CCR § 15332 In-fill Development Projects Exemption
New 5-story, 40-unit, Residential Building
December 16, 2024
CC_12162025_Exhibit 2- CEQA Determination
PROJECT LOCATION: 126-128 S. Kenwood Street, Glendale, CA 91205 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Density Bonus to construct a new 5-story, 40-unit, multi- family residential building, featuring 3 affordable units (very low) and 37 market rate units and a two-level subterranean parking garage, located on a 14,988 square-foot lot in Downtown Specific Plan East Broadway District. The site is currently vacant.
CEQA REVIEW: The proposed multi-family residential project, located at 126-128 S.
Kenwood Street, is exempt from CEQA as a Class 32 “In-fill Development Projects” exemption, pursuant to § 15332 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
CCR § 15300.2. Exceptions
(c) Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.
There are no unusual circumstances associated with the project site. The project is located on the east side of South Kenwood Street, mid-block, between E.
Broadway and E. Harvard Street, in an urban environment with similar and complimentary uses in the immediate project vicinity.
The site consists of two adjoining lots and the topography is relatively flat. The lot that is addressed as 126 S. Kenwood Street has been vacant since 1990. The second lot that is addressed as 128 S. Kenwood Street was developed prior to 1908 with a Craftsman-style single-family residence and a detached garage. Both the single-family residence and garage will be demolished as part of the project.
According to records, the project site does not contain any features that are listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historic Resources or in a local register of historical resources. No significant events are known to have occurred at the site and the property is not associated with any persons of historic significance. The South Glendale Historic Resource Survey found that the property at 128 S. Kenwood Street is not eligible for designation at the federal, state, or local level (CHRC Status Code 6L) and it is therefore, not a historic resource pursuant to Section 15064.5 (a) of the CEQA Guidelines.
As indicated in the City’s Safety Element, the project site is not within a liquefaction zone, landslide hazard zone, dam inundation zone, fault hazard zone or fire hazard zone.
CCR § 15332 In-fill Development Projects Exemption
New 5-story, 40-unit, Residential Building
December 16, 2024
CCR § 15332. In-fill Development Projects Exemption
Class 32 consists of projects characterized as in-fill development meeting the conditions described in this section.
(a) The project is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations.
The proposed residential development will be consistent with the various elements and objectives of the General Plan. The Land Use Element of the General Plan designates the project site as Downtown Specific Plan East Broadway District – which is generally east of Louise Street and west of Glendale Avenue between east Wilson and east Colorado. The site location provides ideal access to the regional freeway network as well as close-in convenience to the major shopping facilities of the Central Business District.
The standards within the Downtown Specific Plan East Broadway District provide for relatively large multiple dwelling complexes at a density of 90 dwellings to the acre. The Project proposes 40 units on an approximately 0.34-acre site and will increase the amount of housing opportunities in the DSP/EB with three affordable units (very low) and 37 market rate units. The Land Use Element is the most directly related to this use. All other elements of the General Plan will not be impacted as a result of the project. The project site has not been slated for open space or recreation and will operate within compliance of the Noise Element thresholds. The Circulation Element identifies South Kenwood Street as a local street. Local streets are generally adjacent to single- and multi-family residential land uses and carry low volumes of traffic to and from collectors and arterials. The primary function of local streets is to provide access to adjacent properties and connect to collector streets that distributes traffic to other neighborhoods, commercial land uses or public spaces and arterial streets that provide access to freeways, activity centers and business centers.
Vehicular access to the site will be from a new driveway entrance from the 20-foot-wide alley to the east. Additionally, the City’s Mobility Division has reviewed the proposed project and determined that no significant increase in traffic would occur as a result of the project, as it would not generate a significant increase in the number of vehicle trips to and from the site.
In addition to a parking concession, the applicant is seeking approval of one concession pursuant to Government Code Section 65915, et seq. and GMC Chapter 30.36 (Density Bonus Incentives) for increasing the maximum allowed FAR to 3.09 (45,983 SF), where the maximum allowed is 2.0 by right and 2.75 with incentives.
The requested concessions will reduce costs to the applicant for providing affordable units by creating construction efficiencies and inherent reductions in costs by allowing the construction of a greater number of units. The additional units will result in actual and identifiable cost reductions because the additional units will take advantage of construction efficiencies when being built and will generate rental income to offset the cost of providing the units at an affordable rent. In addition to the one requested density bonus FAR concession, the applicant is also requesting an administrative exception to reduce the width of the publicly accessible open space from the minimum required 30 feet to 24 feet. Aside from this request, the project complies with the applicable zoning designation and regulations.
CCR § 15332 In-fill Development Projects Exemption
New 5-story, 40-unit, Residential Building
December 16, 2024
(b) The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses.
The project site is approximately 14,988 square feet, which is approximately 0.34 acres, much less than the maximum site size of 5 acres. Located in the Downtown Specific Plan East Broadway District, the project site is surrounded by urban uses and within City limits.
The subject property is located mid-block on the east side of South Kenwood Street and is surrounded by similar multi-family residential buildings to the north, east and west, and a single-family house to the south. There is a public alley to the east of the property, which will provide vehicular access to the site. The proposed project site is within city limits, no more than five acres and substantially surrounded by urban uses.
