PPD 621 Final Project

8228-8240, THE HARPER PROJECT

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT

DECEMBER 2022

Lead Agency:
City of West Hollywood
Planning and Development Services Department
8300 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90069

Prepared with assistance from:

Samantha Ellman, Kishann Rai, Mercedes Stroeve, John Cadiz
 Samantha Ellman - Project Overview

Kishann Rai - Noise

John Cadiz - Transportation

Mercedes Stroeve - Air

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1. Project Description 7
1.1 Context 7
1.1.1 Lead Agency 7
1.1.2 City of West Hollywood 7
1.1.2.1 Existing Setting 7
1.1.3 Zoning 7
1.2 Project Purpose 8
1.3 Project Location 11
1.4 Construction 12
1.4.1 Length of Construction Time 12
1.4.2 Construction Employees 13
1.4.3 Construction Equipment 13
1.5 Operations 14
1.5.1 Average Daily Trips 15

2. Air Quality 18
2.1 Environmental Setting 18
2.1.1 Existing Air Quality Conditions 18
2.1.2 Existing Sensitive Receptors 18
2.2 Construction Impacts 19
2.2.1 Overall Construction 19
2.3 Operation Impacts 20
2.3.1 Overall Operations 20
2.4 Mitigation 21
2.4.1 Ozone Mitigation 21
2.4.2 Commute Trip Reduction 22
2.4.3 Carbon Sequestration 22

3. Noise 24
3.1 Environmental Setting 24
3.2 Construction Impacts 27
3.2.1 Summary of Results 28
3.3 Operation Impacts 32
3.4 Mitigation 34

4. Transportation 37
4.1 Environmental Setting and Existing Conditions 37
4.1.1 Existing Street System 37
4.1.2 Existing Transit Service 37
4.1.3 Potentially Significant Impact 37
4.2 Construction Impacts 42

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 4.3 Operation Impacts 43
4.5 Mitigation 46
4.5.1 Mitigation Measures 46
4.5.2 Significance after Mitigation 46

Appendix A - Additional Project Maps 47

Appendix A-1: Project Location (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022) 47

Appendix B - Noise 48
Appendix B-1: Noise data taken approximately 11:30 am at 11/12/2022 by Kishann Rai 48
Appendix B-2: Image from FHWA Roadway Construction Noise Model User’s Guide p.3 49
Appendix B-3 (Exposition Corridor Transit Neighborhood Plan Draft EIR - 4.9 Noise) 50
Appendix B-4: Zoning of area surrounding the project
(https://www.weho.org/home/showpublisheddocument/36958/636692560718630000) 51
Appendix B-5: Results from the RCMN model Demolition Phase 52
Appendix B-6: Results from the RCMN model Site Preparation 53
Appendix B-7: Results from the RCMN model Grading 54
Appendix B-8: Results from the RCMN model Building Construction 55
Appendix B-9: Results from the RCMN model Paving 56
Appendix B-10: Results from the RCMN model Architectural Coating 57
Appendix B-11: Calculating change in noise level due to traffic 58

References 59

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Existing Zoning
Figure 2: Regional Location
Figure 3: Project Location
Figure 4: Surrounding Uses
Figure 5: Proposed Site Plan
Figure 6: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator Map (Left) and PM2.5 (Right)
Figure 7: Sensitive Receptors
Figure 8: Architectural Coating Mitigation Measures
Figure 9: Commute Trip Mitigation Measures
Figure 10: Sequestration
Figure 11: Exhibit 2-9, Landscape Plan Ground Level, Initial Study
Figure 12: Exhibit 2-10, 8th Floor Landscape Plan, Initial Study
Figure 13: Map of Receptors
Figure 14: The Den, to the left, next to the project site
Figure 15: Non-Transportation Source Noise Standards Effective Noise Sensitive Land Uses
Figure 16: Noise and Land Use Compatibility Matrix
Figure 17: Average Daily Traffic Around the Site
Figure 18: Number of Vehicles vs. Time on Sunset Blvd
Figure 19: Level of Service Definitions

