460 West Ulysses Street (ENV-2024-3474-CE)

2024091001

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

9/25/2024

9/25/2024

Pablo Estrada

City of Los Angeles, City Planning Department

City Planning Associate

Lead/Public Agency

200 N. Spring Street Room 621
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(818) 374-5033

pablo.estrada@lacity.org

Wellington Gabriel

Brian Noteware ALA

Representative

Parties Undertaking Project

2800 28th Street
Santa Monica , CA 90405

(323) 222-2230

well.gabriel@yahoo.com

90065

460 West Ulysses Street

Categorical Exemption

15303-03

Class 3: Construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure; (a) One single-family residence, or a second dwelling unit in a residential zone. In urbanized areas, up to three single-family residences may be constructed or converted under this exemption. There are six (6) Exceptions which the City is required to consider before finding a project exempt under Section 15303, Class 3 (a) Location; (b) Cumulative Impacts; (c) Significant Effect; (d) Scenic Highways; (e) Hazardous Waste Sites; and (f) Historical Resources. The site is zoned R1-1-HCR and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Low Residential. While the subject site is located 2.29 kilometers from the Upper Elysian Fault, specific Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs) in the City of Los Angeles regulate the grading and construction of projects in these particular types of "sensitive" locations and will reduce any potential impacts to less than significant. Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs) include requirements to conform with the California Building Code and the City's Landform Grading Manuel. These RCMs have been historically proven to work to the satisfaction of the City Engineer to reduce any impacts from the specific environment the project is located. The project shall comply with the Grading Pre-Inspection Report from the Department of Building and Safety dated October 26, 2023 (permit application #23030-10000-06444 ). Thus, the location of the project will not result in a significant impact based on its location. With regard to potential cumulative impacts during the construction phase of the project, there may be active construction activity in the vicinity of where the subject property is located at the same time that the project undergoes construction. However, Regulatory Compliance Measures will help ensure that cumulative impacts related to construction activity are addressed. Therefore, the project will not have any significant impacts to traffic. The subject project initially inquired regarding a Construction Traffic Management Plan for review by the City's Department of Transportation (LADOT), pursuant Jo the LADOT's Hillside Development Construction Traffic Management Guidelines released on June 16, 2020. These guidelines state the purpose of a Construction Traffic Management Plan is to address transportation concerns specific to hillside communities, including narrow streets, limited emergency access, and location in a Very High Fire Severity Zone. The proposed project would not be subject to a Hillside Construction Traffic Management Plan due to the street width being greater than 24 feet as stated by LADOT staff. The email from LADOT is dated May 31, 2024, and is included in the case file. Therefore, the subject project will have no cumulative impact on the City's circulation system. Interim thresholds were developed by DCP staff based on CalEEMod model runs relying on reasonable assumptions, consulting with AQMD staff, and surveying published air quality studies for which criteria air pollutants did not exceed the established SCAQMD construction and operational thresholds. As mentioned, the proposed project includes the construction, use, and maintenance of a conversion of the basement into a habitable space within the existing single-family dwelling measuring approximately 886.81 square feet for a cumulative 2,084.81 square foot dwelling on a 5,089.3 square foot previously developed lot in an area zoned and designated for such development. All adjacent lots are developed with single-family dwellings, or vacant and the subject site is of a similar size and slope to nearby properties. The project proposes a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.41:1 or 2,084.81 square feet including the existing single family-dwelling on a site that is permitted to have a maximum FAR of 0.49: 1 or 2,535 square feet. The project proposes to maintain the existing building height of 28 feet and four (4) inches, which is not unusual for the vicinity of the subject site and is similar in scope to other existing low residential in the area. As identified in the Owners Declaration of Biological Resources dated June 18, 2024, Property Owner, Marvin Backstrom, stated that the project will have no impact on any species or riparian habitats identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations; federally protected wetlands; and the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species. While the site is previously undisturbed, it is surrounded by development and therefore is not, and has no value as, a habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. Therefore, the subject project will have no cumulative biological impact to the project site and its surroundings. Prior to any work on the adjacent public right-of-way, the applicant will be required to obtain approved plans from the Department of Public Works. As there currently is no approved right-of-way improvement plan and for purposes of conservative analysis under CEQA, Planning has analyzed the worst-case potential for removal of all street trees. Note that street trees and protected trees shall not be removed without prior approval of the Board of Public Works/Urban Forestry (BPW) under LAMC Sections 62.161-62.171. At the time of preparation of this environmental document, no approvals have been given for any tree removals on-site or in the right-of-way by BPW. The city has required a Tree Disclosure Statement to identify all Protected Trees/Shrubs on the project site and all street trees in the adjacent public right-of-way. As identified in the Tree Disclosure Statement, there are zero (0) Protected Trees, and zero (0) Significant Trees on site per the Tree Disclosure Statement, and there are zero (0) cumulative trees proposed for removal as the scope of work is truly a conversion of space. The Tree Disclosure Statement was prepared by Jessica Centeno, Certified Arborist #WE-8131A dated February 7, 2024. Thus, there are no unusual circumstances which may lead to a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the only State Scenic Highway within the City of Los Angeles is the Topanga Canyon State Scenic Highway, State Route 27, which travels through a portion of Topanga State Park. The proposed project is located over 25.8 miles away from Topanga State Park. Therefore the subject site will not create any impacts within a designated as a state scenic highway. Furthermore, according to Envirostor, the State of California's database of Hazardous Waste Sites, neither the subject site, nor any site in the vicinity, is identified as a hazardous waste site. The project site has not been identified as a historic resource by local or state agencies, and the project site has not been determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Register, and/or any local register; and was not found to be a potential historic resource based on the City's HistoricPlacesLA website or SurveyLA, the citywide survey of Los Angeles. Finally, the City does not choose to treat the site as a historic resource. Based on this, the project will not result in a substantial adverse change to the significance of a historic resource and this exception does not apply. The project will be subject to Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs), which require compliance with the City of Los Angeles Noise Ordinance, pollutant discharge, dewatering, stormwater mitigations, and Best Management Practices for stormwater runoff. These RCMs will ensure the project will not have significant impacts on noise and water