(c) The site has no value as a habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species.
The project is located in an area that has been heavily urbanized for decades. Natural vegetation does not exist on-site. The site is surrounded by densely developed urban properties and is unsuitable for use as a wildlife habitat due to its location. No wildlife species other than those which can tolerate human activity and/or are typically found in urban environments are known to exist on or near the project site. These human-tolerant species are neither sensitive, threatened, or endangered. Implementation of the project would not result in any impact to species identified as endangered, threatened, sensitive or being of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, the project site does not provide suitable habitat for endangered or rare species given the pattern, type, and level of development in the area. There are no indigenous trees located on the property or within 20 feet of the subject site.
(d) Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality.
Traffic
Project access will be provided from South Kenwood Street, between East Broadway and E.
Harvard Street. The project is proposing two levels of subterranean parking with a total of 69 parking spaces. The project is also providing 7 bicycle parking spaces. Vehicular access to and from the subterranean garage will be provided through an 18-foot wide, two-way driveway through the alley behind the project. Trip General Rates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual 11th Edition were estimated for the proposed project. According to the City’s Public Works Traffic Engineering Department, a local transportation analysis is not required for the proposed project because it is estimated to generate less than 50 total vehicle trips during AM and PM peak-hours.
The City’s Mobility Division has reviewed and approved the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis for the proposed project. The project is located in Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZ) with 4.89 VMT Per Capita which is less than 85% of city wide average VMT Per- Capita of 7.39.
A Construction Traffic Management Plan will be required to be submitted to the City’s Public Works Department for review and approval prior to project construction. The Construction Traffic Management Plan will include a Construction Traffic Control Plan, a Construction CCR § 15332 In-fill Development Projects Exemption
New 5-story, 40-unit, Residential Building
December 16, 2024
Parking Plan, a Haul Routes Plan, and construction hours. Therefore, no significant impacts are anticipated.
Noise
The project involves the demolition of a single-family house and a detached garage and the construction of a new 5-story, 40-unit residential building above a two-level semi- subterranean garage, featuring three affordable units and 37 market rate units on an approximately 14,988 square-foot lot. The site is an interior lot bordered by residential uses to the north and west. The proposed residential use is permitted by right in the Downtown Specific Plan East Broadway District. As shown in the City’s Noise Element, the project site is located within the 60-65 dB noise contour. The new project would be constructed to reduce interior noise to acceptable levels as required by the building code, and the project is not anticipated to generate noise in excess of limits contained in the Noise Element.
Construction associated with the project will be required to comply with the City of Glendale Noise Ordinance (GMC Chapter 8.36), which prohibits construction activities between the hours of 7:00 PM on one day and 7:00 AM of the next day or from 7:00 PM on Saturday to 7:00 AM on Monday or from 7:00 PM preceding a holiday. Compliance with the City’s noise ordinance would ensure that noise impacts will be less than significant.
Air Quality
The California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod Version 2022.1.1.29) was used to estimate air quality impacts during the construction and operation stages of the project.
Results from the model indicate that the proposed project would not exceed thresholds for construction, area, or operational impacts. No impacts would occur. Based on the model run, construction and operation of the project would not exceed the SCAQMD thresholds of significance.
Water Quality
Under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established regulations under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program to control direct storm water discharges. In the City of Glendale, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWCQB) administers the NPDES permitting program and is responsible for developing NPDES permitting requirements. The NPDES program regulates industrial pollutant discharges that include construction activities.
Implementation of the proposed project will require compliance with all of the NPDES requirements, including the submittal and certification of plans and details showing both construction and post-construction Best Management Practices (BMPs) that are integrated into the design of the project. The submittal of a Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan (SUSMP), as approved by the City Engineer, will also be required to be integrated into the design of the project. Therefore, implementation of the proposed project is not expected to violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements or otherwise substantially degrade surface of groundwater quality since the project will be required to comply with applicable permitting requirements.
(e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
The project site is an infill parcel. The portion of the site at 126 S. Kenwood Street has been vacant since 1990. The portion of the site at 128 S. Kenwood Street was developed prior to CCR § 15332 In-fill Development Projects Exemption
New 5-story, 40-unit, Residential Building
December 16, 2024
1908 with a single-family residence and garage and will be demolished as part of the project. The site is surrounded by other residential developments and is located in an urbanized area and can be adequately served by existing public facilities. Section 65995 of the Government Code provides that school districts can collect a fee on a per square foot basis for new residential buildings to assist in the construction of or addition to schools. The State has determined that payment of the school fee mitigates impacts to schools to a level less than significant.
The Glendale Police Department provides police services to the project site. The overall need for police protection services is not expected to increase significantly as a result of the proposed project as the site is located in an already urbanized area.
The City of Glendale Fire Department provides fire and paramedic services to the project site.
The project will be required to comply with the Uniform Fire Code, including installation of fire sprinklers, and to submit plans to the Glendale Fire Department at the time building permits are submitted to ensure adequate fire flow protection.