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List of Tables
Table 1: Zoning
Table 2: Proposed Development Summary
Table 3: Construction Phase and Timeline
Table 4: Number of Trips per Day during Construction
Table 5: Proposed Parking Summary
Table 6: Mode Split - Commute to Work
Table 7: Trip Summary Information - Hotel
Table 8: Trip Summary Information - Other Commercial
Table 9: Trip Summary Information - Residential
Table 10: Number of Visitors to the Project by Mode and Day
Table 11: Construction Impacts on Air Quality
Table 12: Operation Impacts on Air Quality
Table 13: West Hollywood’s daytime and nighttime hours
Table 14: West Hollywood’s Noise Levels
Table 15: West Hollywood Construction Hours
Table 16: Project Receptors
Table 17: Construction Impacts from OffRoad Equipment
Table 18: Overview of L10s by Construction Phase
Table 19: L10s during Demolition by Receptor
Table 20: L10s during Site Preparation by Receptor
Table 21: L10s during Grading by Receptor
Table 22: L10s during Building Construction by Receptor
Table 23: L10s during Paving by Receptor
Table 24: L10s during Architectural Coating by Receptor
Table 25: New CNEL With Construction Impacts
Table 26: Daily Vehicular Volume
Table 27: New Vehicular Volumes With Construction
Table 28: Noise Level Increase with Increased Traffic Volume
Table 29: Mitigation measures For Equipment
Table 30: Capacity of Roadway Systems
Table 31: Road Access Points to the Harper Project Site and Roadway Capacity
Table 32: Average Traffic Counts on a Wednesday on Sunset Blvd
Table 33: Smart Growth Model Outputs

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1. Project Description

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Lead Agency

The Lead Agency responsible for preparing the CEQA documents for the Harper Project is the
City of West Hollywood, and the Planning and Development Services Department located at
8300 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California 90069. The project area is subject to
the provisions set forth in the West Hollywood General Plan 2035, The City of West Hollywood
Climate Action Plan, the City of West Hollywood Municipal Code, and the Final Program
Environmental Impact Report City of West Hollywood General Plan and Climate Action Plan State
Clearinghouse #2009091124 (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022).

1.1.2 City of West Hollywood

West Hollywood is a city within Los Angeles County and spans 1.9 square miles of land 7.5 miles
northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is accessible regionally by the US 101 highway and
locally by large arterial roads such as Sunset Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, La Cienega
Boulevard, and Crescent Heights Boulevard.

1.1.2.1 Existing Setting

The Harper Project is located along the Sunset Strip, which is a very popular tourist destination in
the City of West Hollywood. Sunset Boulevard contains a mix of high- and low-rise buildings and
has heavy pedestrian traffic. The two parcels included in this project include 8228 Sunset Blvd
and 8240 Sunset Blvd. The current use at 8228 Sunset Blvd is a 13,083 square foot office
building, whereas the use at 8240 Sunset Blvd includes 12,818 square feet of office space and
commercial parking (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022).

1.1.3 Zoning
The site’s existing general plan land use and zoning is as follows:

Table 1: Zoning (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

Assessor Parcel General Plan Land Use Zoning

Number (APN)

5554-018-020 Sunset Specific Plan SSP Sunset Specific Plan

5554-018-023 Sunset Specific Plan and SSP Sunset Specific Plan and
Residential Multi-Family R4B-PK Residential, MultiFamily High-Density/
High Density (R4B) Parking Overlay District

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 Figure 1: Existing Zoning (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

The initial study, prepared by the City of West Hollywood with the help from De Novo Planning
Group, outlines project details, which informs the narrative and analysis completed in this report.

1.2 Project Purpose

The current land uses on the project site, located at 8228-8240 Sunset Boulevard in the City of
West Hollywood includes office space, commercial parking, and two billboards. The site itself
includes approximately 0.88 acres of land bounded by Sunset Boulevard, North Harper Avenue,
and Havenhurst Drive.

The newly-proposed Harper Project proposes to replace the existing land uses on the project
site, developing a mixed-use development. The Harper Project will include a hotel, restaurants,
retail, and residential uses as well as a wrap-around digital billboard display on the corner of
Sunset Boulevard and North Harper Avenue (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group,
2022). As seen in Figure 1 of this report, the Project will be split by residential uses and
commercial uses. The residential uses include 45 apartments, totalling 66,307 square feet, and
7,400 square feet of residential open space. The Project includes 9 low-income units and 36 units
at market-rate. The commercial uses include a 167-room hotel, a hotel spa and gym, a pool deck,

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restaurants, a bakery, outside seating on the 8th floor, and a meeting area on the 9th floor. There
will also be two levels of subterranean parking, providing 172 total spaces (City of West
Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022).

