II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION D. HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT 1.0 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT

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1 II. PROJECT DESCRIPTIO D. HISTORY AD EVOLUTIO OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT 1.0 BACKGROUD AD COTEXT FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT The Proposed Project reflects an approach to development that has evolved over the past two decades. The Project site is part of a larger area known as Playa Vista. Historically, the Playa Vista Master Plan has included land on both sides of Lincoln Boulevard and north and south of the, as shown in Figure 7 on page 176. As indicated in Figure 7, the areas were denoted by the letter designations A, B, C and D. In 1986, Area B, Area C and Area D were annexed from the County of Los Angeles to the City of Los Angeles. Area A remained in the County of Los Angeles. Areas A, B and D were owned by the predecessor in interest to the Project Applicant. Area C is owned by U. S. Trust Company of California in trust for the State of California and subject to certain rights held by Playa Vista. Pursuant to certain agreements with the State, Playa Vista was obligated to plan and seek approvals for the development of Area C. Those obligations to plan and seek approvals for Area C have lapsed. Area C is still under the ownership of U.S. Trust Company of California. Concurrent with the annexation of Area D was the adoption of a Specific Plan by the City for Area D, the area in which the proposed Village at Playa Vista Project is located. The Playa Vista Area D Specific Plan envisioned the development of a regional-serving retail center, commercial office uses, and light industrial uses, along with a high/medium density residential component. Over the years of 1991 to 1995 several actions and approvals were taken approving development in the First Phase area of Area D and a portion of Area B. In 1991 to 1993, as shown in Figure 8 on page 177, the City of Los Angeles and the California Coastal Commission approved the development of the Playa Vista First Phase Project over a portion of Area D and Area B. 8 The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), also during this period, issued a permit (USACE Permit o EV), pursuant to Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act, to allow, among other things, the filling of isolated wetlands in areas that included parts of Area A, Area B, Area C, and Area D, including the Project site. In 1995, as shown in Figure 9 on page 178, the City approved a revision to the First Phase Project to permit the development of an Entertainment, Media and Technology District at the east end of the Area D property, and approved the redevelopment of the former Howard Hughes/McDonnell Douglas plant site located at the eastern end of Area D. 8 The Playa Vista First Phase Project includes, TTM 52092, and the Freshwater Marsh System west of Lincoln and south of Jefferson Boulevard. In addition, a riparian corridor along the base of the Bluffs adjoining the First Phase site is part of the Playa Vista First Phase Project. City of Los Angeles/EIR o. EV EIR Village at Playa Vista Draft EIR State Clearinghouse o August 2003 Page 175 PRELIMIARY WORKIG DRAFT Work in Progress

2 D C Page 176 Proposed Village at Playa Vista B JEFFERSO BLVD A MARIA EXWY MIDAAO Figure 7 Former Playa Vista Master Plan Area EMERSO AVE KETWOOD AVE IGLEWOOD BLVD CETIELA BLVD MARIA FWY BOUDARY OF FORMER PLAYA VISTA MASTER PLA

3 Page 177 Playa Vista First Phase Project JEFFERSO BLVD MARIA EXWY MIDAAO Figure 8 Playa Vista First Phase Project Approved for Development in 1993 EMERSO AVE KETWOOD AVE IGLEWOOD BLVD CETIELA BLVD MARIA FWY BOUDARY OF FORMER PLAYA VISTA MASTER PLA

4 Page 178 Playa Vista Entertainment, Media and Technology District Former Plant Site EMERSO AVE Figure 9 Playa Vista Entertainment, Media and Technology (EMT) District Approved in 1995 KETWOOD AVE JEFFERSO BLVD IGLEWOOD BLVD CETIELA BLVD MARIA FWY MARIA EXWY BOUDARY OF FORMER PLAYA VISTA MASTER PLA MIDAAO

