Residences at 333 South Hope Street
Summary
SCH Number
2024101252
Public Agency
City of Los Angeles
Document Title
Residences at 333 South Hope Street
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/29/2024
Document Description
The Residences at 333 South Hope Street Project (Project) proposes the development of a new 34-story multi-family residential structure on an approximately 183,524-square-foot (4.21-acre) site located at 333 South Hope Street (Project Site) in the Central City Community Plan area of the City of Los Angeles (City). The Project would include 366 multi-family residential units with associated
amenities and a ground floor café, with a total proposed new floor area of 309,160 square feet. The Project’s proposed uses would be supported by 187 dedicated vehicle parking spaces located in an existing subterranean parking structure located on the Project Site, and 189 new bicycle parking spaces, including 169 long-term spaces and 20 short-term spaces. The Project would also include approximately 27,809 square feet of open space and recreational amenities and a redeveloped 5,097-square-foot pedestrian plaza area. A portion of the Project Site is currently occupied by a 55-story office tower containing approximately 1,331,394 square feet of floor area located in the northeastern portion of the Project Site, a landscaped plaza located in the southwestern portion of the Project Site, and a subterranean parking structure that underlies most of the Project Site. The existing office tower, nearly all of the parking
structure and approximately 89 percent of the landscaped plaza would be retained. The new residential tower would occupy a corner within the southernmost portion of the Project Site (Development Area), which currently consists of landscaped open space at grade and a parking structure below grade. The Project would require the removal of 20 non-native/non-protected trees within the southern portion of the Development Area and seven City right-of-way street trees located along Hope Street adjacent to the Development Area. On the Concourse Level, the Project results in the conversion of 22,052 square feet of existing space defined as floor area by Section 12.03 of the LAMC (office) into space not defined as floor
area by Section 12.03 of the LAMC (basement storage, mechanical, circulation, trash and recycling areas).
The 22,052 square feet is being used throughout the new tower, resulting in a maximum of 310,658 square feet of available floor area for new construction on the Development Area. Therefore, the Project would result in approximately 1,618,502 square feet of floor area on the entire Project Site. Construction would require approximately 10,500 cubic yards of soil export.
Contact Information
Name
Sophia Kim
Agency Name
City of Los Angeles, City Planning Department
Job Title
City Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
James Pugh
Agency Name
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Job Title
Representative
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Los Angeles
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
333 S . Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Other Information
NAME OF APPLICANT/ OWNER:
333 South Hope Co., LLC (Applicant/Owner)
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15332 / Class 32
Reasons for Exemption
As discussed above, Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Chapter 3, Article 19, Section 15300 includes a list of classes of projects that have been determined not to have a significant effect
on the environment and that shall, therefore, be exempt from the provisions of CEQA. As outlined below, the Project is categorically exempt from CEQA under the Class 32 Exemption, as set forth in
Section 15332, Article 19, Chapter 3, Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. The Class 32 Exemption encompasses urban in-fill projects that are consistent with the conditions outlined in CEQA
Guidelines Section 15332(a) through Section 15332(e). Application of this exemption is limited by the regulatory exceptions identified in Section 15300.2(a) through Section 15300.2(f). The Project’s
consistency with Section 15332 and the non-applicability of Section 15300 is outlined below. In sum, this analysis provides the justification for a Categorical Exemption.
3.2 DISCUSSION OF CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15332 (CLASS 32 INFILL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS)
3.2.1 Consistency with CEQA Section 15332(a): The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies, as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations.
The determination of consistency with applicable general plan policies and zoning designations and regulations is based on whether or not the Project is consistent with the overall intent of the applicable plans or regulations and would not preclude the attainment of their primary goals. State law does not require an exact match between a project and the applicable general plan, but rather, requires that a project be “compatible with the objectives, policies, general land uses, and programs specified in the
applicable plan,” meaning that a project must be in “agreement or harmony” with the applicable land use plan to be consistent with that plan. 9 Courts give deference to a public agency’s finding of
consistency with its own general plan because policies in a general plan reflect a range of competing interests, and the governmental agency must be allowed to weigh and balance the plan’s policies
when applying them.
The Project would be consistent with the applicable general plan designation and applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations. The City has considered all general plan policies and has concluded that the following documents are applicable to this analysis: the City of Los Angeles General Plan including the Framework Element, Housing Element, Conservation Element, Mobility Plan 2035, the Los Angeles Health and Wellness Element; Central City Community Plan (Community Plan); Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC); and the Bunker Hill Specific Plan (Specific Plan). Policies not included in the analysis below have been reviewed and are considered to be not applicable to the Project. Therefore, a consistency analysis is not required. The Project’s consistency with the policies and regulations outlined in these documents is discussed below and summarized in Table 2 through Table 6 further below.
3.2.1.1 Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element
The Framework Element sets forth general guidance regarding land use issues for the City and defines citywide policies regarding land use that influence the community plans and most of the City’s
General Plan Elements. Specifically, the Framework Element defines citywide policies for land use, housing, urban form and neighborhood design, open space and conservation, economic
development, transportation, and infrastructure and public services. The Project’s general consistency with the applicable goals, objectives, and policies set forth in the Framework Element is
discussed in Table 2 on page 22 and summarized below.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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