Table 2: Proposed Development Summary (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

The main goal of this project is to complement the existing uses along the Sunset Strip, providing
pedestrian-oriented, walkable spaces within the Sunset community. According to their website,
“The Harper on Sunset is testimony to the strength and vitality of West Hollywood. A pedestrian
oriented project, it will provide the community with a place to walk, eat, and relax on the world
famous Sunset Strip” (The Harper on Sunset). The Project will also increase the economic
conditions in the area, creating employment opportunities and increasing foot traffic to local
businesses in the surrounding areas. For example, the developers estimate that the Harper
Project will generate approximately “150 full-time jobs over the next 50 years” (The Harper on
Sunset). The restaurants and bakery, which are along the Sunset Boulevard frontage, give the
building a “strong connection between the project and the street” (The Harper on Sunset).

The Project also includes an extensive landscaping plan, making outdoor gathering pleasurable
to residents of the Project and visitors to the area, as seen in Figure 3. Harper on Sunset
describes the Project’s priority as incorporating “an abundant use of greenery, to create an
organic appearance that is visually appealing to the public” (The Harper on Sunset).

The Harper Project is also unique because it proposes the development of the first hotel on the
eastern section of Sunset Boulevard, which will increase visitors to the area and, subsequently,
economic vitality of local businesses that surround the Project.

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 Figure 2: Regional Location (Source: City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

Figure 3: Project Location (Source: The Harper on Sunset)

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1.3 Project Location
The Harper Project is designated Sunset Specific Plan, with a portion of the land also designated
R4B-PK, or Residential Multi-Family High Density with a Parking Overlay District. There are various
surrounding uses to this project, as explained in Figure 4, sourced from the Initial Study for this
Project:

Figure 4: Surrounding Uses (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022).

Appendix A items A-1 show the project site within a local context, respectively. The Project is
located along the Sunset Strip, a heavily visited, well-known commercial area. The strip includes a
mix of building typologies, ranging from high- to low-rise structures, and has a lot of pedestrian
activity. It contains a mix of low- and high-rise buildings, most of which directly front onto Sunset
Boulevard (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022).

Figure 5 shows a detailed ground-floor site plan of the Harper Project in a neighborhood, local
context, including the surrounding structures in the background. Many of the commercial uses,
such as the restaurants, bars, outdoor patios, and hotel amenities are located on the first-floor of
the project.

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 Figure 5: Proposed Site Plan (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

1.4 Construction

1.4.1 Length of Construction Time

Construction will take place over six main phases: demolition, site preparation, grading, building
construction, paving, and architectural coating. The total construction time, from demolition of
existing uses to completion of the architectural coating, is estimated to last approximately 7
months, beginning 01/01/2023 and concluding June 21, 2023, with a target to be fully operational
by 2025 (California emissions estimator model ® soft release).

Table 3: Construction Phase and Timeline (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)
Construction Phase
Phase Name Phase Type Start Date End Date Days/Week Total Days
Demolition Demolition 1/1/2023 1/13/2023 5 Days/Week 10
Site Preparation Site Preparation 1/14/2023 1/16/2023 5 Days/Week 1

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Grading Grading 1/17/2023 1/18/2023 5 Days/Week 2
Building Building
Construction Construction 1/19/2023 6/7/2023 5 Days/Week 100
Paving Paving 6/8/2023 6/14/2023 5 Days/Week 5
Architectural Architectural
Coating Coating 6/15/2023 6/21/2023 5 Days/Week 5

1.4.2 Construction Employees

The amount of people working during construction of this Project is split between workers on the
actual Project site, vendors, and those who work in hauling away demolition materials.

Table 4: Number of Trips per Day during Construction (California emissions estimator model ® soft
release)

Phase Name # Trips Worker (/day) # Trips Vendor (/day) Total # Trips Hauling
Demolition 10 0 118
Site Preparation 5 0 0
Grading 8 0 0
Building Construction 95 29 0
Paving 18 0 0
Architectural Coating 19 0 0

We are acting on the assumption that each number of trips per worker is one way. Thus, we
estimate that demolition requires 10 workers per day and approximately 20 people hauling per
day over the 10 day demolition period. During site preparation, 5 construction workers per day
will be required, and during the grading process, there will be 8 necessary workers per day.
Building construction requires the largest amount of construction workers and is the only
construction phase requiring vendors. 78 construction workers and 22 vendor workers per day
are required during the building construction phase. Paving requires 18 workers per day, and
architectural coating requires 16 workers per day (California emissions estimator model ® soft
release).

