SR-300-002-01 (31)
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JAN 1 2 1982
Santa Monica, California, January 12, 1982
TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
City Staff
SUBJECT: Environmental Review
Block Grant Program
Com~unity Development
Introduction
All projects proposed for Community Develop~ent Block Grant (CDBG) funding are
subject to an environmental review process
This process Involves compliance
with City regulations as well as State and federal regulations
~ackground/Dlscussion
Usually the environmental screening IS completed at the same ti~e the application
IS prepared. This year, however, all but two of the prOJects/activities approved
by Council on February 3, 1981, have been determined to be exempt from environmental
review. The funds set aside for housing during this program year will not be
released until an environmental review is performed relating to a specific site or
sites
The other project requiring a full environmental assessment is the Recovery
Home property acqUisition actIvity. A sU[TImary of this review IS attached, A com-
bined Notice of Findinq of ~o Significant Effect on the Environment and Notice
to Public of Request for Release of Funds was published in the Evening Outlook
November 25, 1981
No publ ic comment was receIved during the 15-day review period.
Additional proJects/activities which are part of the 1981-82 program year and which
are exempt frOM enVI ronmental review are: Publ ic Works and Street Improvements,
including traffic signal installation, wheelchair ramp construction, sidewalk
construction, street improvements, and freeway underpass iMprove[TIents (mural),
Security Installation Program; Youth Activities Program; Energy Conservation
Program, Citizen Participation Outreach Programs; Planning and AdMinistration, II-A
JAN 1 2 fS82
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Mayor and City Councl I
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Januarv 12, 1982
Contingency Fund; and Payment of Ocean Park Redevelopment Project Debt.
Recommendation
It is recommended that City CouncIl
1. Review the attached environ~entai assessment and adopt the attached Resolution;
and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Request for Release of Funds and
Certification to be submitted without delay to the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
Prepared by
Nancy McFarland
NM mh
Attachments
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW RECORD
Program No.: B-BI-MC-06-0529
Project: Property Acquisition - Recovery Home
for Substance-Abusing Youth (#2g/709)
NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT (Federal)
DECLARATION OF EXEMPTION (State)
Pursuant to
City of Santa Monica Resolution Nunber 4351, Division 13, California
Public Resources Code; and Title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 58
APPLICANT
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, California
(213) 393-9975
90401
The City of Santa Monica proposes to request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) to release federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-383), as aMended, to be used for the following project.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This activity provides for the acqUisition of a residential property at 2937 Virginia
Avenue for conversion into a six-bed Recovery Home for drug and alcohol-abusing youth.
It Will not be operated as a treatment or detoxification center, but rather as a foster
ho~e. The property will be leased from the City and operated as a group home by the
CLARE Foundation. The budgeted awount for this project is S200,000.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The property to be acquired includes a single-faMily home, currently unoccupied. It
is in a quiet residential neighborhood of single-family homes located directly across
from the Santa Monica Freeway. The freeway is elevated, fenced and fully landscaped
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The conversion of thiS property into a Recovery Home will result in very little change.
The home will be occupied by two adults and a ~aximum of six youths. Under California
Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 5115 and 5116. group homes with six beds or less
do not require a zoning variance. There will be no medical treatment or detoxification
taking place at this site. The purpose of the home is to provide a sober, supportive
residential envlron~nt for recovering alcohol and drug problem youth. The only
antIcipated physical changes to the property might be to provide handIcapped access and
compliance with fire safety requirements.
ALTERNATIVES/MODIFICATIONS
There is currently no recovery home for substance abUSIng youth in the Santa Monica area
nor Within 100 miles of Santa Monica. The recidivism rate among such youth is 80-90%,
due, in part, to the communlty's inability to provide a f'soberl! environment for recovering
youth. Thus. a no-project alternative would perpetuate the situation by failing to meet
the established needs of the substance abusing youth. Other sites have been considered,
but in each caSe there was a rental history and those properties were, therefore, not
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eligible for a IIremoval permit" from the City's Rent Control Board.
