPD Explorer units, partnered with Westfield, provide additional security enforcement during busy evenings. In the event additional security resources or assistance is required, Westfield’s participation in the Sister Mall program in which security back-up from other malls participating in the program could be provided as needed and security task force would provide such services.

(c) Schools

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is one of the largest public school districts in the nation encompassing approximately 710 square miles and serving the City of Los Angeles, 32 other cities either entirely or partially within LAUSD, and several unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. LAUSD provides public education to a total of approximately 708,461 students enrolled throughout a total of 873 kindergarten through high school (K-12) schools, and 282 independent K-12 charter schools and centers. Currently, there are 435 elementary schools, 74 middle schools, and 61 senior high schools serving approximately 635,127 K-12 students.

The project site is located within LAUSD Local District 3 and would be served by Westwood Charter Elementary School, Emerson Middle School, Webster Middle School, and University High School. These schools are currently operating on a single-track calendar in



Page 142


which instruction generally begins in early September and continues through late June. In addition, the project site is located in a middle school attendance option area, in which students have a choice of attending either Emerson Middle School or Webster Middle School.

(d) Libraries

The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) system provides library services to all areas in the City of Los Angeles and is also the largest system of public libraries for any city in our nation. The LAPL consists of the Richard J. Riordan Central Library and 71 branch libraries, with an inventory of over six million books and 2,100 “virtual-library” computer workstations with access to the Internet and electronic databases. Currently there are no community branch libraries for the Century City area. However, the LAPL has identified the Westwood Branch Library and the Palms–Rancho Park Branch Library as the library facilities that would serve the Century City area, including the project site.

The Westwood Branch Library opened in May 2005 and consists of a total of 12,500 square feet. The library is located at 1246 Glendon Avenue, approximately 2.7 miles west from the project site. The Westwood Branch Library has 12 staff positions, and a service population of 69,154 according to the 2000 US Census. The library currently holds a collection of 49,500 books. The Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library opened in November 2002 and consists of a total of 10,500 square feet. The library is located at 2920 Overland Avenue, approximately 2.7 miles south from the project site. The Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library has 12.25 staff positions, and a service population of 68,167 based on the 2000 US Census. The library has a literature collection of 46,300. Currently both the Westwood Branch Library and the Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library adequately meet the demand for library services in their respective communities. Other libraries that could potentially serve project residents include the Robertson Branch Library, the West Los Angeles Regional Branch Library, and the City of Beverly Hills Public Library. The City of Beverly Hills Public Library is also a participant in the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System (MCLS), which allows patron use from other participating jurisdictions. In addition, under the MCLS program, the City of Beverly Hills Public Library accepts library cards from LAPL cardholders. The Beverly Hills Public Library is located at 444 North Rexford Drive, approximately 1.9 miles northeast of the project site.

(e) Parks and Recreation

The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (Department) is responsible for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities in the project vicinity. Currently, the Department maintains and operates more than 390 sites for recreational use including: 180 recreation centers, 59 swimming pools, 13 municipal golf courses, nine lakes, seven camps both in and out of town, more than a dozen museums and historic sites, and hundreds of programs for youth, senior, physically disabled, and volunteers.



3


The Department also administers more than 15,600 acres of parkland, including 4,217 acres in Griffith Park, one of the largest municipal parks within an American city’s boundaries. The project site is located in a heavily populated area in which high numbers of youth, families, and seniors utilize local parks and recreational facilities. Cheviot Hills Park and Recreation Center, Irving Schachter Park, De Neve Square, Holmby Park and Armand Hammer Pitch and Putt Golf Course, Westwood Park and Recreation Center and the Rancho Park Golf Course would likely serve the residents of the proposed project.

