Los Angeles County Purchase of Gas Company Tower and Parking Garage
Summary
SCH Number
2024110369
Public Agency
Los Angeles County
Document Title
Los Angeles County Purchase of Gas Company Tower and Parking Garage
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/13/2024
Document Description
On November 6, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved and authorized the Chief Executive Officer, or her designee, to execute the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the purchase and sale agreement of the existing building known as the Gas Company Tower located at 555 West 5th Street, and affiliated parking garage airspace at the World Trade Center located at 350 and 333 South Figueroa Street, in the City Los Angeles, California 90013 and related actions. In the purchase transaction, the County acquired fee title to the Gas Company Tower subject to the terms of all existing leases of space by tenants. Under the transaction, the County will assume responsibility as owner for ongoing regular operation and maintenance of acquired properties in a manner similar to current conditions, including assumption of existing ongoing leases at the Gas Company Tower site. The County will also acquire a fee interest in the airspace parcels comprised of 1,184 parking spaces of the World Trade Center parking garage. The County will assume ongoing as-is operational and maintenance responsibilities resulting from the acquisition in a manner similar to those that have been conducted by the prior ownership. The current action does not include physical changes at the Property, to the existing buildings, or changes to the current use or operation of the Property. No changes to vehicular access/vehicle trips would occur from existing conditions, and no specific construction activities are being considered.
Contact Information
Name
ROGER W. HERNANDEZ
Agency Name
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Job Title
PRINCIPAL REAL PROPERTY AGENT
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Los Angeles
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide, Countywide, Southern California, Statewide, Unincorporated
Cross Streets
W. 5th Street and S. Olive St.; W. 4th St. and S. Flower St.
Zip
90013
Total Acres
5.17
Parcel #
5149-029-013, 5151-011-021, 5151-011-023, 5151-011-025, 5151-011-028, 5151-011-031, 5151-011-032
State Highways
I-110, 101
Railways
Los Angeles Union Station
Schools
Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
Waterways
Los Angeles River
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 Common Sense Exemption; State CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 Projects Consistent with
Reasons for Exemption
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 – Definition of a “Project”
The County action, which involves only the purchase of real property and airspace for continued operation, is consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), as it constitutes organizational or administrative activities of governments (i.e., the County) that do not result in direct or indirect physical changes on the environment. Therefore, the County has made the determination, supported by substantial evidence as provided in this analysis, that the considered action to purchase the Gas Company Tower at 555 West 5th Street and parking garage airspace at 350 and 333 South Figueroa Street, is not a project under CEQA, pursuant to PRC 21065 and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Class 1 - Existing Facilities
A Class 1 exemption applies to leasing activities for existing facilities when the lease does not involve substantial modifications or expansions, as it maintains the current use and operations. Class 1(u) of the County’s CEQA Guidelines is applicable because the County’s proposed acquisition consists of the operation, maintenance, and leasing, and represents a change in the method of conveyance of an existing public facility with negligible or no expansion of use. Through the County’s proposed acquisition of the Gas Company Tower and associated airspace in the parking garage, the County would assume responsibility for regular operation and maintenance of the Property, consistent with current and prior uses. The County would assume existing leases within the Gas Company Tower in a manner consistent with historical use. No expansion of use is proposed for either structure—they would continue to operate similar to current and historic operations.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 - Class 32 - Infill Development Projects
The acquisition is consistent with applicable general plan designation and zoning. The Property is within the County of Los Angeles, is less than 5 acres and is substantially surrounded by urban uses. The County’s proposed acquisition of the Property would result in no physical changes, beyond the continued operation and maintenance of the buildings consistent with prior operations, that could reasonably result in physical effects to the environment. The buildings would continue to operate consistently with current City of Los Angeles zoning and land use designations with no changes proposed. There is no habitat on the site that has value for endangered, threatened or rare species. The acquisition would not have the potential to significantly impact traffic, noise, air quality or water quality based on proposed action. The site is located in an urban area well-served by utilities and public services.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 - Exceptions to the Use of Categorical Exemptions
None of the exceptions to exemptions, found in Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines would apply to invalidate the categorical exemptions identified. The County has determined the following: (a) the site is not located in a sensitive environment; (b) the acquisition would not create significant cumulative impacts by contributing to impacts of successive acquisitions of the same type in the same place; (c) there is no potential for the acquisition to result in a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; (d) the acquisition would not result in damage to scenic resource; (e) the site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code; and (f) the acquisition does not have the potential to cause a substantial change to the significance of an historical resource.
HOA.105036026.1 November 2024
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 - Review for Exemption
The activity under consideration, the County’s proposed purchase of the Gas Company Tower and parking garage airspace, involve no physical changes to the environment, including but not limited to physical improvements or changes to the properties or any changes to the operational use and characteristics of the Property. The County would assume operation and maintenance of the structures consistent with current and historical uses. There are no reasonable physical changes associated with its action, and therefore there is no possibility that the purchase of the Property would result in a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, the activity is statutorily exempt from CEQA under Section 15061(b).
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15138 - Projects Consistent with a Community Plan or Zoning; California Public Resources Code section 21083.3
A consistency analysis conducted with the City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element shows that the proposed acquisition is consistent with existing zoning, community plan, and general plan policies. There are no project-specific significant effects that are peculiar to the project or its site.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (Class 1) Existing Facilities; State CEQA Guidelines section 15332 (Class 32) Infill
Reasons for Exemption
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Class 1 - Existing Facilities
A Class 1 exemption applies to leasing activities for existing facilities when the lease does not involve substantial modifications or expansions, as it maintains the current use and operations. Class 1(u) of the County’s CEQA Guidelines is applicable because the County’s proposed acquisition consists of the operation, maintenance, and leasing, and represents a change in the method of conveyance of an existing public facility with negligible or no expansion of use. Through the County’s proposed acquisition of the Gas Company Tower and associated airspace in the parking garage, the County would assume responsibility for regular operation and maintenance of the Property, consistent with current and prior uses. The County would assume existing leases within the Gas Company Tower in a manner consistent with historical use. No expansion of use is proposed for either structure—they would continue to operate similar to current and historic operations.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 - Class 32 - Infill Development Projects
The acquisition is consistent with applicable general plan designation and zoning. The Property is within the County of Los Angeles, is less than 5 acres and is substantially surrounded by urban uses. The County’s proposed acquisition of the Property would result in no physical changes, beyond the continued operation and maintenance of the buildings consistent with prior operations, that could reasonably result in physical effects to the environment. The buildings would continue to operate consistently with current City of Los Angeles zoning and land use designations with no changes proposed. There is no habitat on the site that has value for endangered, threatened or rare species. The acquisition would not have the potential to significantly impact traffic, noise, air quality or water quality based on proposed action. The site is located in an urban area well-served by utilities and public services.
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 - Exceptions to the Use of Categorical Exemptions
None of the exceptions to exemptions, found in Section 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines would apply to invalidate the categorical exemptions identified. The County has determined the following: (a) the site is not located in a sensitive environment; (b) the acquisition would not create significant cumulative impacts by contributing to impacts of successive acquisitions of the same type in the same place; (c) there is no potential for the acquisition to result in a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; (d) the acquisition would not result in damage to scenic resource; (e) the site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the Government Code; and (f) the acquisition does not have the potential to cause a substantial change to the significance of an historical resource.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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