LEVEL OF CLEARANCE FINOrNG. NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
Based on the fol lowing facts and reasons derived from the complete environmental
assessment reView, it is concluded that the request to HUD for release of funds for this
project is not an action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
Therefore, an EIS is not required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
Further, the project has been determined to be Categorically Exempt (Class la) under the
California Environmental QualIty Act of 1970. The reasonS supporting the above finding
are
1. The project consists of the acquisition of an existing residential property, with
only minor modificatIons, If any
2. The project Will not result in a change of use of the property and no zoning variance
IS required.
3. There Will be no effect on the environment as a result of the project, and the
environment will have 1 ittle effect on the project.
4. Inasmuch as it can be seen with reasonable certainty that no substantial adverse
effect is involved, no proper purpose would be served by the preparation of an
Envl ronmental ]rDpact Report (Statement).
5. A NotIce of Finding of No Significant Effect and a Declaration of Exemption are
the proper, correct and appropriate procedures required to assure co~pliance With
the purpose and intent of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and
the California Environmental Qual ity Act of 1970 (CEQA).
An Environmental Review Record respecting thIS project has been made by the City of
Santa Monica which documents the environmental review of the project and more fully
sets forth the reasons why an EIR (EIS) is not reqUired This Environmental Revie\'i
Record is on file at the above address and is available for public examination and
copYing, upon request, in City Hall Room 206 between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
No further environmental review of this project IS proposed to be conducted prior to the
request for release of federal funds.
All interested agencies, groups and persons disagreeing with this decision are Invited
to submit written comMents for consideration by the City to the Oepart~ent of Community
and NeIghborhood Services at the above address. Such written comments should be received
On or before December 11, 1981. All such comments so received will be considered and the
City will not request the release of federal funds or take any administrative action on
the project prior to December 11, 1981.
Assess~ent Prepared By:
Official Title:
Da te:
Nancy McFarland
CDBG Coordinator
November 25, 1981
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RESOLUTION NO.
(C~ty Counc~l Ser~es)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA MONICA APPROVING THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
I}WACT ASSESSMENTS FOR THE SEVENTH YEAR HOUSING
AND co~n4UNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAP.
WHEREAS, it was necessary to prepare environmental assessments
for the proJects proposed ~n the Hous~ng and Commun~ty Development Block
Grant appllcat~on; and
WHEREAS, the envlronmental status of each proJect was determ~ned
and the appl~cable assessment prepared; and
w~EREAS, publlC not~fication was conducted ~n a manner prov~d~ng
c1tizens adequate opportun~ty to review and comment on the draft
assessments; and
~VHEREAS, departments and agencies having speclal ~nterest or
Jur~sdict~on over the proJects reviewed the draft assessments; and
WHEREAS, no comments or suggested reV~Slons have been rece~ved
to date; and
WHEREAS, the followlng draft environwental assess~ents have
been prepared for each new proJect conta~ned ln the 1981-82 Community
Development Block Grant appllcatlon:
1. Categorical Exc1uslon [24 CFP 58.21(8)] and Declaration
of Exempt~on (Class 1, Type f) for a Residentlal Security Installatlon
Program.
2. Categor~cal Exclus10n [24 CFR 58.21(b) (5) (11)] and
Declarat~on of Exempt10n (Class 1, Type c) for Trafflc S1gnal Installatlon.
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SECTION 3. That the City Councll determlnes that the
pro]ectT the Hous~ng and Commun~ty Development Block Grant applicat~on,
wll1 not have a substantial adverse impact on the environment.
SECTION 4. That the City Councll deslgnates the Clty Manager
as the authorized representative of the City of Santa Monica to act in
connectlon with the appllcationT and to provlde such addltional
lnformation as may be required.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoptlon
of thlS Resolutlon, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be
In full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FOrni:
\1.1:,.-,..:t- k. ~
ROBERT M. MYERS ~)
City Attorney
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