9369 Flicker Addition/Remodel

2024110905

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

11/25/2024

11/25/2024

Dylan Larence

City of Los Angeles / Department of City Planning

City Planning associate

Lead/Public Agency

200 N Spring st
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 978-1182

dylan.lawrence@lacity.org

chloe parker

PCCLA

Representative

Parties Undertaking Project

23622 Calabasas Road
calabasas, CA 91302

(818) 591-9309

chloe@pccla.com

34°5'45.7"N 118°23'37.9"W

9369 Flicker Way, Los Angeles, CA 90069 and Sierra Mar Pl

90069

Categorical Exemption

Section 15301 - Class 1

Section 15301, Existing Facilities. Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The types of "existing facilities" itemized below are not intended to be all-inclusive of the types of projects which might fall within Class 1. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use. A project qualifies for Class 1 Categorical Exemptions if it consists of minor alterations of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features. As the project proposes the construction of a 498-square-foot addition and remodel to an existing home, it meets the qualifications for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption. The Director of Planning determined that, based on the whole of the administrative record, the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Statutes and Guidelines, Section 15301 (Class 1) and that there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a Categorical Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies.The City has considered whether the Proposed Project is subject to any of the five (5) exceptions that would prohibit the use of a categorical exemption as set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The five (5) exceptions to this Exemption are: (a) Cumulative Impacts; (b) Significant Effect; (c) Scenic Highways; (d) Hazardous Waste Sites; and (e) Historical Resources. (a) Cumulative Impacts. A// exemptions for these classes are inapplicable when the cumulative impact of successive projects of the same type in the same place, over time is significant. According to SCAQMD, individual constructions projects that do not exceed the SCAQMD's recommended daily thresholds for project-specific impacts would not cause a cumulatively considerable increase in emissions for those pollutants for which the Air Basin is in nonattainment. Interim thresholds were developed by DCP staff bases on the CalEEMod model runs relying on reasonable assumptions, consulting with AQMD staff, and surveying published air quality studies. Construction-related daily emissions at the project site would not exceed SCAQMD's regional or localized significance thresholds. Therefore, the project's contribution to cumulative construction-related regional emissions would not be cumulatively considerable and therefore would be less than significant. Construction of the project would also have a less-than-significant impact with regard to localized emissions As noise is a localized phenomenon and decreases in magnitude as distance from the source increases, only projects and ambient growth in the nearby area could combine with the proposed project to result in cumulatively considerable noise impacts. Therefore, the project is not likely to result in a significant cumulative impact due to the construction of the same type of development in the same place over time. (b) Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances. The project includes the construction of a 498-square-foot addition and remodel for an existing single-family dwelling with a basement and attached three-car garage fronting on a Substandard Hillside Limited Street (West Flicker Way). The applicant is requesting relief from the maximum envelope height of 30 feet, the maximum permitted height of 24 feet within 20 feet of the front lot line, as measured from the center line of the adjacent street; the required five (5)-foot front yard setback; the minimum 20-foot-wide adjacent roadway; and the minimum 20-foot-wide continuous paved roadway from the driveway apron to the hillside boundary. The existing dwelling comprises 5,781 square feet of residential floor area across two stories, along with a 3,565-square-foot basement that is exempt from the residential floor area total. The applicant proposes a remodel and addition to the existing dwelling that will result in 498 square feet of additional residential floor area, for a total of 6,279 square feet. The project proposes 748 cubic yards of cut, 2 cubic yards of fill, and 746 cubic yards of export; no import is proposed. The proposed envelope height is 41 feet and the proposed height within 20 feet of the front lot line, as measured from the center line of the adjacent street, is 56 feet, 4 inches. No trees are proposed for removal. The Project proposes to construct a single-family dwelling in an area zoned and designated for such development. The surrounding neighborhood is comprised of lots that are uniquely shaped and range in size with similar sloped and topography to the subject site. The site is zoned RE11-1-HCR and designated as Very Low II Residential. All of the surrounding and adjacent properties feature the same zoning and land use designation. The applicant also submitted a Biologist's Statement of Biological Resources, prepared by Tracy Park of Dudek, dated November 15, 2023, found that there were records of sensitive and special status species within a 0.25-mile radius of the project site; however, per the Biologist's Statement, the project site will not remove or possibly create a substantial effect on any of these biological resources, as the project site does not contain suitable habitat and is largely paved and developed. As mentioned, the proposed project involves an addition and remodel to an existing singlefamily dwelling. Therefore, the lot coverage will not significantly differ. As such and as demonstrated in the submitted Biologist's Statement of Biological Resources there are no unusual circumstances which may lead to as significant effect on the environment and this exception does not apply. (c) Scenic Highways. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may result in damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway. 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, located approximately 12 miles to the west of the site. Therefore, the Project will not result in damage to any scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway, and this exception does not apply. (d) Hazardous Waste. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project located on a site which is included on any list complied pursuant to Section 65962. 5 of the Government Code 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. Furthermore, the building permit history for the Project Site does not indicate the Site may be hazardous or otherwise contaminated. (e) Historic Resources. A categorical exemption shall not be used for a project which may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. 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. The Department of City Planning's Office of Historic Resources confirmed that the existing single-family dwelling is not considered historic for the purposes of CEQA. Consequently, the Project will not result in a substantial adverse change to the significance of a historic resource and this exception does not apply.