856 South Gramercy Drive (ENV-2024-4233-CE)

2025060700

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

6/16/2025

6/16/2025

Ricardo Vazquez

City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning

Planning Associate

Lead/Public Agency

200 N Spring Street, Room 621
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 978-1353

ricardo.vazquez@lacity.org

Eric Lieberman

QES, Inc

Representative

Parties Undertaking Project

14549 Archwood St. #308
Van Nuys, CA 91405

(818) 997-8033

ericl@qesqms.com

PROJECT LOCATION 856, 862,868,870 South Gramercy Drive

NAME OF APPLICANT/ OWNER: Jacob Howman, Manager, 856 Gramercy Drive, LLC

Categorical Exemption

Section 15332 – Class 32

A project qualifies for a Class 32 Categorical Exemption if it is developed on an infill site and meets the conditions as follows. (a) The project is consistent with applicable general plan designations, applicable policies and applicable zoning designations. (b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses. (c) The project has no value as a habitat for endangered species, rare or threatened species. (d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effect relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality. (e) The proposed project has been reviewed by City staff and can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. a) The project is consistent with applicable general plan designations, applicable policies and applicable zoning designations. The project is located within the Wilshire Community Plan which designates the subject property for Medium Residential land uses with the corresponding zone of R3. The project site is zoned R3-1. The project is consistent with the applicable general plan policies as well as with the applicable zoning designations and regulations. The new multifamily residential structure b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses. The project site is wholly within the City of Los Angeles, on a site that is approximately .5418 acres in size. Lots adjacent to the subject properties are developed with two to three story multifamily residential buildings. The site is currently paved and is nearing the completion of construction of a six-story multifamily structure and is surrounded by development and therefore is not, and has no value as, a habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. c) The project has no value as a habitat for endangered species, rare or threatened species. The site was previously disturbed and surrounded by development and therefore is not, and has not value as a habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. In addition there are two (2) existing street trees and zero (0) protected trees on site, as identified in a Protected Tree Report by Arsen Margossian (Certified Arborist # WE-7233A). The report details that one of the existing street trees, a camphor trees (Cinnamomum Camphora) is recommended for removal as repairing the curb and sidewalk adjacent to the tree will destabilize it. The report also notes that two (2) street trees along 9th street were removed by the project prior to construction. Note, no street tree or protected tree may be removed without prior approval of the Board of Public Works/Urban Forestry (BPW) under LAMC Sections 62.161 - 62.171. UFD has established processes and procedures to appropriately address the unpermitted removal of street trees. At the time of preparation of this CE, no approvals have been given for any tree removals on-site or in the right-of-way by BPW. d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effect relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality. The project will be subject to Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs), which require compliance with the City of Los Angeles Noise Ordinance, pollutant discharge, dewatering, stormwater mitigations; and Best Management Practices for stormwater runoff. These RCMs will ensure the project will not have significant impacts on noise and water. Furthermore, the project does not exceed the threshold criteria established by LADOT for preparing a transportation study. Therefore, the project will not have any significant impacts to traffic or transportation. Interim thresholds were developed by DCP staff based on CalEEMod model runs relying on reasonable assumptions, consulting with AQMD staff, and surveying published air quality studies for which criteria air pollutants did not exceed the established SCAQMD construction and operational thresholds. e) The proposed project has been reviewed by City staff and can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. The project is for the merger of three lots into one master ground lot for a maximum of 60 residential condominium units. The building that would be subdivided into condominiums was approved through the Transit Oriented Affordable Housing Incentive Program (DIR-2018-1626-TOC) and received a Class 32 Categorical Exemption from CEQA (ENV-2018-1628-CE) as its environmental clearance. The building in nearing completion of construction and will be adequately served by all public utilities and services given that the construction of a six (6)-story, 67-foot high, 70,625 square foot multifamily residential building is on a site which has been previously developed and is consistent with the General Plan. Therefore, the project meets all of the Criteria for the Class 32.