Self Realization Fellowship (ENV-2025-6443-CE)

2026071304

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

7/31/2026

7/31/2026

Nicole Sanchez

City of Los Angeles, City Planning Department

City Planner

Lead/Public Agency

200 N Spring Street Room 621
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 978-3034

nicole.sanchez@lacity.org

Victor De la Cruz

Manatt, Phelps, and Phillips, LLP

Representative

Parties Undertaking Project

3880 San Rafael Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90065

(310) 312-4305

vdelacruz@manatt.com

Joseph Paul Bouchard

Self-Realization Fellowship Church

Applicant

Project Applicant

3880 San Rafael Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90065

(310) 312-4305

ihqcommittee@yogananda-srf.org

San Rafael Ave & Mount Washington Dr

PROJECT LOCATION: 3846-3880 East San Rafael Avenue and 701-721 West Mount Washington Drive

Categorical Exemption

Section 15331, 15332 / Class 31, 32

There are five (5) Exceptions which the City is required to consider before finding a project exempt under Sections 15331, Class 31 and 15332, Class 32: (a) Cumulative Impacts; (b) Significant Effect; (c) Scenic Highways; (d) Hazardous Waste Sites; and (e) Historical Resources. The site is zoned R1-1-HCR and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Low Residential. While the subject site is located 1.79 kilometers from the Raymond Fault, specific Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs) in the City of Los Angeles regulate the grading and construction of projects in these particular types of “sensitive” locations and will reduce any potential impacts to less than significant. Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs) include requirements to conform with the California Building Code and the City’s Landform Grading Manuel. These RCMs have been historically proven to work to the satisfaction of the City Engineer to reduce any impacts from the specific environment where the project is located. The project shall comply with the Geology and Soils Report Approval Letter from the Department of Building and Safety dated May 20, 2024 (Log #126513-02). With regard to potential cumulative impacts during the construction phase of the project, there may be active construction activity in the vicinity of where the subject property is located at the same time that the project undergoes construction. However, Regulatory Compliance Measures will help ensure that cumulative impacts related to construction activity are addressed. With regard to traffic, the City’s Department of Transportation (LADOT) requires Construction Traffic Management Plans, pursuant to the LADOT’s Hillside Development Construction Traffic Management Guidelines released on June 16, 2020. These guidelines state the purpose of a Construction Traffic Management Plan is to address transportation concerns specific to hillside communities, including narrow streets, limited emergency access, and location in a Very High Fire Severity Zone. Per an email from LADOT staff dated November 17, 2025, the proposed project would not be subject to a Hillside Construction Traffic Management Plan, as the project is considered ministerial and not subject to discretionary review from the Department of City Planning. In addition, the haul route approval will be subject to recommended conditions prepared by LADOT and Bureau of Street Services (BSS) to be considered by the Board of Building and Safety Commissioners that will reduce the impacts of construction related hauling activity, monitor the traffic effects of hauling, and reduce haul trips in response to congestion. Therefore, the project will not have any significant impacts to traffic. 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. The subject site is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). This does not support an unusual circumstance as the City has thousands of similar developments of the same size and scale in VHFHSZ. Additionally, the existing regulatory compliance measures will ensure there is no potential for an impact. Such areas are subject to existing emergency plans and regulations that govern development in fire hazards areas: ? Adopted emergency response plans and emergency evacuation plans applicable to the City of Los Angeles, include the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Plan and the Los Angeles County Operational Area Emergency Response Plan (OAERP). The OAERP defines responsibilities and provides guidance to agencies and jurisdictions within the County Operational Area on how to interface with the Operational Area Coordinator during emergencies and disasters.1 The City’s Emergency Operations Plan and Annexes identify roles, responsibilities and required actions for various City departments, particularly LAFD and the LAPD. In addition to their emergency response plans, both the City and County also designate Disaster Routes, which are freeway, highway or arterial routes preidentified for use during emergencies. Disaster routes are not the same as evacuation routes. The Evacuation Annex of the City’s Emergency Operation Plan provides that “[p]rimary evacuation routes consist of the major interstates, highways, and primary arterials within the City and Los Angeles County.”2 Disaster routes are used to bring emergency personnel, equipment, and supplies to impacted areas, while evacuation routes are used to move an affected population out of an impacted area. The closest County-designated primary (i.e. freeway) Disaster Route to the project site is State Route 110.3 ? Fire, Building, and Zoning Code. Properties in VHFHSZs must comply with the requirements of Fire Code Section 57.322, which requires brush clearance within 200 feet of any structure. LAFD performs microenvironment weather analysis to check for irregular weather patterns and changes, which alerts LAFD to conditions such as windy days combined with low humidity. LAFD uses a Burning Index4 to determine when to call a Red Flag Day.5 A Red Flag Day is when the potential for a fast-moving brush fire is extremely high, when wind speeds are 25 mph or more and the humidity is 15 percent or less. On those days, illegally parked cars in VHFHSZ areas may be towed if their presence would prevent roadway access needed by LAFD. LAFD also has a significant air response ready to deploy, including water-dropping helicopters, and the mission of LAFD Air Operations includes brush fire suppression.6 LAFD also has access to additional helicopters, fixedwing aircraft, bulldozers, and