5 II.D. History and Evolution of the Proposed Project The Playa Vista First Phase Project, as described in this Draft EIR and shown in Figure 10 on page 180, includes development previously approved by the City of Los Angeles within Vesting Tentative Tract Map ( VTTM ) and Tentative Tract Map ( TTM ) addressed development within the eastern and western portions of Area D. TTM is located south and west of the eastern portion of and covers the former Howard Hughes/McDonnell Douglas plant site. The Playa Vista First Phase Project is 363 acres in size, and includes the former offices, manufacturing facilities and runway of Hughes Aircraft/McDonnell Douglas, as well as a number of new buildings have been completed or are currently under construction. Also in 1995, the City circulated a otice of Preparation for a Project EIR that included the remainder of the former Playa Vista property, 9 exclusive of the First Phase Project (EIS/EIR , State Clearinghouse o ) and the USACE issued a otice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. The otice of Preparation included Area A, Area C and portions of Area B and Area D not included in the First Phase Project. This joint EIS/EIR was intended to address the development of the former Playa Vista Planning Areas, exclusive of the First Phase Project. In 1997, the Applicant acquired the Playa Vista Project and continued to explore options for further Playa Vista development. On August 8, 2001, Playa Vista entered into an Option Agreement with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) which provided an option for TPL to acquire all of Area A and a portion of Area B, including all of Area B that was formerly intended for development. The Applicant is working with TPL and the State of California to complete the sale of these properties whereby the State would acquire the property for open space and other recreation use. As a result of these actions, development within Area A and Area B is no longer proposed. In addition, as a result of other actions, the Applicant no longer has an obligation to plan and entitle Area C for the benefit of the State of California. As a consequence, Area C is not part of the Proposed Project. 10 The Proposed Project greatly reduces the scale of the Playa Vista development by limiting development to the remaining portion of Area D, on approximately 111 acres adjacent to the Playa Vista First Phase Project. In so doing, none of Area A or Area B (other than the Freshwater Marsh), are part of the Playa Vista Project since they are under contract to TPL and Area C is not part of the Playa Vista Project because the Applicant no longer has an obligation to plan or entitle Area C. Thus, other than the Freshwater Marsh in Area B and potential traffic 9 10 Historically, the Playa Vista property included four areas designated Areas A, B, C, and D. Areas A and B were located west of Lincoln Boulevard and north and south of the, respectively. Areas C and D were located east of Lincoln Boulevard and north and south of the, respectively. Playa Vista retains certain acquisition rights with respect to Area C, as well as rights to build certain infrastructure (e.g. road, sewers, etc) in and across Area C to benefit the remaining areas of Playa Vista. City of Los Angeles/EIR o. EV EIR Village at Playa Vista Draft EIR State Clearinghouse o August 2003 Page 179 PRELIMIARY WORKIG DRAFT Work in Progress

6 D C Page180 VTTM B JEFFERSO BLVD A MARIA EXWY MIDAAO EMERSO AVE KETWOOD AVE TTM Figure 10 and TTM IGLEWOOD BLVD CETIELA BLVD MARIA FWY BOUDARY OF FORMER PLAYA VISTA MASTER PLA

7 II.D. History and Evolution of the Proposed Project mitigation measures affecting Lincoln, Culver and Jefferson Boulevards, no Playa Vista development would occur west of Lincoln Boulevard or north of the. The Project s bluff restoration program, as described in the OP, indicated that the Proposed Project included 53.6 acres of bluff face/habitat restoration. Based on comments received in response to the OP and a review of detailed mapping and existing physical conditions, the Applicant has revised its development proposal to exclude from the Project the acreage south of the Campus portion of the previously approved First Phase Project. Restoration has already occurred on most of this area, and the Applicant retains on-going maintenance obligations regarding the entire area. As a result, the Proposed Project has been revised to reflect the 5 acres of bluff face restoration immediately adjacent to the Proposed Village area. With the refinements in Project boundaries, the Proposed Project contains 111 acres, with approximately 99.3 acres designated for urban development and approximately 11.7 acres designated for habitat creation and restoration. City of Los Angeles/EIR o. EV EIR Village at Playa Vista Draft EIR State Clearinghouse o August 2003 Page 181 PRELIMIARY WORKIG DRAFT Work in Progress