R112901
EIR Certification and Findings Resolution
City Council Meeting: September 29, 2020 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NO. 11290 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CERTIFYING THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE MIRAMAR
HOTEL PROJECT
WHEREAS, the California Environmental Quality Act (Section 21000 et seq, of
the Public Resources Code, hereinafter “CEQA”) requires that cities consider the
environmental consequences of their actions before approving a project; and
WHEREAS, State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14)
Section 15182 exempts a residential or mixed-use project, or a project with a floor area
ratio of at least 0.75 on commercially-zoned property, from CEQA if it is located within a
transit priority area as defined in CEQA Section 21099(a)(7); is consistent with a specific
plan for which an environmental impact report (“EIR”) was certified; and is consistent with
the general use designation, density, building intensity, and applicable policies specified
for the project area in either a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning
strategy for which the State Air Resources Board has accepted the determination that the
sustainable communities strategy or the alternative planning strategy would achieve the
applicable greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets; and
WHEREAS, the Miramar Hotel Project is (a) located within a transit priority area
as it is within 0.5 mile of a major transit stop, including those stops provided by Santa Monica
Big Blue Bus Route 2 and Los Angeles County Metro Rapid Route 720, both of which travel
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the length of Wilshire Boulevard between the City of Santa Monica and downtown Los
Angeles, as well as the Exposition Light Rail Line Downtown Santa Monica station, which is
located at the intersection of Colorado Avenue and 4th Street, (b) consistent with the
Downtown Community Plan (“DCP”), for which an EIR was certified (State Clearinghouse
No. 2013091056), and (c) consistent with the general use designation, density, building
intensity, and applicable policies of the Southern California Association of Government’s
(“SCAG’s”) adopted Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (as
discussed in Section 4.12, Land Use and Planning, of the EIR). Therefore, the Project
meets eligibility requirements and is exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Section
15182; and
WHEREAS, although the Project is exempt from CEQA, the City also prepared an
EIR for the Miramar Hotel Project in compliance with CEQA’s EIR requirements, which
EIR provides for informed decision-making about the potential environmental effects of
the Project; and
WHEREAS, a Notice of Preparation (“NOP”) of an EIR for the Miramar Hotel
Project was published and circulated on May 1, 2013 and a Recirculated NOP was
published and circulated on June 28, 2018; and
WHEREAS, a Notice of Completion/Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental
Impact Report (“Draft EIR”) was published on February 24, 2020 in compliance with the
CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the Draft EIR was circulated for a 90-day period which ended on May
24, 2020, exceeding the minimum 45-day period required under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, the Draft EIR analyzed the potential environmental impacts that could
result from the Miramar Hotel Project and six alternatives; and
WHEREAS, the Final Environmental Impact Report (“Final EIR”) was published on
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August 18, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission on September 2, 2020 and September 9,
2020 has reviewed and considered the contents of the Final EIR and recommended
certification of the EIR to City Council; and
WHEREAS, on September 29, the City, as Lead City Agency, reviewed the Final
EIR in its decision-making process;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds the Miramar Hotel Project (the “Project”)
exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Section 15182. Specifically, the Project is located
in a transit priority area, as it is within 0.5 mile of a major transit stop, including those stops
provided by Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Route 2 and Los Angeles County Metro Rapid
Route 720, both of which travel the length of Wilshire Boulevard between the City of Santa
Monica and downtown Los Angeles, as well as the Exposition Light Rail Line Downtown
Santa Monica station, which is located at the intersection of Colorado Avenue and 4th Street.
Additionally, the Project is consistent with the applicable specific plan for this area (the
Downtown Community Plan, or DCP), for which an EIR was certified (State Clearinghouse
No. 2013091056). The Project is also consistent with the general use designation, density,
building intensity, and policies of SCAG’s RTP/SCS (as discussed in Section 4.12, Land
Use and Planning, of this EIR). Lastly, as confirmed by the EIR, the Project does not cause
any new significant impacts, or worsen any previously-identified significant impacts, than
those identified in the DCP EIR.
SECTION 2. The City Council has reviewed and considered the information
contained in the Final EIR on the Miramar Hotel Project prior to acting on the Project.
