4462 E Cato St / ZA-2023-6531-ZAD-HCA

2025020644

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

2/19/2025

2/19/2025

Nashya Sadono-Jensen

City of Los Angeles / Department of City Planning

City Planning associate

Lead/Public Agency

200 N Spring st
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 978-1363

nashya.sadono-jensen@lacity.org

Leo Mauricio

Loma Design + Engineering

Representative

Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project

947 East Merced Avenue
west covina, CA 91790

(626) 344-7543

lomadesignengineering@gmail.com

34°4'51.7"N 118°11'21.7"W

4462 Cato St, Los Angeles, CA 90032 and dudley dr

90032

Categorical Exemption

Section 15303- class 03

Class 3. One single-family residence, or a second dwelling unit in a residential zone. In urbanized areas, up to three singlefamily residences may be constructed or converted under this exemption.The Planning Department has determined that the City of Los Angeles Guidelines for the implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 and the State CEQA Guidelines designate the subject project as Categorically Exempt under Article 19, Section 15303, Class 3 (new construction or conversion of small structures). This project is located at 4462 East Cato Street. The project includes the construction, use, and maintenance of a new 1,365-square foot singlefamily dwelling with an attached garage, on a 3,526-square foot vacant lot that is within the Northeast Los Angeles Community Plan area. The related case number is ZA-2023-6531-ZADHCA. There are six (6) Exceptions which must be considered in order to find 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 [Q]R1-1D-HCR and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Low Residential. While the project site is located within a Hillside Area, Special Grading Area (BOE Basic Grid Map Act A-13372), Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone, Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and is located 1.28 kilometers from the Upper Elysian Park 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. RCMs include requirements to conform with the California Building Code and the City's Landform Grading Manual. 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 conditions contained within the Department of Building and Safety's Geology and Soils Report Approval Letter dated October 3, 2023 for the proposed project. 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 project site 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. The subject project submitted a Construction Traffic Management Plan for review by the City's Department ofTransportation (LADOT), pursuant to 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 will be subject to the conditions detailed in the Project's Construction Traffic Management Plan, included in the case file, which was reviewed and stamped-approved by LADOT on January 30, 2024. The conditions imposed address any potential cumulative effects of various projects of the same type in the same area. 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. Therefore, the subject project will have no cumulative impact on the City's circulation system. As mentioned, the project includes the construction, use, and maintenance of a new 1,365-square foot single-family dwelling with an attached garage, on a 3,526-square foot vacant lot, in an area zoned and designated for such development. All adjacent lots are vacant or developed with singlefamily dwellings, and the project site is of a similar size and slope to nearby properties. The project proposes a Floor Area of 1,365 square feet on a site that is permitted to have a maximum Floor Area of 1,387 square feet. The project proposes a building height of 26 feet which is not unusual for the vicinity of the project site, and is similar in scope to other existing low residential in the area. 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-ofway 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 Report 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 Report prepared by James Komen, Certified Arborist {#WE-9909B) on November 18, 2023 there are six (6) Protected Trees on-site. The project requires the removal of five (5) Protected Trees. 20 replacement trees will be planted on a 4:1 ratio for the removal of the five (5) Protected Trees. The Tree Report was reviewed and stamped by the Urban Forestry Division on March 12, 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 27.3 miles away from Topanga State Park, therefore, the project site will not create any impacts within a designated state scenic highway. Furthermore, according to Envirostor, the State of California's database of Hazardous Waste Sites, neither the project 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 (RC Ms), 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.