1.4.3 Construction Equipment

There will be several types of off-road equipment necessary for construction (California
emissions estimator model ® soft release).
1. During the first phase, demolition, the Project requires
a. 1 concrete/industrial saw
b. 1 rubber tired dozer
c. 2 tractors/loaders/backhoes

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 2. The second phase, site preparation, requires
a. 1 grader
b. 1 tractor/loader/backhoe
3. The third phase, grading, requires
a. 1 grader
b. 1 rubber tired dozer
c. 1 tractor/loader/backhoe
4. Building construction, the fourth and longest construction phase, requires
a. 1 crane
b. 2 forklifts
c. 2 tractors/loaders/backhoes
5. The fifth phase, paving, requires
a. 4 cement and mortar mixers
b. 1 paver
c. 1 roller
d. 1 tractor/loader/backhoe
6. Finally, the last phase, architectural coating, requires
a. 1 air compressor

1.5 Operations
The Harper Project is a mixed-use development including residential and commercial uses. As
can be seen in Figure 1, the Proposed Development Summary, the residential uses include one-
and two-bedroom apartment units as well as open space split between common open space and
private open space. The commercial units include 167 rooms in a hotel, a hotel spa and gym, a
pool deck, restaurants, a bakery, outdoor seating and a meeting area. There are 45 total
apartment units with 33 one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units. Assuming a maximum
occupancy of 2 people per one-bedroom unit and 4 people per two-bedroom unit, there would
be a maximum occupancy of 114 individuals residing in the apartment complex. In addition, the
hotel will have 167 rooms, and assuming a maximum occupancy per room of 4 people, a total
maximum occupancy of 668 hotel guests. However, we will assume a reasonable worst case
scenario of 80% occupancy in the hotel, or 535 guests. Once completed, the Harper Project will
be comprised of 12 levels reaching approximately 111 feet and eight inches in total height:
● Two floors of subterranean parking (Basement 1 and Basement 2)
● Lower ground level for vehicular circulation
● Ground level with commercial uses and restaurants
● Eight residential floors for apartment and hotel uses
(City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

According to the initial study, the Harper Project will ‘generate additional average daily trips
(ADT)’ compared to the existing uses. Some of these additional ADT will likely be due to the
approximately “150 full-time jobs over the next 50 years” that the Harper Project will result in (The

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Harper on Sunset). The project also adds various commercial uses that attract pedestrians and
visitors. Whereas the prior land uses only included office spaces, the Harper Project includes a
variety of land uses, as shown in Table 2. These uses, as well as the residential and hotel units, are trip
generators that will attract additional people and, thus, additional VMT.

In addition, the Harper Project offers 172 parking spaces, as seen in Table 5. It is likely that, due
to parking demand in West Hollywood and particularly along the Sunset Strip, the commercial
parking reasonable worst case scenario is 100% occupancy. The parking along Sunset Boulevard
is limited to 2 hours in many places and completely restricted in others, leaving few on street
parking options.

Table 5: Proposed Parking Summary (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

1.5.1 Average Daily Trips

Based on the California emissions estimator model, the various land uses in the Project will
create additional vehicle trips. To determine the reasonable worst case scenario, 2021 American
Community Survey (ACS) data was used to get a general idea of mode split.

Table 6: Mode Split - Commute to Work (ACS 2021)*

Commuting to Work Percentage

Car, truck, or van - drove alone 67.8%

Car, truck, or van - carpooled 7.8%

Public transportation 2.5%

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 Walked 2.2%

Other means 1.9%

*Remaining 17.9% individuals worked from home

Although these numbers refer to commuting to and from work, they will be applied to general
mode split patterns for our purposes as well. Average daily trips are defined as round-trip trips by
motor vehicles over a 24 hour period.