10. Traffic and Circulation

The project site is located within the West Los Angeles Community Plan area of the City of Los Angeles, California. Specifically, the project site is bounded by Santa Monica Boulevard to the north, Avenue of the Stars to the east, Constellation Boulevard to the south, and Century Park West to the west. Internal access to the project site is provided via eight main driveways including one along Santa Monica Boulevard (for retail uses), one along Avenue of the Stars (for office uses), three along Constellation Boulevard (two for retail uses and one for office uses), and three along Century Park West (two for office uses and one for retail uses). In addition to these main driveways, internal access to the project site is also provided via seven ancillary driveways including three along Santa Monica Boulevard (valet, service tunnel, drop-off), two along Constellation Boulevard (service tunnels), and two along Century Park West (loading areas).

Regional access to the project site is provided via State Route 2 (Santa Monica Boulevard) which abuts the project site to the north, Interstate 405 (I-405 San Diego Freeway) located approximately one and a half miles to the west, and Interstate 10 (I-10 Santa Monica Freeway) located approximately two miles to the south. The Metro, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, City of Culver City, and other transit lines provide public transportation within the vicinity of the project site.

11. Water Supply

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is responsible for providing water within the City of Los Angeles (City) limits and ensuring that the delivered water quality meets applicable California health standards for drinking water. As the proposed project is located within the City of Los Angeles, LADWP would be the water provider for the project. Water is supplied to the City from local groundwater, the Los Angeles Aqueducts (LAA), and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). In year 2006, approximately 60 percent of LADWP’s water supply was from the LAA, approximately 10 percent came from local groundwater, approximately 29 percent from the MWD, and a remaining one percent was from recycled water. In addition to the local groundwater sources used throughout the City, LADWP operates the Los Angeles-Owens River Aqueduct and is a member of the MWD.



Page 144


LADWP extracts groundwater from various locations throughout the Owens Valley and four local groundwater basins: San Fernando, Sylmar, Central, and West Coast groundwater basins. As the LADWP owns extensive property in the Owens Valley, it appropriates groundwater for use in the Owens Valley and in Los Angeles. From October 2005 through September 2006, LADWP extracted 57,412 AF from Owens Valley, 35,428 AF from the San Fernando Basin, 1,853 AF from the Sylmar Basin and 13,395 AF from the Central Basin. LADWP plans to continue to maximize production from its groundwater basins in the coming years to offset reductions in imported supplies.

LADWP’s 2005 UWMP projections in five-year increments from 2010 to 2030 are based on projected population estimates provided by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The City’s water demand for the year 2030 is forecasted to be approximately 776, 000 AFY. Utilizing the current demand per capita provides a conservative estimate of projected future water demand to ensure that water supplies are available to meet projected demands. The LADWP anticipates adequate water supplies would be available to the service areas under normal, single-dry, and multiple-dry year conditions through 2030.

The water infrastructure serving the project site consists of domestic water mains located in the adjacent City streets. Currently, 12-inch water mains exist in Santa Monica Boulevard, Avenue of the Stars, and Century Park West. An 8-inch water main is located in Constellation Boulevard and extends from Century Park East through Century Park West. In addition, a new 60-inch water main has recently been constructed across the Los Angeles Country Club golf course, located north of the project site. This water main extends into Santa Monica Boulevard and down Century Park East; however, the water main has not been connected into the existing water system in Century City.

B. RELATED PROJECTS

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that the analysis of potential project impacts include cumulative impacts. CEQA defines cumulative impacts as “two or more individual effects which, when considered together are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts.”29 This analysis of cumulative impacts need not be as in-depth as what is performed relative to the proposed project, but instead is to “be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness.”30

29 State CEQA Guidelines, 14 California Code of Regulations, § 15355, et seq. 30 Ibid, § 15355.



Page 145


Cumulative impacts are anticipated impacts of the proposed project along with reasonably foreseeable growth. Reasonably foreseeable growth may be based on either:31

• A list of past, present, and reasonably anticipated future projects producing related or cumulative impacts; or

• A summary of projections contained in an adopted general plan or related planning document designed to evaluate regional or area wide conditions.

