City Planning Commission

Información en Español acerca de esta junta puede ser obtenida Ilamando al (213) 978-1300 CITY PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008, 8:30 A.M. 10TH FLOOR - CITY HALL 200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Jane Ellison Usher, President S. Gail Goldberg, Director William Roschen, Vice President Vincent P. Bertoni, Deputy Director Diego Cardoso, Commissioner John M. Dugan, Deputy Director Regina M. Freer, Commissioner Eva Yuan-McDaniel, Deputy Director Robin R. Hughes, Commissioner Fr. Spencer T. Kezios, Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Commissioner Cindy Montañez, Commissioner Michael K. Woo, Commissioner James Williams, Commission Executive Assistant I POLICY FOR DESIGNATED PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS NO. 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 STAFF. The Commission has adopted rules regarding written submissions to ensure that it has reasonable and appropriate opportunity to review your materials. The mailing and email addresses, deadlines, page limits, and required numbers of copies for your advance submissions may be found at www.planning.lacity.org under “Forms and Instructions”. Day of hearing submissions (15 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 ADJOURN FOR LUNCH at approximately 12:00 Noon. Any cases not acted upon during the morning session will be considered after lunch. TIME SEGMENTS noted * herein are approximate. Some items may be delayed due to length of discussion of previous items. 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. 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 agenized here, or in written correspondence on these matters delivered to this agency at or prior to the public hearing. If you seek judicial review of any decision of the City pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5, the petition for writ of mandate pursuant to that section must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which the City's decision became final pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6. There may be other time limits which also affect your ability to seek judicial review. 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 at www.planning.lacity.org. Click the Meetings and Hearings@ link. Commission meetings may be heard on Council Phone by dialing (213) 621-2489 or (818) 904-9450. GLOSSARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS: CEQA - Calif. Environmental Quality Act ND - Negative Declaration EIR - Environmental Impact Report MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration CE - Categorical Exemption 1. DIRECTOR’S REPORT A. Update on City Planning Commission Status Reports and Active Assignments 1. Ongoing Status Reports 2. City Council/PLUM Calendar and Actions 3. List of Pending Legislation (Ordinance Update) B. Legal actions and rulings update C. Other items of interest D. Presentation on the State Climate Change Legislation and its implications for land use planning; Ab 32 and SB 375. Helen Bibas - Citywide Planning, David Somers – City Planning Environmental Unit, Jay Kim – Department of Transportation and Gretchen Hardison - Environmental Affairs Office. 2. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. Advance Calendar B. Commission Requests 3. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD The Commission shall provide an opportunity in open meetings for the public to address it, for a cumulative total of up to thirty (30) minutes, on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission. (This requirement is in addition to any other hearing required or imposed by law.) PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK MUST SUBMIT A SPEAKER=S REQUEST FORM. ALL REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC THAT ARE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSION MUST BE SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. Individual testimony within the public comment period shall be limited as follows: (a) For non-agendized matters, up to five (5) minutes per person and up to ten (10) minutes per subject. (b) For agendized matters, up to three (3) minutes per person and up to ten (10) minutes per subject. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THESE ITEMS WILL BE DEFERRED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS EACH ITEM IS CALLED FOR CONSIDERATION. The Chair of the Commission may allocate the number of speakers per subject, the time allotted each subject, and the time allotted each speaker. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 2 DECEMBER 11, 2008 4. CPC-2007-842-SN Council District: 9 CEQA: ENV-2007-843-MND Expiration Date: N/A Plan: Central City Appeal Status: N/A PUBLIC HEARING – Completed on November 10, 2008 Location: 900 S. Figueroa Street (Block bounded by 9th street to the north, Flower Street to the east, Olympic Boulevard to the South, and Figueroa Street to the west) Requested Action: 1. Pursuant to Section 13.11 of the Municipal Code, the creation of a Sign Supplemental Use District. 2. Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the above referenced project. Proposed Project: The proposed Figueroa and Olympic Signage Supplemental Use District (Sign District) would create a Supplemental Use District permitting and regulating signage. The Sign District would establish permitted and prohibited types of signage based on geographic location in a number of sub-districts and vertical sign zones. The Sign District would also regulate signage characteristics including, but not limited to, the following: design and materials, electronic displays, animated/illuminated signage, permitted sign area, sign location, offsite content, or number of signs. Applicant: Kevin Batchelo, LA Southpark High-Rise, LP Representative: Craig Lawson and Associates Recommended Action: 1. Approve and Recommend that the City Council Adopt the requested Sign District, as modified and subject to the review of the City Attorney as to form and legality, attached as Exhibit D. 2. Adopt the attached findings, including the related environmental finding that Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for this action, ENV-2007-843-MND, is adequate environmental clearance for the subject request. 3. Advise the applicant that, pursuant to California State Public Resources Code Section 21081.6, the City shall monitor or require evidence that mitigation conditions are implemented and maintained throughout the life of the project and the City may require any necessary fees to cover the cost of such monitoring. 