Table 7: Trip Summary Information - Hotel (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)

Average Daily Trip Rate

Land Use Weekday Saturday Sunday Annual VMT

Hotel 1,396.12 1,367.73 993.65 3,184,509
Hotel Spa 48.74 30.89 39.56 95,979
Hotel Gym 74.75 47.37 60.68 147,211
Hotel Pool 158.22 49.96 74.66 318,611
Total 1,677.83 1,495.95 1,168.55 3,746,310

Table 8: Trip Summary Information - Other Commercial (California emissions estimator model ® soft
release)

Average Daily Trip Rate

Land Use Weekday Saturday Sunday Annual VMT

Restaurant and Bar 756.09 824.98 961.39 1,083,808
Bakery 75.46 81.04 64.77 106,385
Total 831.55 906.02 1,026.16 1,190,193

Table 9: Trip Summary Information - Residential (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)

Average Daily Trip Rate

Land Use Weekday Saturday Sunday Annual VMT

Apartments 244.80 220.95 184.054 795,220
Total 244.80 220.95 184.054 795,220

The number of average daily trips can be found in Table 7, Table 8, and Table 9. Applying the
mode split principles listed in Table 6, the number of individuals expected to go to the Project are
calculated in Table 10.

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Table 10: Number of Visitors to the Project by Mode and Day (California emissions estimator model ® soft
release)
Hotel Other Commercial Residential

Weekday Saturday Sunday Weekday Saturday Sunday Weekday Saturday Sunday

Car,
truck, or
van -
drove
alone 1138 1014 792 564 614 696 166 150 125
Car,
truck, or
van -
carpoole
d 131 117 91 65 71 80 19 17 14
Public
transport
ation 42 37 29 21 23 26 6 6 5
Walked 37 33 26 18 20 23 5 5 4
Other
means 32 28 22 16 17 19 5 4 3
Total 1379 1230 961 684 745 844 201 182 151

Overall, it is estimated that the total people to go to the project, between commercial and
residential uses, on an average weekday are approximately 2,264 across various modes, with
1,867 individuals driving alone and 215 carpooling. It can be assumed, then, that there will be
approximately 2,000 vehicles over a 24-hour weekday period. On an average Saturday, the total
number of people going to the project is approximately 2,156 across modes, with 1,778 individuals
driving alone and 205 carpooling, leading to approximately 2,000 cars. Last, on Sunday, it is
estimated that there would be an average of 1,955 visitors to the project, with 1,613 driving alone
and 186 carpooling, totalling approximately 1,800 vehicles.

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2. Air Quality
This section examines the degree to which the proposed project's short-term construction and
ongoing operations may result in significant environmental impacts regarding air quality. As used
in this study, “emissions” refers to the quantity of pollutants measured in pounds per day (ppd).

2.1 Environmental Setting

2.1.1 Existing Air Quality Conditions

Using the environmental data source CalEnviroScreen, we identify a baseline of air quality
emissions currently generated by the existing land uses within the project site. Emission level
data is collected by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) station. Their
data shows that the project site census tract is in the 79 percentile for pollution burden in
California. By emission type, we see the site is in the 63 percentile for Ozone (ROG/VOC), 68
percentile for Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ), and 77 percentile for Diesel Particulate Matter. This
project location overall experiences a higher than-average exposure to pollutants.

Figure 6: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Indicator Map (Left) and PM2.5 (Right) (California Office of Environmental
Health and Hazard Assessment)

2.1.2 Existing Sensitive Receptors

The substantial concentration of emissions can lead to new or worsening respiratory illness. For
this analysis, it is essential to identify the sensitive receptors, such as children, the elderly, or
people with compromised immune systems in proximity to the project. Below is a map that
identifies schools and medical centers within a one-mile radius of the project site.

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Figure 7: Sensitive Receptors (ArcGIS Pro)

2.2 Construction Impacts

2.2.1 Overall Construction

Potential emissions from the construction and operations of the project have been estimated
using the SCAQMD Air Quality Significance Thresholds and the California Emissions Estimator
Model (CalEEMod). CalEEMod software is a model that calculates emissions from land use
projects.

We address short-term construction emissions from demolition, site grading, and haul truck trips.
Our findings show there to be a high concentration of ROG/VOC emissions also referred to as
Ozone. We identified the source to be the paint, also classified as architectural coating, used for
the exterior, interior, and parking.

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Table 11: Construction Impacts on Air Quality (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)
ROG/VOC2 NOX CO SO2 PM10 Total PM2.5 Total

Measurement lbs/day
2023 675.67 10.19 10.96 2.62 5.8 2.97
Threshold1 75 100 550 150 150 55
Max 675.63 10.19 10.96 2.62 5.8 2.97
1
Threshold is based on the South Coast AQMD Air Quality Significance Thresholds used to assist the CEQA practitioner in
conducting an air quality analysis.
2
ROG and VOC are both precursors to ozone and are summed in the CalEEMod report under the header ROG. For the purposes of
comparing the ROG value to a VOC significance threshold, the terms can be used interchangeably.
3
Red text indicates that this emission type has exceeded the AQMD threshold for pounds per day (ppd).