Build out of the project is forecasted to occur in 2012. Accordingly, this Draft EIR considers the effects of other proposed development projects that may be constructed between 2006 and 2012. This analysis has utilized a listing of all anticipated related projects based on information on file at the City of Los Angeles Department of Planning, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and the City of Beverly Hills Department of Community Development. The study area generally incorporates the area in which the project might substantially affect traffic conditions. The development of 108 related projects is anticipated in the project study area (63 in the City of Los Angeles and 45 in the City of Beverly Hills). Table 2 summarizes the location, land use, and size of each related project. Figure 15 on page 152 depicts the location of each related project. The map numbers identified in Figure 15 correspond to the related project numbers identified in Table 2. The analysis of cumulative development also assumes a 1.5 percent average annual growth factor in traffic levels between 2006 and 2012. The projected cumulative development is addressed in the analysis of all environmental issues.

31 Ibid, § 15130(b)(1).



Page 146


Table 2

Related Projects Map No.a Project Location Land Use Sizeb

City of Los Angeles 1 UCLA Westwood Campus Expansion UCLA Westwood Campus Southwest Campus Housing

Northwest Campus Phase II Development Intramural Field Parking Structure Physics and Astronomy Building

Luck Research Center, Thermal Energy Storage California Nano Systems Institute

Academic Health Center Seismic Replacement

2,000 beds 296,700 sf

1,500 spaces 101,900 sf 95,000 sf 166,00 sf

1,710,000 sf 2 FBI Office (Phase II) 11000 Wilshire Blvd. Office 1,000 employees 3 Palazzo Westwood 1001 Tiverton Ave. Shopping Center

Supermarket Apartment

61,000 sf 54,000 sf 350 du

4 Retail, High Turnover Restaurant, Medical Office, Theater

Southeast corner of Broxton Ave. and Le Conte Ave.

Retail High Turnover Restaurant

Medical Office Theater

15,000 sf 2,993 sf

74,000 sf 1,135 seats

5 Theater Expansion 10886 Le Conte Ave. Theater 106 seats 6 Apartments, Specialty Retail 10852 Lindbrook Ave. Apartments

Specialty Retail 19 du

6,100 sf 7 Apartments 860 S. Devon Ave. Apartments 19 du 8 Condominiums 10804 Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums 93 du 9 Condominiums 10776 Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums 119 du

10 Private School Expansion 700 N. Faring Rd. Private School Expansion 122,200 sf 11 Fox Studio Expansion 10201 W. Pico Blvd. Fox Studio Expansion 360,000 sf 12 High School Expansion 9760 W. Pico Blvd. High School Expansion 14,800 sf 13 Private School 9051 Pico Blvd. Private School 360 students 14 Wilshire/Comstock Condominium Project 10250 W. Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums 35 du


Table 2 (Continued)

Related Projects


Page 147


Map No.a Project Location Land Use Sizeb

15 ABC Entertainment Center 2000 Ave. of the Stars Office High Turnover Restaurant

Quality Restaurant Retail

Cultural Center

763,900 sf 16,012 sf 16,011 sf 19,214 sf 10,675 sf

16 St. Regis Redevelopment Project 2055 Ave. of the Stars Condominiums Quality Restaurant

Private Club

147 du 7,000 sf

43,000 sf 17 Condominiums 527 S. Midvale St. Condominiums 166 du 18 Residential Hotel 10844 W. Lindbrook Dr. Residential Hotel 42 rooms 19 Health/Fitness Center 10960 W. Wilshire Blvd. Health/Fitness Center 36,052 sf 20 Condominiums 1826 S. Glendon Ave. Condominiums 16 du 21 Condominiums 1417 S. Butler Ave. Condominiums 16 du 22 New Car Sales 10534 W. Pico Blvd. New Car Sales 2,750 sf 23 Condominiums 1625 S. Barry Ave. Condominiums 18 du 24 Condominiums 1525 S. Armacost Ave. Condominiums 18 du 25 Condominiums 1633 S. Armacost Ave. Condominiums 16 du 26 Condominiums 10763 W. Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums 60 du 27 Condominiums 2037 S. Beverly Glen Blvd. Condominiums 16 du 28 Office 12233 Olympic Blvd. Office 330,000 sf 29 Condominiums 1511 S. Camden Ave. Condominiums 16 du 30 Condominiums, Office, Specialty Retail 11663 Wilshire Ave. Condominiums

