21815 - 21819 West Sherman Way
Summary
SCH Number
2026050157
Public Agency
City of Los Angeles
Document Title
21815 - 21819 West Sherman Way
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/5/2026
Document Description
The request is for a Downtown Canoga Park Community Design Overlay Plan Approval for a change of use from an existing 4,360 square foot retail space to a cafe with associated tenant and exterior facade improvements. The project includes the removal of one existing pole sign, refacing of an existing 19 foot high, 30 square foot (60 total square feet accounting for both sides) double-faced pole sign, the addition of a new 68.9 square foot non-illuminated wall sign, addition of a 415 square foot outdoor patio, installation of landscaped planters totaling 86.3 square feet, the replacement of an existing 81 square foot storage structure with a new two-story, 1, 146-square foot storage building reaching 23 feet and two inches in height with 4,910 square feet of rear vacant area to be used for loading and organized circulation, and the replacement of an existing six-foot chain link fence with a six-foot wrought iron fence and rolling gate along the perimeter of the property line in the rOlC2-1VL-CDO Zone.
Contact Information
Name
Courtney Yellen
Agency Name
City of Los Angeles
Job Title
Planning Assistant
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Robert Goldberg
Agency Name
FYH, LLC
Job Title
Applicant
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Name
Kimberlina Whettam & Associates
Agency Name
Kimberlina Whettam & Associates
Job Title
Representative
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Los Angeles
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Sherman Way and Jordan Avenue
Zip
91303
Total Acres
.23
Parcel #
2111021012
State Highways
None
Railways
None
Airports
None
Schools
Our Lady of the Valley School; RISE Montessori
Waterways
Los Angeles River, Bell Creek, Chatsworth Creek, Brown Canyon Wash
Township
2N
Range
14W
Section
00
Other Location Info
Project Location Address: 21815 - 21819 West Sherman Way
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1, Section 15301; Class 3, Section 15303
Reasons for Exemption
The City has further considered whether the proposed project is subject to any of the six exceptions set forth in the State CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 that would prohibit the use of any categorical exemption. None of the exceptions are triggered for the following reasons:
A. Location. Classes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are qualified by consideration of where the project is to be located. A project that is ordinarily insignificant in its effect on the environment may in a particularly sensitive environment be significant. Therefore, these classes may not be utilized where the project may impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies.
According to ZIMAS records, the subject site has no Biological Resource Potential, Mountain Lion Potential and is not located within the Santa Monica Mountains Zone. The site does not have Monarch Butterfly Potential. The subject site is not located within a 300-foot Habitat Buffer, not within a County-Designated Significant Ecological Area (SEA) or a Coastal Resource Area (CRA). Additionally, the site is not located within any United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)-designated Critical Habitat Areas (CHAs). Additionally, the subject site is not located within a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) or a Criterion 1 Protected Area for Wildlife (PAWs). Therefore, the project is not located within an environmentally sensitive area.
According to the Tree Disclosure Statement submitted by the applicant and signed on November 21, 2025, there are no protected trees or shrubs on the subject site as defined in Ordinance No. 186,873. As shown on “Exhibit A” and indicated by the Tree Disclosure Statement, the site includes one existing street tree within the adjacent public right-of-way. No removals of street trees are proposed as part of this project or approved herein. Any removal of protected trees or shrubs, or any trees within the public right-of-way, will be subject to review and approval by the Board of Public Works and the Urban Forestry Division.
The project site is located within an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone and Liquefaction Zone. No agricultural uses are proposed as part of the project. Prior to the issuance of any building permits, the project shall be reviewed by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) during Plan Check for soil stability and geotechnical compliance. The project site is located approximately 12.16 km (7.5 miles) from the nearest fault (Santa Susana Fault). The project site is not located within an Alquist-Priolo Fault Zone, Preliminary Fault Rupture Study, or Tsunami Hazard. The project site is not located within a Coastal Zone and has no Coastal Bluff or Canyon Bluff potential. The site is not located on Farmland, Flood Zone, Methane Hazard Site, High Wind Velocity Area, or Sea Level Rise Area. There are no known oils wells on or adjacent to the site. As such, the project will not have an impact on an environmental resource of hazardous or critical concern where designated, precisely mapped, and officially adopted pursuant to law by federal, state, or local agencies.
B. Cumulative Impact. The exception applies when, although a particular project may not have a significant impact, the impact of successive projects, of the same type, in the same place, over time is significant.
