Conditional Use Permit 2024-2457 and Coastal Development Permit 2024-2480 for Rivian Theatre
Summary
SCH Number
2024120261
Public Agency
City of Laguna Beach
Document Title
Conditional Use Permit 2024-2457 and Coastal Development Permit 2024-2480 for Rivian Theatre
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/6/2024
Document Description
The project consists of the following: (1) vehicle sales, outdoor vehicle storage, educational test drives and vehicle delivery services at 160 South Coast Highway and 224-226 Ocean Avenue (collectively "Vehicle Sales Use"); (2) office ~Se-business/professional at 224-226 Ocean Avenue (the "Office Use"); (3) common parking area at 160 South Coast Highway and 224-226 Ocean Avenue ("Common Parking Area"); (4) exterior changes at 224-226 Ocean Avenue, which includes : {i) repainting the exterior; (ii) removing the existing awning; (iii) new lighting; (iv) wall murals, (v) new signage, and (vi) installation of two to four Level 2 EV Chargers (the "Exterior Changes"); and (5) interior changes at 224-226 Ocean Avenue, which includes a planned break room, office space, storage space, and upgraded ADA restroom, painting, flooring, lighting, and FF&E (the "Interior Changes") (collectively, the «Project").
Contact Information
Name
Martina Caron
Agency Name
City of Laguna Beach
Job Title
Principal Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Laguna Beach
Counties
Orange
Regions
Southern California
Zip
92651
Township
Laguna
Other Location Info
160 South Coast Highway and 224-226 Ocean Avenue
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines§ 15061 (b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, projects that do not have such potential are covered by the "common sense exemption" and are not subject to CEQA. (CEQA Guidelines§ 15061 (b)(3).) Here, Rivian proposes to marginaUy expand the permitted use of the Theater and to repurpose an existing retail building for office and storage uses. The only physical changes proposed consist of minor exterior updates and tenant improvements to the existing building on the Adjacent Property. Thus, there is no possibility that a significant environmental impact will result from such changes. According to the Governor's Office of Planning and Research Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation impacts in CEQA (2018), land use projects, such as the project, "that generate or attract fewer than 11 o trips per day generally may be assumed to cause a less-than-significant transportation impact." While the change in use would include a small number of test drives (i.e., 10-20 per day), occasional vehicle deliveries, and 2-4 additional employees, operation of this project is anticipated to generate similar amounts of vehicle trips and VMT when compared to existing conditions, as it would be consistent with the existing and prior uses on the Theater (160 South Coast Highway) and Adjacent Property sites (224-226 Ocean Avenue). In fact, the proposed use of the Adjacent Property as office and storage space is less intense than its current permitted use as retail space because while retail spaee is typically designated to attract large volumes of customers, office and storage space will be designed to provide a centralized location for business operations and therefore will generate significantly less foot traffic than retail and have a more controlled flow of people. Further, the Project would generate an additional 14.58 trips per day, a nominal increase from the existing conditions and well below the 11 O trips per day screening threshold set forth by QPR. Consequently, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment, and reliance on the common-sense exemption is appropriate.
County Clerk
Orange
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.