fire engines through mutual aid agreements with the state, County, and other cities in the region. In addition to attacking wildfires from the sky, LAFD also has ground resources such as fire engines and trucks. Chapter 33 of the City’s Fire Code provides requirements designed to reduce risk of fire ignition during construction. These include, but are not limited to, prohibition of smoking except in areas approved by the LAFD, refueling of equipment in appropriate locations, preparation of a fire prevention program, and designation of fire watch personnel during occurrence of hazardous construction activities. The Fire Code (LAMC Section 57.4906.5.2) also requires the management of hazardous vegetation and fuel, as well as maintenance of defensible space in wildland-urban interface areas. The Fire Code also includes regulations that address building materials and construction methods for construction in VHFHSZs, that are intended to reduce exterior wildfire exposure. As mentioned, the proposed project includes the rehabilitation, expansion, and construction, use, and maintenance of church-related facilities measuring approximately 16,404 square-feet of new construction. This scope includes an addition to the existing Self Realization Fellowship International Headquarters building, a new garden and maintenance workshop consisting of two connected wings, and garden shrine, mechanical central plant, fire pump room, and a pedestrian bridge/walkway within an existing garden. The project also includes an entry kiosk and the reconstruction of the historic Cable Car Building with a basement addition, and remodel of the existing visitor center, following the demolition of approximately 3,773 square-feet of existing floor area, on a 543,278.2-square-foot lot. All adjacent lots are developed with single-family dwellings or are vacant. While the existing use of the subject site is different than the use of the existing adjacent lots, the site received previous discretionary approval through case no. ZA-18143, which approved a conditional use permit for the continued use of the site for a church and religious shrine with incidental facilities and operations. This conditional use permit was issued in the 1960’s and the site has undergone multiple Plan Approvals since then to add various incidental facilities such as a dormitory, office building, etc. As identified in the Biologist’s Statement of Biological Resources and Biological Resources Report dated October 17, 2025 and signed and prepared by Marc Blain, Psomas, the project will have no impact on any species or riparian habitats identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations; federally protected wetlands; and the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species. Although the Biological Resources Report notes that there is suitable nesting bird habitat occurring on the Project Site, there would be no impact to migratory nongame native bird species. The project is required to comply with the regulations codified in the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (FMBTA) and the California Fish and Game Code, which prohibit take of all birds and their active nests. While the site is previously undisturbed, it is surrounded by development and therefore is not, and has no value as, a habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species. Therefore, the subject project will have no cumulative biological impact to the project site and its surroundings. Prior to any work on the adjacent public right-of-way, the applicant will be required to obtain approved plans from the Department of Public Works. As there currently is no approved right-ofway improvement plan and for purposes of conservative analysis under CEQA, Planning has analyzed the worst-case potential for removal of all street trees. Note that street trees andprotected trees shall not be removed without prior approval of the Board of Public Works/Urban Forestry (BPW) under LAMC Sections 62.161-62.171. At the time of preparation of this environmental document, no approvals have been given for any tree removals on-site or in the right-of-way by BPW. The City has required a Tree Report to identify all Protected Trees/Shrubs on the project site and all street trees in the adjacent public right-of-way. There are 45 street trees in the adjacent public right-of-way, 93 Protected Trees on-site, and 1,164 non-protected trees onsite. There are also 20 off-site private property trees. 10 Protected Trees (four (4) Southern California Black Walnuts, one (1) Coast Live Oak, two (2) Mexican Elderberry shrubs, and three (3) Toyon shrubs) are proposed for removal and 40 Protected Trees (16 Southern California Black Walnuts, four (4) Coast Live Oaks, eight (8) Mexican Elderberry shrubs, and 12 Toyon shrubs) are proposed for replacement on the subject lot per the Arborist Report that was prepared by Christy Cuba, ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist #502; Cy Carlberg, ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist #405; Scott McAllaster, ISA Certified Arborist #WE7011A; and Daniel Cowell, Staff Arborist; dated March 4, 2026. The Arborist Report was reviewed, and the Urban Forestry Division Referral Form was signed by Urban Forestry Division staff on March 20, 2026. Additionally, Urban Forestry Division staff stamped a Tree Replacement plan on April 9, 2026.,Thus, there are no unusual circumstances which may lead to a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the only State Scenic Highway within the City of Los Angeles is the Topanga Canyon,State Scenic Highway, State Route 27, which travels through a portion of Topanga State Park. The proposed project is located over 21 miles away from Topanga State Park. Therefore, the subject site will not create any impacts within a designated as a state scenic highway. Furthermore, according to Envirostor, the State of California’s database of Hazardous Waste Sites, neither the subject site, nor any site in the vicinity, is identified as a hazardous waste site. The project site has been identified as a historic resource by the City of Los Angeles and is improved with designated Historic Cultural Monument No. 845 (Self-Realization Fellowship International Headquarters / Mount Washington Hotel). Additionally, the project site has been determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources. Per an email from Office of Historic Resources (OHR) staff dated October 11, 2024, a Secretary of the Interior’s Standards Compliance Report was prepared for the project by Jenna Snow, Historic Preservation Consulting, in August 2024. The Report was reviewed by OHR and staff confirmed in this email that the report is acceptable and that the proposed project will not result in a substantial adverse change to the significance of a historic resource. Therefore, this exception does not apply. 