The subject property is located in the Canoga Park – Winnetka – Woodland Hills – West Hills Community Plan. Staff utilized a 1,000-foot radius map via the Zoning Information Mapping Access System (ZIMAS) and confirmed no successive projects of the same type are actively in the vicinity; therefore, the change of use of an existing structure for commercial use located on a site designated Community Commercial will not contribute to a significant environmental impact over time.
C. Significant Effect Due to Unusual Circumstances. This exception applies when, although the project may otherwise be exempt, there is a reasonable possibility that the project will have a significant effect due to unusual circumstances.
The project site consists of one lot encompassing a total of approximately 10,249.6 square feet of lot area (approximately 0.23 acres). The subject property is a rectangular-shaped interior lot, fronting Sherman Way to the south with a street frontage of approximately 50 feet. The subject site is located within the Canoga Park – Winnetka – Woodland Hills – West Hills Community Plan, which is one of the 34 Community Plans which together form the land use element of the General Plan. The Community Plan designates the site for Community Commercial land uses corresponding to the CR, C2, C4, RAS3, and RAS4 Zones. The subject property is zoned [Q]C2-1VL-CDO and is consistent with the existing land use designation. The subject site is located within the boundaries of the Downtown Canoga Park Community Design Overlay District (CDO) (Ordinance No. 173,508 effective November 4, 2000) and Streetscape Plan. All properties in the CDO District are required to comply with the Downtown Canoga Park CDO District Design Guidelines and Standards.
The subject site is located within an established commercial corridor in Canoga Park. Surrounding properties to the east, west, and south are zoned [Q]C2-1VL-CDO with a land use designation of Community Commercial and developed with food service establishments, retail and postal services. To the north, the properties are zoned [Q]C2-1VL-CDO and R3-1-CDO with a land designation of Community Commercial are developed with multi-family residential structures.
The applicant is requesting a Downtown Canoga Park CDO review for a change of use from an existing 4,360 square foot retail space to a café with associated tenant and exterior façade improvements. The project includes the removal of one existing pole sign, refacing of an existing 19 foot high, 30 square foot double-faced pole sign, the addition of a new 68.9 square foot non-illuminated wall sign, addition of a 415 square foot outdoor patio, installation of landscaped planters totaling 86.3 square feet, the replacement of an existing 84 square foot storage structure with a new two-story, 1,146-square foot storage building reaching 23 feet and two inches in height with 4,910 square feet of rear vacant area to be used for loading and organized circulation, and the replacement of an existing six-foot chain link fence with a six-foot wrought iron fence and rolling gate along the perimeter of the property line.
A review of City records shows that the existing structure was initially constructed in 1946 (Certificate of Occupancy No. 1946LA05910) as a store building, with improvements such as an 81 square foot detached bathroom (now used as storage) in 1967 (Certificate of Occupancy No. 1967VN12131) and 19 foot high, 30 square foot pole sign in 1973 (Permit No. 1973VN92126).
The granting of the requested plan approval will allow for the change of use of an existing commercial structure initially constructed in 1946 (Certificate of Occupancy No. 1946LA05910) as a store building, with improvements such as an 81 square foot detached bathroom (now used as storage) in 1967 (Certificate of Occupancy No. 1967VN12131. Because the project retains the existing structure while introducing enhanced exterior façade improvements that comply with the Downtown Canoga Park CDO Design Guidelines and Standards, the proposal remains consistent with the Community Commercial land use designation. As proposed and conditioned, there are no unusual circumstances or features of the project that would result in a significant environmental impact.
D. Scenic Highways. This exception applies when, although the project may otherwise be exempt, there may be damage to scenic resources, including but not limited to, trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway.
Based on a review of the California Scenic Highway Mapping System (http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LandArch/16_livability/scenic_highways/), the subject site is not located along a State Scenic Highway, nor are there any designated State Scenic Highways located near the project site. Based on this, the proposed project will not result in damage to scenic resources including trees, historic buildings, rock outcroppings, or similar resources, within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway, and this exception does not apply.
E. Hazardous Waste Sites. Projects located on a site or facility listed pursuant to California Government Code 65962.5.
Based on a review of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control "Envirostor Database" (http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/), no known hazardous waste sites are located on or proximate to the project site. In addition, there is no evidence of historic or current use, or disposal of hazardous or toxic materials at this location. Based on this, the project will not result in a significant effect due hazardous waste and this exception does not apply.
F. Historical Resources. Projects that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an historical resource.
The project site has not been identified as a historic resource by local or state agencies, and the project site has not been determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, or the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Register, and/or any local register according to the City’s HistoricPlacesLA website. The project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource.
In conclusion, since none of the applicable exceptions to the use of the exemption apply to the project, it is appropriate to determine this project is categorically exempt from CEQA requirements.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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