Area Planning Commission

Información en EspaÁol acerca de esta junta puede ser obtenida Ilamando al (213) 978-1300 EAST LOS ANGELES AREA PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012, 4:30 P.M. RAMONA HALL COMMUNITY CENTER 4580 NORTH FIGUEROA STREET LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90065 Luis Lopez, President Javier C. Angulo, Vice President Ana Hanson, Commissioner David Marquez, Commissioner Kei Nagao, Commissioner Rhonda Ketay, Commission Executive Assistant (213) 978-1300; FAX (213) 978-1029 POLICY FOR DESIGNATED PUBLIC HEARING ITEM(S) No. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Pursuant to the Commission=s general operating procedures, the Commission at times must necessarily limit the speaking times of those presenting testimony on either side of an issue that is designated as a public hearing item. In all instances, however, equal time is allowed for presentation of pros and cons of matters to be acted upon. All requests to address the Commission on public hearing items must be submitted prior to the Commission=s consideration of the item. EVERY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER=S REQUEST FORM AND SUBMIT IT TO THE COMMISSION EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT STAFF. On January 24, 2007, the Commission adopted the City Planning Commission's rules as its rules regarding written submissions to ensure that it has reasonable and appropriate opportunity to review your materials, which must be submitted 10 days prior to the meeting at which the item is to be heard. All concerned parties who wish to submit written materials on agenda items should submit them to the Commission Office, 200 North Spring Street, Room 272, Los Angeles, 90012, by noon of the day prior to the date of the meeting at which the item is to be heard (15 copies must be provided). Day of hearing submissions (12 copies must be provided) are limited to 2 pages plus accompanying photographs, posters, and PowerPoint presentations of 5 minutes or less. Non-complying materials will NOT be distributed to the Commission. The Commission may RECONSIDER and alter its action taken on items listed herein at any time during this meeting or during the next regular meeting, in accordance with the Commission Policies and Procedures and provided that the Commission retains jurisdiction over the case. AGENDAS are posted for public review in the Main Street lobby of City Hall East, 200 No. Main Street, Los Angeles, California, and are accessible through the Internet World Wide Web at www.lacity.org/PLN. Click the AMeetings and Hearings@ quick link. Agenda is available under the East Los Angeles service area. In the case of a Commission meeting cancellation, all items shall be continued to the next regular meeting date or beyond, as long as the continuance is within the legal time limits of the case or cases. If you challenge these agenda items in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing agendized here, or in written correspondence on these matters delivered to this agency at or prior to the public hearing. The time in which a party may seek judicial review of this determination is governed by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6. Under that provision, a petitioner may seek judicial review of any decision of the City pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5, only if the petition for writ of mandate pursuant to th that section is filed no later than the 90 day following the date on which the City=s decision became final. GLOSSARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS: CEQA - Calif. Environmental Quality Act ND - Negative Declaration EIR - Environmental Impact Report MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration CE - Categorical Exemption 1. DEPARTMENT REPORT A. Items of interest 2. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. Advance Calendar B. Commission Requests C. Approval of Minutes: March 14, 2012 3. ZA 2011-863-ZAD-ZAA-1A CEQA: ENV 2011-0329-MND Council District: 1 Expiration Date: 5/21/2012 Plan: Northeast Los Angeles Appeal Status: Not further appealable PUBLIC HEARING Location: 858 West Avenue 37 Requested Action: An appeal of the Zoning Administrator’s decision, pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,21, to: 1) DISMISS a Zoning Administrator’s Determination to waive street dedication and improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue fronting the property, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(2); and 2) APPROVE a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting the waiving of off-site street dedication improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue and West Avenue 37 from the property to the boundary of the Hillside Area, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(3); pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,11, to: 1) APPROVE: a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a 6-foot side yard setback in lieu of the 11 feet as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(b)(2); 2) APPROVE: a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a height of 44 feet in lieu of the maximum 36 feet as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(c)(1); and pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, APPROVE: a Zoning Administrator’s Adjustment granting a 50-foot lot width in lieu of the minimum 80 feet otherwise required by Section 12.07.01-C,4; all in conjunction with the construction of a new three-story, approximately 2,800 square-foot single-family dwelling on a Hillside lot in the RE20-1 Zone; and the Zoning Administrator’s Decision to adopt the action of the lead agency in issuing Mitigated Negative Declaration (ENV 2011-0329-MND). APPLICANT: Sohrab and Niloufar Agahi Representative: Ashkan Agahzadeh APPELLANTS: 1) Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance Representative: Clare Marter Kenyon, Land Use Committee Chair 2) Adolfo Reyes East Los Angeles 2 March 14, 2012 Area Planning Commission  Recommended Action: 1. Deny the appeal. 