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. CEQA Determination – Class 32 Categorical Exemption Applies 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 the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with the applicable zoning designation and regulations; (b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a Project Site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses; (c) The Project Site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species; (d) Approval of the Project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality; and (e) The Site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. (a) The project is consistent with applicable general plan designation, applicable policies, and applicable zoning designations. The site consists of one contiguous lot with 12.47 acres of lot area; however, the proposed project is limited to a contiguous portion of site comprising approximately 3.5 acres. It is currently developed with the Self Realization Fellowship International Headquarters, a church use. The Site is zoned R1-1-HCR and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Low Residential. As a project that includes the rehabilitation, expansion, and construction, use, and maintenance of church-related facilities and the demolition of 3,773 square-feet of existing floor area, the Project is in conformance with the applicable Northeast Los Angeles Community Plan designation and policies, and all applicable zoning designations and regulations. The project consists of limited demolition, expansion, and rehabilitation to a legal nonconforming church use in the R1-1-HCR Zone and is consistent with the zoning. (b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses. The Subject Site is wholly within the City of Los Angeles, on a site that is approximately 12.47 acres. Although the site comprises approximately 12.47 acres of lot area, the project scope is limited to a portion of the site that is approximately 3.5 acres. As a project located on a portion of a site that is less than or equal to five (5) acres, the proposed scope of work is eligible for a Class 32 Categorical Exemption. Lots in the vicinity of the Subject Site are vacant or developed with single-family dwellings. (c) The project has no value as habitat for endangered species, rare, or threatened species. The Site is currently developed with a commercial use and one dwelling unit. The Site is not a wildland area, and is not inhabited by endangered, rare, or threatened species. According to ZIMAS, the Project Site is not located within an adopted natural community conservation plan, a habitat conservation plan or other adopted natural resource protection plan (LA County Significant Ecological Area) and the Biological Resource Potential and Mountain Lion Potential is High. As identified in the Biologist’s Statement of Biological Resources and Biological Resources Report dated October 17, 2025 and signed and prepared by Marc Blain, Psomas, the proposed project is not anticipated to result in a substantial impact to any special-status biological resources. Although the Biological Resources Report notes that there is suitable nesting bird habitat occurring on the Project Site, there would be no impact to migratory nongame native bird species. The project is required to comply with the regulations codified in the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (FMBTA) and the California Fish and Game Code, which prohibit take of all birds and their active nests. The City has required a Tree Report to identify all Protected Trees/Shrubs on the project site and all street trees in the adjacent public right-of-way. There are 45 street trees in the adjacent public right-of-way, 93 Protected Trees on-site, and 1,164 non-protected trees on-site. There are also 20 off-site private property trees. 10 Protected Trees (four (4) Southern California Black Walnuts, one (1) Coast Live Oak, two (2) Mexican Elderberry shrubs, and three (3) Toyon shrubs) are proposed for removal and 40 Protected Trees (16 Southern California Black Walnuts, four (4) Coast Live Oaks, eight (8) Mexican Elderberry shrubs, and 12 Toyon shrubs) are proposed for replacement on the subject lot per the Arborist Report that was prepared by Christy Cuba, ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist #502; Cy Carlberg, ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist #405; Scott McAllaster, ISA Certified Arborist #WE7011A; and Daniel Cowell, Staff Arborist; dated March 4, 2026. The Arborist Report was reviewed, and the Urban Forestry Division Referral Form was signed by Urban Forestry Division staff on March 20, 2026. Additionally, Urban Forestry Division staff stamped a Tree Replacement plan on April 9, 2026. Thus, the Proposed Project will not have any negative impacts on rare, endangered, or threatened species and meets this condition. (d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality As previously mentioned, the Project will be subject to Regulatory Compliance Measures (RCMs). These require compliance with the City of Los Angeles Noise Ordinance; pollutant discharge,vdewatering, stormwater mitigations; and Best Management Practices for stormwater runoff. These RCMs will reduce any potential impacts on noise and water to less than significant. Furthermore, the Project does not exceed the threshold criteria established by LADOT for preparing a traffic study. The Project will also be governed by an approved haul route under City Code requirements, which will regulate the route hauling trucks will travel, and the times at which they may leave the site, thereby reducing any potential traffic impacts to less than significant. 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 Site will be adequately served by all public utilities and services given that the demolition of existing floor area and the construction of additional floor area for the existing Self Realization Fellowship Church will be on a Site that was previously developed, is surrounded by development, and is consistent with the General Plan. Therefore, it can be found that the Project meets the qualifications of the Class 32 Exemption.