4. Advise the applicant that pursuant to State Fish and Game Code Section 711.4, a Fish and Game Fee and / or Certificate of Fee Exemption is now required to be submitted to the County Clerk to or concurrent with the Environmental Notice of Determination (NOD) filing. Staff: Kevin Keller, (213) 978-1211 CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 3 DECEMBER 11, 2008 5. CPC-2008-1070-ZC-ZV-ZAD-ZAA-SPR Council District: 9 CEQA: ENV-2008-1031-MND Expiration Date: 12-11-08 Plan: Central City North Appeal Status: Appealable to City Council, Zone Change appealable by applicant if disapproved in whole or in part. PUBLIC HEARING – Completed on September 3, 2008 Location: 814-828 East Traction Avenue Requested Action: 1) Pursuant to Section 12.32, F of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zone Change request from M3-1 (Heavy Manufacturing) to (T)(Q)CM-1 (Commercial Manufacturing). 2) Pursuant to Section 12.27 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zone Variance to permit 19 residential parking spaces and a roof top pool in the M3-1 Zone portion in conjunction with the adaptive-reuse of a warehouse building for 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units. 3) Pursuant to Section 12.24, X-13 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zoning Administrator’s Determination to permit 31,470 sq. ft. of adaptive reuse construction in conjunction with 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units in the existing warehouse building in the M3-1 Zone portion. 4) Pursuant to Section 12.24, X-13 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zoning Administrator's Determination to permit the maintenance of a zero-foot side yard and a zero-foot rear yard setback in lieu of the 8-foot side yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-2 and a minimum 17-foot rear yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-3 in order to utilize the footprint of the existing warehouse building, and to permit a total of 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units in the M3-1 Zone portion (Lots 53-55). 5) Pursuant to Section 12.28 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Zoning Administrator's Adjustment to permit the maintenance of the zero foot side yard and rear yard setbacks in lieu of the minimum 8-foot side yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-2 and a minimum 17-foot rear yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-3 and to permit a total of 44 Joint Live/Work dwellings in the proposed CM-1 Zone portion of the project site (Lot Nos. 48-52). 6) Pursuant to Section 16.05 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Site Plan Review to permit 75 dwellings units in the existing M3-1 Zone and the proposed (T)(Q)CM-1 Zone. 7) The adoption of the Mitigation Negative Declaration No. ENV-2008-1031 MND. Proposed Project: Construction of a mixed use project in the Artists-in-Residence District, totaling 31,470 square feet of Adaptive Reuse construction of an existing warehouse building and 52,156 square feet of new construction of a residential building for a total floor area of 83,356 square feet, that will result in 31 adaptive reuse and 44 newly constructed Joint Live/Work dwelling units for artists and artisans, 6,900 square feet of ground floor commercial retail and 1,800 square of community artists space. The proposed project will provide 139 parking spaces and a roof top pool with a decking area. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 4 DECEMBER 11, 2008  Applicant: F.O.C. Electronics, Gideon Kotzer Representative: Elizabeth Peterson Recommended Action: 1. Approve and Recommend that the City Council adopt a Zone Change from M3-1 to (T)(Q)CM-1, subject to the attached Conditions of Approval; 2. Approve a variance pursuant to Section 12.27 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to permit 19 residential parking spaces and a roof top pool in the M3-1 Zone portion in conjunction with the adaptive reuse of a warehouse building for 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units; 3. Approve a Zoning Administrator’s Determination pursuant to Section 12.24, X-13 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, to permit 31,470 sq. ft. of adaptive reuse construction in conjunction with 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units in the existing warehouse building in the M3-1 Zone portion; 4. Approve a Zoning Administrator’s Determination pursuant to Section 12.24, X-13 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to permit the maintenance of a zero-foot side yard and a zero-foot rear yard setback in lieu of the 8-foot side yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-2 and a minimum 17-foot rear yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-3 in order to utilize the footprint of the existing industrial building and to permit a total of 31 Joint Live/Work dwelling units in the M3-1 Zone portion (Lots 53-55); 5. Approve a Zoning Administrator’s Adjustment pursuant to Section 12.28 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to permit the maintenance of the zero foot side yard and rear yard setbacks in lieu of the minimum 8-foot side yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-2 and a minimum 17-foot rear yard setback required pursuant to Section 12.19, C-3 Work building and to permit a total of 44 Joint Live/Work Loft dwellings in the proposed (T)(Q)CM-1 Zone portion of the project site (Lot Nos. 48-52); 6. Approve a Site Plan Review pursuant to Section 16.05 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to permit 75 Joint Live/ Work dwellings units in the existing M3-1 Zone and the proposed (T)(Q)CM-1 Zone; 7. Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration No. ENV-2008-1031-MND. 8. Adopt the attached findings. Staff: Theodore Irving, (213) 978-1366 6. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION OF PLANNING POLICY AND GOALS The Commission may ADJOURN FOR LUNCH at approximately 12:00 Noon. Any cases not acted upon during the morning session will be considered after lunch. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 5 DECEMBER 11, 2008  The next regular meeting of the City Planning Commission will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 18, 2008, at the Van Nuys City Hall, 14410 Sylvan Street Council Chamber, 2ND Floor Van Nuys, CA 91401 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. Translation services, sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or other services must be requested 72 hours prior to the meeting by calling the Planning Commission Secretariat at (213) 978- 1300 or by email at CPC@lacity.org. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 4 DECEMBER 11, 2008