T HE P LAZA AT S ANTA
M ONICA P ROJECT
PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING
City of Santa Monica
Ecotierra Consulting
January 30, 2017
PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS
Community
Workshops Vision
(Mar 2011)
Council Study
Session
(May 2011)
Community
Workshop
Alternatives
(Jan 2012)
Community Meeting
(Sept 2014)
EIR Preparation
(approx. 1 year)
EIR
Scoping Meeting
Council Float Up
(Oct 2015)
PC Float Up
(June 2015)
PC Hearing
City Council
Hearing
PURPOSE OF SCOPING MEETING
• Beginning of the CEQA review process
• Inform the public of the proposed project
• Provide an overview of the environmental review process
• Identify environmental issues for analysis in the EIR
• Receive public comments regarding environmental topics, issue
of concern, and alternatives to be evaluated
PROJECT LOC ATION
PROJECT SITE PHOTOS
4th Street View of Site
Arizona View of Site
CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN
RENDERING SOUTHEAST VIEW
AERIAL VIEW
ELEVATIONS
Arizona Avenue
4th Street
5th Street
PROJECT COMPONENTS
Use
Public Open
Space
Retail/Restaurant
Cultural Uses
Bicycle Center
Workspace
Affordable
Housing
Detail
Max. Square
Footage
41,557 sf
Grand Plaza, 5th and Arizona Plaza, Pocket Parks, Second Level Park
Neighborhood serving and regional retail/restaurant
A large area of the ground floor will be made available at below
market rent for cultural uses.
Bicycle center will include lockers and showers.
Creative workspace
48 units (4 3-bedroom units, 8 2-bedroom units, 20 1-bedroom
units, 16 studios) plus residential circulation and ground floor
lobbies.
Hotel
42,200 sf
12,000 sf
1,700 sf
106,800 sf
40,300 sf
154,000
280 Rooms
Total Commercial Uses (not including public open space)
sf
357,000 sf 1
C ALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
(CEQA)
• Purpose: to inform decision-makers and the public of a project’s potential physical
effects on the environment
•
Applies to discretionary projects
• Increases public understanding of and participation in environmental review process
• Discloses potential impacts on the environment
• Identifies ways to avoid or reduce potential significant impacts through feasible
mitigation measures or alternatives
CEQA
• EIR is an informational document that represents “good
faith” effort to disclose projects’ potential environmental
impacts and identify ways to lessen such impacts
• CEQA does not deny or approve a project
OVERVIEW OF CEQA PROCESS
• Notice of Preparation (NOP)
• Extended public comment period (January 15, 2017 through February 16,
2017)
• January 30, 2017 Scoping Meeting
• Prepare & Publish Draft EIR
• 45-day public review
• Prepare & Publish Final EIR
• Response to comments on Draft EIR
• Corrections or additions to Draft EIR
• Planning Commission and Council Consider Final EIR and Project
• Council Certifies EIR
• If significant impacts, Council must make Findings, adopt a mitigation monitoring
program, and adopt Statement of Overriding Considerations
THE CEQA EIR PROCESS
Prepare/Distribute Notice of Preparation
(30-day review period)
Prepare Final EIR Including
Response to Comments
Public Scoping Meeting
Review of Responses by
Commenting Agencies
We are here
Prepare Draft EIR
Planning Commission Hearing
Prepare Public Notice
of Draft EIR Availability
File Notice of Determination
Public and Agency Review of Draft EIR
(45 days)
= Opportunities for Public Input
SCOPING MEETING PURPOSES
• Inform the community and concerned agencies about the
project and the EIR
• Solicit input regarding the EIR scope
• Inform the community about process and future
opportunities for input
PRELIMINARY EIR SCOPE: POTENTIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS FOR ANALYSIS
• Aesthetics
(including Shadows)
• Air Quality
• Cultural Resources
• Neighborhood Effects
• Noise
• Population/Housing
• Construction Effects
• Public Services
(Fire/Police/Parks/Libraries)
• Geology/Soils
• Transportation/Circulation
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Utilities (Water/Sewer/Solid
Waste/Energy)
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
• Land Use and Planning
• Mandatory Findings of Significance
CONTENTS OF DRAFT EIR
• Description of the Projects
• Existing Environmental and Regulatory Setting (baseline)
• Analysis of Projects Impacts on the Environment
• Based on CEQA Guidelines and Thresholds and substantial evidence in the record
• Includes analysis of cumulative impacts
• Feasible Mitigation Measures, as necessary
• Analysis of Reasonable Range of Alternatives
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
• Public Comments on Scope, Focus, Content of EIR
• Provide comments at tonight’s meeting
• Form for written comments provided
• Turn in to staff
• Mail/drop off to City Hall
• E-mail comments
• Comments will be reviewed by EIR consultant and City to ensure that
environmental issues/concerns are addressed in the EIR
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please direct your comments to:
Rachel Kwok
City Planning Division
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 212
Santa Monica, California 90401
Email: [email protected]
OPEN HOUSE/PUBLIC COMMENTS
• Please go to open house stations
• Provide public comments