2. Sustain the decision of the Zoning Administrator to: Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,21, 1) dismiss a Zoning Administrator’s Determination to waive street dedication and improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue fronting the property, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(2); and 2) approve a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting the waiving of off-site street dedication improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue and West Avenue 37 from the property to the boundary of the Hillside Area, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(3); and Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,11, 1) approve: a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a 6-foot side yard setback in lieu of the 11 feet as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(b)(2); and 2) approve: a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a height of 44 feet in lieu of the maximum 36 feet as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(c)(1); and Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, to approve a Zoning Administrator’s Adjustment granting a 50-foot lot width in lieu of the minimum 80 feet otherwise required by Section 12.07.01-C,4; all in conjunction with the construction of a new three-story, approximately 2,800 square-foot single-family dwelling on a Hillside lot in the RE20-1 Zone. 3. Adopt the Findings and Conditions of Approval. 4. Sustain the decision of the Zoning Administrator to adopt the action of the lead agency in issuing Mitigated Negative Declaration ENV 2011-0329-MND. Staff: R. Nicolas Brown (818) 374-5069 4. ZA 2011-864-ZAD-ZAA-1A CEQA: ENV 2011-0329-MND Council District: 1 Expiration Date: 5/21/2012 Plan: Northeast Los Angeles Appeal Status: Not further appealable PUBLIC HEARING Location: 860 West Avenue 37 Requested Action: An appeal of the Zoning Administrator’s decision, pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,21, to 1) DISMISS a Zoning Administrator’s Determination to waive street dedication and improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue fronting the property, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(2); and 2) APPROVE a Zoning Administrator’s Determination granting the waiving of off-site street dedication improvement requirements East Los Angeles Area 3 May 9, 2012 Planning Commission  along Andalusia Avenue and West Avenue 37 from the property to the boundary of the Hillside Area, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(3); pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 12.24-X,11, to : 1) APPROVE a 6-foot side yard setback in lieu of the 11 feet, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(b)(2); 2) APPROVE: a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a height of 44 feet in lieu of the maximum 36 feet, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(c)(1); and pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, APPROVE: a Zoning Administrator’s Adjustment granting a 40-foot lot width in lieu of the minimum 80 feet otherwise required by Section 12.07.01-C,4; all in conjunction with the construction of a new three-story, approximately 2,500 square-foot single-family dwelling on a Hillside lot in the RE20-1 Zone; and the decision of the Zoning Administrator to adopt the action of the lead agency in issuing Mitigated Negative Declaration (ENV 2011-0329-MND). APPLICANT: Sohrab and Niloufar Agahi Representative: Ashkan Agahzadeh APPELLANTS: 1) Mount Washington Homeowners Alliance Representative: Clare Marter Kenyon, Land Use Committee Chair 2) Adolfo Reyes Recommended Action: 1. Deny the appeal. 2. Sustain the decision of the Zoning Administrator: Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.24-X,21, to 1) dismiss a Zoning Administrator’s Determination to waive street dedication and improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue fronting the property, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(e)(2); and 2) approve a Zoning Administrator’s Determination granting the waiving of off-site street dedication improvement requirements along Andalusia Avenue and West Avenue 37 from the property to the boundary of the Hillside Area, as otherwise required by Section 12.21- A,17(e)(3); and Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections 12.24-X,11, to 1) approve a 6-foot side yard setback in lieu of the 11 feet, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(b)(2); and 2) approve a Zoning Administrator’s Determination, granting a height of 44 feet in lieu of the maximum 36 feet, as otherwise required by Section 12.21-A,17(c)(1); and Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, to approve a Zoning Administrator’s Adjustment granting a 40-foot lot width in lieu of the minimum 80 feet otherwise required by Section 12.07.01-C,4; all in conjunction with the construction of a new three-story, approximately 2,500 square-foot single-family dwelling on a Hillside lot in the RE20-1 Zone. 3. Adopt the Findings and Conditions of Approval. 