Los Angeles
City Council
Agenda Item 30
(30) 22-1309 CD 4 MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM AND RELATED CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) FINDINGS, and PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT (PLUM) COMMITTEE REPORT relative to appeals for the property located at 15871 West Mulholland Drive (15800, 15801, 15850 Mulholland Drive). Recommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR: FIND, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15074(b), after consideration of the whole of the administrative record, including the Mitigated Negative Declaration, No. ENV-2017-3972-MND (Mitigated Negative Declaration), and all comments received, with the imposition of mitigation measures, there is no substantial evidence that the Project will have a significant effect on the environment; FIND the Mitigated Negative Declaration reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City; FIND the mitigation measures have been made enforceable conditions on the Project; and ADOPT the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Mitigation Monitoring Program. ADOPT the FINDINGS as modified by the PLUM Committee on April 18, 2023, attached to the Council file, as the Findings of Council. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEALS filed by: 1) Bel Air Skycrest Property Owners’ Association (BASPOA), Brentwood Residents Coalition, Federation of Hillside and Canyon Associations, Inc., Bel Air Knolls Property Owners Association; and 2) Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (Representative: Garrett Weinstein, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority), and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the LACPC, in: 1) approving Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Program as the environmental clearance, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15074(b); 2) approving a Conditional Use Plan Approval to permit the continued use, operation and maintenance of an educational institution in the RE15 Zone, and to permit the implementation of the Curtis School Master Plan, subject to the attached conditions of approval, this grant shall supersede and replace the two previous Conditional Use Permits for the Curtis School, CPC-28764 and CPC-1989-763-CU, pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 12.24 M; 3) approving a Specific Plan Project Permit Compliance Review for the Curtis School Master Plan, consisting of up to 130,053 square feet of floor area and facilities located within the Inner and Outer Corridors of the Specific Plan, pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 C; 4) approving a Specific Plan Exception from the following Section of the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan: a) Section 6.A.3 to permit educational uses within the Outer Corridor, pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 F; 5) denying a Specific Plan Exception from the following Section of the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan: a) Section 5.B.1.a to allow grading of a prominent ridge (nearest Mulholland Drive) in excess of 1,000 cubic yards [Request eliminated July 25, 2022], pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 F; 6) denying a Specific Plan Exception and instead approve a Specific Plan Adjustment from the following Section of the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan: a) Section 5.D.2.b to permit a height of approximately 32 feet for the proposed gymnasium building located partly within the Inner Corridor in lieu of the maximum permitted height of 30 feet, pursuant to LAMC Section 11.5.7 F; 7) approving a Zoning Administrator Determination for development to exceed the number of retaining walls permitted under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, LAMC Section 12.21.C.8, pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24.X 26; 8) approving a Zoning Administrator Determination for grading of up to 70,000 cubic yards, in excess of the by-right limit of 3,200 cubic feet permitted under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, LAMC Section 12.21.C.10(f), pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24.X 28(a); 9) approving a Site Plan Review for a project which results in an increase of 50,000 gross square feet or more of nonresidential area, pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05; and, 10) approving a Design Review Determination in compliance with LAMC Section 11 of the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan for the Curtis School Master Plan, consisting of up to 130,053 square feet of floor area and facilities located within the Inner and Outer Corridors of the Specific Plan, pursuant to LAMC Section 16.50; Appeal 1 is an appeal of the entire decision and Appeal 2 is an appeal of Condition No. 6 (Mulholland Place Fencing); for the modification to an existing educational facility, including the removal of approximately 23,010 square feet of existing buildings and the addition of approximately 82,940 square feet of new school facilities, including the expansion of existing structures, and new structures for a net increase of 59,930 square feet; maximum building heights would range from 16 feet up to 40 feet; upon buildout of the Project, the Project Site would consist of 130,053 square feet of school facilities; the Project would not increase Curtis School’s 675 student enrollment cap; the Project would include a pedestrian bridge connecting the athletic buildings to the athletic fields; a minimum of 135 marked parking spaces would be provided; project buildout would be phased over time and could start as early as 2022 and end as late as 2035; the Project would also include the grading of approximately 70,000 cubic yards of soil and the export of approximately 30,000 cubic yards of soil; the Project is within both the Inner and Outer Corridors of the specific plan; for the property located at 15871 West Mulholland Drive (15800, 15801, 15850 Mulholland Drive), subject to Modified Conditions of Approval, as modified by the PLUM Committee on April 18, 2023, attached to the Council file. Applicant: The Curtis School Foundation Representative: Alexander M. DeGood, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP Case No. CPC-2020-1086-SPE-DRB-SPP-MSP-ZAD-SPR-1A and CPC-1989-763-CU-PA2-1A Environmental No. ENV-2017-3972-MND