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SECTION 3. The City Council certifies that the Final EIR for the Project was
presented to the City Council, that the Final EIR for the Project was completed in full
compliance with State law and State CEQA Guidelines, that there was adequate public
review of the Draft EIR, that it has considered all comments on the Draft EIR and
responses to comments, that the Final EIR adequately analyzes all potentially significant
environmental issues, that the Final EIR reflects the independent judgement and analysis
of the City, and that the City Council has reviewed and considered the information
contained in the Final EIR in its decision-making process prior to acting on the Project.
SECTION 4. Consistent with Section 15128 of the State CEQA Guidelines, Chapter
6 of the Final EIR and the Initial Study (Appendix A-2 of the Final EIR) determined that the
following environmental impacts were not considered potentially significant and were not
analyzed in detail in the Final EIR: Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Mineral Resources,
Population and Housing, Public Services – Schools and Libraries, Recreation, Solid Waste,
and Wildfires.
SECTION 5. Consistent with Section 15091 and 15092 of the State CEQA
Guidelines, and as analyzed in the Final EIR, the City Council finds that Project impacts
would be less than significant without mitigation for construction-related air quality,
aesthetics, energy, geology and soils (specifically, those issues related to seismicity, erosion
or loss of topsoil, unstable geologic unit), greenhouse gas emissions, hydrology/water
quality, land use and planning, operational noise and vibration, transportation (specifically,
those issues related to consistency with plans, geometric hazards, emergency access), and
utilities and service systems (wastewater and water).
SECTION 6. Consistent with Sections 15091 and 15092 of the State CEQA
Guidelines and as analyzed in the Final EIR, the City Council finds that Project impacts for
operation-related air quality, biological resources, archaeological resources, geology and
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soils (specifically, paleontological resources), hazards and hazardous materials,
construction-related noise levels, fire and police protection services, and tribal resources
resulting from the proposed Project can be reduced to an acceptable level with
implementation of mitigation measures as established in Chapter 11 of the Final EIR.
SECTION 7. Consistent with Sections 15091 and 15092 of the State CEQA
Guidelines and as analyzed in the Final EIR, the City Council finds that Project impacts in
the areas of vibration, historic resources (construction-related ground-borne vibration on off-
site historic resources), transportation (intersection operations and street segment traffic
volumes), neighborhood effects, and construction effects cannot feasibly be avoided or
mitigated to below a level of significance.
SECTION 8. The Final EIR found that Alternative 4 is the environmentally superior
alternative, as it would have larger, more notable trip reductions, resulting in less GHG
emissions and mobile source air quality and noise impacts. As compared to the other
alternatives analyzed in the EIR, Alternative 4 would be more consistent with relevant City,
Regional and Coastal Commission policies and regulations, and would help fulfill a larger
range of policies and regulations. Alternative 4 would be consistent with the Land Use Plan
of the Local Coastal Program by providing a mix of uses that are consistent with the
provisions of Policy 201. At the same time, Alternative 4 would fully implement policies in
the 2016 – 2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and City
plans including the Land Use and Circulation Element, the Downtown Community Plan, and
the 2013 – 2021 Housing Element. These policies address a range of uses and multiple
needs that pertain to the provision of housing in the Downtown area and the development
of Downtown as a mixed-use community with pedestrian and transit availability for City
residents. However, as concluded in the EIR, Alternative 4 would not achieve Project
objectives and certain City land use goals and policies to the same extent as the Project.
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SECTION 9. The preceding Findings, although based primarily on conclusions in
the Final EIR, have not attempted to describe the full analysis of each environmental
impact contained in the Final EIR. Instead, the Findings incorporate by reference the
discussions and analyses in the Final EIR and supporting reference documents
supporting the Final EIR’s determinations regarding the nature and severity of the impacts
of the Project and mitigation measures designed to address those impacts. In making
these findings, the City Council ratifies, adopts, and incorporates into these findings the
analysis and explanation in the Final EIR and ratifies, adopts, and incorporates in these
findings the determinations and conclusions of the Final EIR.
SECTION 10. Consistent with Section 21081.6(a)(2) of CEQA, the documents
which constitute the record of proceedings for approving this Project are located in the
Community Development Department, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, California. The
custodian of these documents is Rachel Kwok, Environmental Planner.
SECTION 11. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
George S. Cardona
Interim City Attorney
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Adopted and approved this 29th day of September 2020.
__________________________
Kevin McKeown, Mayor
I, Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do
hereby certify that Resolution No. 11290 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 29th day of September 2020, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Himmelrich, Jara, McCowan, Winterer,
Mayor Pro Tem O’Day, Mayor McKeown
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmember Davis
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk
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