Rescission of Previously Approved Uptown Whittier Specific Plan Amendment (SPA21-0001)
4 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2022060580
Public Agency
City of Whittier
Document Title
Rescission of Previously Approved Uptown Whittier Specific Plan Amendment (SPA21-0001)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/25/2023
Document Description
The project is the rescission of a previously approved Specific Plan Amendment to the
Uptown Whittier Specific Plan (SPA21-0001), and a return of development standards that were thereby eliminated by the rescission, to those previously existing before the implementation of SPA21-0001.
The previously-approved project was a Specific Plan Amendment to the
Uptown Whittier Specific Plan affecting the entire 185-acres with additional modifications to all of the Uptown Core zone and portions of the Uptown Center zone. Specific Plan Amendment No. SPA21-0001 amended certain definitions contained within the Uptown Whittier Specific Plan, and amended portions of the development and parking standards in the Specific Plan affecting properties within the entire Specific Plan, and parcels in the Uptown Core and Uptown Center areas. This project rescinds the referenced Specific Plan amendments that were previously approved by the City, and returns the development and parking standards of the Specific Plan to those previously existing, specifically relating to standards such as parking ratio, allowance of tandem and uncovered parking, the size of parking spaces, the depth location of parking lots, increased allowable height of towers/penthouses, modification of building types, and allowance of ground floor residential.
Contact Information
Name
Luis Escobedo
Agency Name
City of Whittier
Job Title
Assistant Director of Community Development
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Whittier
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Other Location Info
The 185-acres Uptown Whittier Specific Plan within the County of Los Angeles is bound by the northern edge of the north side of Hadley Street to the north, Painter Avenue to the east, Penn Street to the south, and Pickering Avenue to the west. It consists of 35 city blocks, each block measuring approximately 300 feet by 600 feet.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project was reviewed for potential exemptions and was found to be categorically exempt from CEQA under the common sense exemption, in that it can be seen with certainty that the proposed action will not have any effect or any substantial effect on the environment. The rescission returns the development standards of the Uptown Core and Uptown Center of the Uptown Whittier Specific Plan (“UWSP”) areas to the standards that were previously existed prior to the adoption of Specific Plan Amendment SPA21-0001. The changes proposed to the UWSP relate only to those limited items that were originally modified by SPA21-0001. No new changes to the development standards in these areas have been made. The rescission modifies certain parking requirements, including increased tower/penthouse heights; modified building types; and allowed ground-floor residential. The rescission and changes only return these standards to those previously existing. The return of the development standards to those previously existing will not have an environmental impact or any significant environmental impact. Further, the return to prior standards continues to be consistent with the goals and policies of the UWSP and the General Plan. Return of the development standards to pre-existing ones will still allow and encourage development in the Uptown area, including the development of multi-family residential projects or other housing opportunities. Such projects will not be impeded by the rescission of SPA21-0001, and the return to previously existing standards continues to allow quality projects in the Uptown Core and Uptown Center areas of the UWSP. Thus, the project is exempt from CEQA as having no environmental impact.
This is to advise that the City of Whittier – City Council, as the lead agency, approved a rescission of SPA21-0001 on August 22, 2023, and approved Resolution No. 2023-62 to return the previously-implemented modifications of certain development standards of the UWSP to those that were previously existing, prior to adoption of SPA21-0001. The City Council also found that this project is exempt from CEQA environmental review under Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 15061(b)(3).
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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