Office Specialty Retail

49 du 41,000 sf 8,000 sf

31 Mausoleum Building 1218 S. Glendon Ave. Mausoleum Building 3 acres 32 Condominiums 10617 W. Eastborne Ave. Condominiums 16 du 33 Condominiums 1517 S. Bentley Ave. Condominiums 22 du 34 Apartments 1817 S. Beloit Ave. Apartments 15 du 35 Live/Work Units 11500 W. Tennessee Ave. Live/Work Units 84 du 36 Condominiums 430 S. Kelton Ave. Condominiums 40 du


Table 2 (Continued)

Related Projects


Page 148



37 Restaurant 10935 W. Weyburn Ave. Restaurant 129 seats 38 Condominiums 1807 S. Beverly Glen Blvd. Condominiums 16 du 39 Condominiums 2263 S. Fox Hills Dr. Condominiums 15 du 40 Cooking School 10955 W. Pico Blvd. Cooking School 1,858 sf 41 Bank 1762 Westwood Blvd. Bank 4,422 sf 42 Westside Pavilion Renovation 10850 Pico Blvd. Theater

Retail 2,340 seats 723,466 sf

43 Le Lycee Francis High School 10309 W. National Blvd. Private High School 340 students 44 Condominiums 10131 Constellation Blvd. Condominiums 483 du 45 Discounted Store 11840 Olympic Blvd. Discounted Store 86,600 sf 46 Condominiums 1333 S. Beverly Green Dr. Condominiums 5 du 47 Belmont Village Wilshire Blvd./Warner St. Independent Living

Assisted Living 62 du

118 du 48 Apartments 10000 W. Santa Monica Blvd. Apartment 350 du 49 Apartment, Retail 10901 Santa Monica Blvd. Apartment

Retail 36 du

8,485 sf 50 Condominiums, Office, Retail 10604-10612 National Blvd. Condominiums

Office Retail

29 du 2,072 sf 1,248 sf

51 Regent Westwood Mixed-Use 1015 Broxton Ave. Theater 336 seats 52 Office 1100 Westwood Blvd. Office 34,641 sf 53 Del Capri Hotel Wilshire Blvd/Westholme Ave. Apartments 88 du 54 Condominiums 11611 Montana Ave. Condominiums 20 du 55 Office 11677 Wilshire Blvd. Office 146,708 sf 56 Retail 11305 Santa Monica Blvd. Retail 1,140 sf 57 Auto Service 10461 Santa Monica Blvd. Auto Service 2,074 sf 58 Office Southwest corner of Santa Monica

Blvd. and Beverly Glen Ave. Office 25,000 sf

59 Fast Food Restaurant and Snack Shop 10867 Santa Monica Blvd. Fast Food Restaurant and Snack Shop 2,070 sf


Table 2 (Continued)

Related Projects


Page 149



60 Day Care and Private School (K-8) 1062 Robertson Rd. Day Care Private School (K-8)

84 students 216 students

61 Brentwood Retail Center Project 1171 Gorham Ave. Retail 21,340 sf 62 Olympic-Stoner Retail Center 11785 Olympic Boulevard Retail

Less Existing 28,000 sf 63 Condominiums 10710 Wilshire Boulevard Condominiums 64 du

City of Beverly Hills B1 Young Israel Sanctuary 9261 Alden Dr. Sanctuary

Multi-Purpose Room 14,811 sf 1,254 sf

B2 Beverly Hills Gardens and Montage Hotel 202-240 N. Beverly Dr. Hotel Condominiums

Restaurant Commercial

214 rooms 35 du

13,500 sf 13,500 sf

B3 Office, Restaurant 265 N. Beverly Dr. Office, Restaurant 45,000 sf B4 Church Expansion 432-436 S. Beverly Dr. Church Expansion 932 sf B5 Retail Expansion 456 N. Camden Dr. Retail Expansion 1,750 sf B6 Condominiums 125 S. Camden Dr. Condominiums 40 du B7 Medical Plaza 245-257 N. Canon Dr. Medical Office