4. Sustain the decision of the Zoning Administrator to adopt the action of the lead agency in issuing Mitigated Negative Declaration ENV 2011-0329-MND. Staff: R. Nicolas Brown (818) 374-5069 East Los Angeles Area 4 May 9, 2012 Planning Commission 5. ZA-2011-2114-ZV-ZAA-1A CEQA: ENV 2011-2116-CE Council District: 13 Expiration Date: 5/15/2012 Plan: Silver Lake-Echo Park Appeal Status: Zone Variance further appealable if approved PUBLIC HEARING Location: 903 ½ - 905 ½ Robinson Street Requested Action: An appeal of the Zoning Administrator’s decision, pursuant to Charter Section 562 and Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.27-B, to DENY: 1) a Zone Variance from Section 12.09- A to permit a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of a maximum of two dwelling units otherwise permitted in an R2 Zone; 2) a Zone Variance from Section 12.09-C,4 to permit zero lot area for a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of 2,500 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit otherwise required in an R2 Zone; and 3) a Zone Variance from Section 12.21-A,4(a) to permit zero required parking spaces for a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of one parking space otherwise required for a studio unit; and pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, to DENY a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment from Section 12.09-C,2 to permit a 4-foot side yard setback in lieu of 6 feet otherwise required for a three-story building in the Hillside Area; all in conjunction with the conversion of storage space into a dwelling unit resulting in a total of five dwelling units within an existing four-unit apartment building already containing two legal nonconforming units on a lot zoned for R2-1VL; and the decision of the Zoning Administrator to not concur with the action of the lead agency in issuing a Notice of Exemption (Subsection c, Section 2, Article II, City CEQA Guidelines), log reference ENV 2011-2116-CE, for a Categorical Exemption, Class 1, Category 22, Article III, Section 1, City CEQA Guidelines. APPLICANT: Daniel Dempsey APPELLANT: Ingrid Sandstrom Recommended Action: 1. Deny the appeal. 2. Sustain the decision of the Zoning Administrator to 1) deny a Zone Variance from Section 12.09-A to permit a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of a maximum of two dwelling units otherwise permitted in an R2 Zone; and 2) deny a Zone Variance from Section 12.09-C,4 to permit zero lot area for a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of 2,500 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit otherwise required in an R2 Zone; and 3) deny a Zone Variance from Section 12.21-A,4(a) to permit zero required parking spaces for a fifth dwelling unit in lieu of one parking space otherwise required for a studio unit; and Pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.28, to deny a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment from Section 12.09-C,2 to permit a 4-foot side yard setback in lieu of 6 feet otherwise required for a three-story building in the Hillside Area; all in conjunction with the conversion of storage space into a dwelling unit resulting in a total of five dwelling units within an existing four-unit apartment building already containing two legal nonconforming units on a lot zoned for R2-1VL. East Los Angeles Area 5 May 9, 2012 Planning Commission  3. Adopt the Findings. 4. Do not adopt environmental clearance Categorical Exemption ENV 2011-2116-CE. Staff: Sue Chang (213) 978-3304 6. ZA 2011-2241-CUW-1A CEQA: ENV 2011-2242-MND Council District: 1 Expiration Date: 5/9/2012 extended Plan: Northeast Los Angeles Appeal Status: Not further appealable CONTINUED FROM APRIL 25, 2012 DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM PUBLIC HEARING Location: 2900-2910 North San Fernando Road Requested Action: An appeal of the Zoning Administrator’s decision, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12.24-W,49 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, approving a Conditional Use to allow the installation, operation and maintenance of a wireless telecommunications facility consisting of a 70-foot high monopole disguised as a pine tree (monopole) in the [Q]M1-1-CDO Zone, and the adoption of Mitigated Negative Declaration ENV 2011-2242-MND as the environmental clearance. APPLICANT: Christal Travers, Verizon Wireless Representative: Argineh Mailian, Core Development Services APPELLANT: Bradley, Ruby De Vera, Andy Montealegre Recommended Action: 1. Deny the appeal. 2. Sustain the Zoning Administrator’s Decision to approve a Conditional Use to allow the installation, operation and maintenance of a wireless telecommunications facility consisting of a 70-foot high monopole disguised as a pine tree (monopole) in the [Q]M1- 1-CDO Zone, subject to Conditions of Approval. 3. Adopt the Findings. 4. Adopt the environmental clearance Mitigated Negative Declaration ENV-2011-2242-MND. Staff: Jeff Pool (213) 978-9987 East Los Angeles Area 6 May 9, 2012 Planning Commission 7. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD The Area Planning Commission shall provide an opportunity in open meetings for the public to address it, on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Area Planning Commission. (This requirement is in addition to any other hearing required or imposed by law.) Persons making requests are encouraged to do so in writing and should submit 10 copies to the Area Planning Commission for its consideration. Persons wishing to speak must submit a speaker’s request form prior to the commencement of the public comment period. Individual testimony within the public comment period shall be limited to five (5) minutes per person and up to ten (10) minutes per subject. The next regular meeting of the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at Ramona Hall Community Center 4580 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90065 An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate. The meeting facility and its parking are wheelchair accessible. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or other services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request no later than three working days (72 hours) prior to the meeting by calling the Commission Executive Assistant at (213) 978-1300 or by email at APCELA@lacity.org. East Los Angeles Area 7 May 9, 2012 Planning Commission