City Council

(12) 22-1526 CD 1 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION and PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT relative to a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) appeal for the properties located at 500, 500 ½, 502, 502 ½, 508, 510, 510 ¼, 510 ½, 512, 512 ¼, and 512 ½ South Union Avenue. Recommendations for Council action: DETERMINE, that based on the whole of the administrative record as supported by the justification prepared and found in the environmental case file, the Project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15332, Class 32, and there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies. ADOPT the FINDINGS of the Department of City Planning (DCP) as the Findings of Council. RESOLVE TO DENY THE APPEAL filed by Enrique Velasquez, Coalition for an Equitable Westlake MacArthur Park and THEREBY SUSTAIN the determination of the Director of Planning in approving a Categorical Exemption as the environmental clearance for a proposed qualifying Tier 3 Transit Oriented Communities project involving the demolition of five existing residential apartment buildings that contain 14 dwelling units for the construction, use, and maintenance of an 85-­unit residential apartment building, of which eight dwelling units will be reserved for Very Low Income Households and four dwelling units will be reserved for Extremely Low Income Households; the building will total 77 feet 8 inches in height and be constructed with five residential floors over two levels of parking containing 43 vehicle parking spaces, 66 long-term bicycle parking spaces, and 7 short-term bicycle parking spaces; the Project will contain 64,309 square feet of floor area for a maximum Floor Area Ratio of 4.5:1; the unit mix will be comprised of 80 one-bedroom apartments and five two-bedroom apartments; there will be 6,500 square feet of open space, comprised of 1,500 square feet of private open space and 5,000 square feet of common open space on the third floor and roof; the subject property contains five non­-protected trees on­-site, one of which has a trunk diameter greater than or equal to eight inches, the Project includes the removal of the five non-protected trees on-­site and the export of 2,800 cubic yards of dirt; for the properties located at 500, 500 ½, 502, 502 ½, 508, 510, 510 ¼, 510 ½, 512, 512 ¼, and 512 ½ South Union Avenue. Applicant: Ramin Shilian, 500 Union, LLC Representative: Jacques Mashihi, West Pacifica Design Case No.: DIR-­2020-­1867-­TOC­-HCA Environmental No.: ENV­-2020-­1868-­CE­-1A