City Council

(13) 21-0828 CD 4 REVISED FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR), ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS, STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS, and MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM (MMP); NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE REPORT relative to the certification of the Revised FInal EIR and Project approval for the Los Angeles Zoo Vision Plan (Vision Plan). Recommendations for Council action: CERTIFY that the Revised Final EIR was completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act; that the Revised Final EIR was presented to the Council, as the decision-making body of the City; that the Council reviewed and considered the information contained in the Revised Final EIR; and, that the Revised Final EIR reflects and expresses the City’s independent judgment and analysis. ADOPT the Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations detailed in the June 8, 2023, Zoo report, attached to the Council file. ADOPT the MMP, detailed in the June 8, 2023, Zoo report, attached to the Council file. SPECIFY that the documents constituting the record of proceedings in this matter are at the Office of the City Clerk, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, California 90012; in the files of the Zoo Department (Zoo) located at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 and at the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering, 1169 South Broadway, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California 90015; and any other relevant City department. APPROVE the Project as described as Alternative 1.5: The California Focused Conservation Alternative in the Revised Final EIR and the 2022 Los Angeles Zoo Draft Plan: Alternative 1.5, attached to the Council file. DIRECT the Zoo, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, in consultation with Council District 4, to establish a formal Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) monitoring process within 90 days. This formal process should cover all phases of the Vision Plan, and should outline achieving the aspiration of a 15 percent reduction in VMT’s and targets for modeshare split. Fiscal Impact Statement: The Zoo Department reports that approval and certification of the Vision Plan, and Revised Final EIR, do not have a direct fiscal impact as there is no obligation of funding. Implementation of early phases will facilitate increased attendance and revenue, ensuring a financially sustaining operating model for the Zoo into the future.