Surgery Center Retail

23,139 sf 13,609 sf 8,148 sf

B8 Commercial, Retail 338 N. Canon Dr. Commercial, Retail 11,900 sf B9 Residential, Office, Retail 131-191 N. Crescent Dr. Residential

Office, Retail 88 du

40,000 sf B10 Assisted Care Facility 201 N. Crescent Dr. Assisted Care Facility 80 du B11 Culture Central Center 469 N. Crescent Dr. Culture Central Center 34,000 sf B12 Hotel 150 Lasky Dr. Hotel 42 rooms B13 Senior Congregate Care 129 S. Linden Dr. Senior Congregate Care 76 du B14 Synagogue, Private School 9090 Olympic Blvd. Synagogue

Private School 9,000 sf

10,000 sf B15 Condominiums 437-443 N. Palm Dr. Condominiums 13 du


Table 2 (Continued)

Related Projects


Page 150



B16 Screening Room 150 El Camino Screening Room 66 seats B17 Condominiums 261-283 S. Reeves Dr. Condominiums 23 du B18 Office 9844 Wilshire Blvd. Office 95,000 sf B19 Office 8747 Wilshire Blvd. Office 85,000 sf B20 Retail, Restaurant, Condominiums 9200 Wilshire Blvd. Retail

Restaurant Condominiums

8,400 sf 5,600 sf 54 du

B21 Retail, Condominiums 9590 Wilshire Blvd. Retail Condominiums

12,000 sf 60 du

B22 Condominiums, Retail, Quality Restaurant 9900 Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums Retail

Quality Restaurant

252 du 15,656 sf 4,800 sf

B23 Hotel 9730 Wilshire Blvd. Hotel 204 rooms B24 Condominiums 216-220 S. Arnaz Dr. Condominiums 16 du B25 Condominiums 552-558 N. Hillgreen Dr. Condominiums 9 du B26 Condominiums 140-144 S. Oakhurst Dr. Condominiums 11 du B27 Apartment 428-430 Smithwood Dr. Apartment 1 du B28 Condominiums 133 Spalding Dr. Condominiums 4 du B29 Health Spa 9641 Sunset Blvd. Health Spa 2,000 sf B30 Service Facility 400 Foothill Rd. Service Facility 53,000 sf B31 Medical Office, Retail 8536 Wilshire Blvd. Medical Office

Retail 12,445 sf 12,445 sf

B32 Condominiums, Retail 8600 Wilshire Blvd. Condominiums Retail

21 du 4,800 sf

B33 Apartments 8601 Wilshire Blvd. Apartments 37 du B34 Shopping Center, Office 421-427 N. Beverly Dr. Shopping Center

Office 15,000 sf 15,000 sf

B35 Retail, Office 8767 Wilshire Blvd. Retail, Office 75,000 sf


Table 2 (Continued)

Related Projects


Page 151



B36 The Beverly Hilton Southwest corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd.

Condominium Condominium/Hotel

Hotel

96 du 104 du 96 du

B37 Medical Office 50 N. La Cienega Blvd. Medical Office 14,000 sf B38 Office, Medical Office 9754 Wilshire Blvd. Office

Medical Office 24,566 sf 7,977 sf

B39 Condominiums 155-157 N. Hamilton Dr. Condominiums 11 du B40 Condominiums 225 S. Hamilton Dr. Condominiums 27 du B41 Condominiums 156-168 N. La Peer Dr. Condominiums 16 du B42 Condominiums 432 N. Oakhurst Dr. Condominiums 34 du B43 Condominiums 144 Reeves Dr. Condominiums 3 du B44 Condominiums 313-317 Reeves Dr. Condominiums 10 du B45 Condominiums 115 N. Swall Dr. Condominiums 3 du

a Corresponds with Map Nos. on Figure 15 below. b The abbreviation “du” stands for dwelling units and “sf” stands for square feet. Source: Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers, Traffic Impact Study, October 2007.

��

��

��

� �!� ��

�

�"

��

iii. environmental setting - department of city...

Documents