2.3 Operation Impacts

2.3.1 Overall Operations

When calculating the air quality impact of operations, we address daily activity that the project
would facilitate including;
● Area: hearths, consumer products, architectural coatings, and landscaping equipment.
● Energy: emissions associated with building electricity and natural gas usage.
● Mobile: vehicle trips, vehicle emissions, fleet mix and road dust.
● Water: emissions associated with supplying and treating water and wastewater.
● Waste: emissions associated with disposal of solid waste into landfills.

From our assessment, mobile sources exceed SCAQMD thresholds. The high concentration of
mobile emissions were specifically a result of daily commute trips. The breakdown of commute
trips and mode split for project operations can be found under section 1.5.1 Average Daily Trips in
tables 6 - 9.

Table 12: Operation Impacts on Air Quality (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)
ROG/VOC NOX CO SO2 PM10 Total PM2.5 Total

Measurement lbs/day
Area 16.09 0.97 26.63 0.05 3.45 3.45
Energy 0.14 1.3 1.03 7.86 0.09 0.09
Mobile 412.13 373.58 3717.57 7.98 860.39 233.01
Water 0 0 0 0 0 0
Solid Waste 0 0 0 0 0 0
Threshold 75 100 550 150 150 55
Total 428.37 375.85 3745.23 8.04 863.95 236.57

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2.4 Mitigation

2.4.1 Ozone Mitigation

During the construction period, the site exceeds ROG/VOC ppd emissions threshold. The source
of these emissions comes from architectural coating “the application of coatings to both the
interior and exterior of buildings or structures, the painting of parking lot or parking garage
striping, associated signage and curbs, and the painting of the walls or other components such as
stair railings inside parking structures (CAPCAO, 2021).” Exclusively using low VOC for the
construction of the project will mitigate these emissions.

Figure 8: Architectural Coating Mitigation Measures (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)

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2.4.2 Commute Trip Reduction
The mobile operations of the project have shown to have a high concentration of emissions.
Fortunately, there are commute trip reduction programs that encourage workers to take
alternative modes such as transit, vanpool, carpool, biking, walking and even telecommuting.
One of the most effective ways to change commuter behavior is through transportation subsidies
and incentives provided by employers. Studies have also shown “Employee commute behavior is
most easily influenced at the start of a new job and/or work site relocation (City of Seattle).”
Implementing a commute trip reduction program at the beginning of operations will provide a
successful reduction in drive-alone trips to the project site. The program will be offered to all
full-time employees working at the hotel, restaurants, and apartments. Benefits include a $1.49
daily transit subsidy, parking cash-out for those who chose not to use their space, vanpool
services, and telecommuting for non customer-facing and staff management employees (i.e.
accounting).

Figure 9: Commute Trip Mitigation Measures (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)

2.4.3 Carbon Sequestration

Landscaping will be incorporated in the project design, including 203 additional trees (162
junipers, 41 miscellaneous) on the ground level and 8th floor (see floor plans below). This will
equate to 3.4 tonnes of carbon sequestration every year. The added tree canopy will help
improve the surrounding air quality from the high concentration of traffic as well as providing
needed shade to combat regions warm temperatures.

Figure 10: Sequestration (California emissions estimator model ® soft release)

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 Figure 11: Exhibit 2-9, Landscape Plan Ground Level, Initial Study (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo
Planning Group)

Figure 12: Exhibit 2-10, 8th Floor Landscape Plan, Initial Study (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning
Group)

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3. Noise

3.1 Environmental Setting

As aforementioned, the site is located in West Hollywood. The city’s noise levels and daytime and
nighttime hours are below obtained from the city’s General Plan for 2035 Ch.10 (City of West
Hollywood, 2011). Note that because the city uses daytime and nighttime hours, evening hours do
not exist and were not listed.

Table 13: West Hollywood’s daytime and nighttime hours (City of West Hollywood, 2011)

Time Period Hours

Daytime Hours 8am-10pm

Nighttime Hours 10pm-8am

Table 14: West Hollywood’s Noise Levels (City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, 2017; Kishann
Rai, 2022)

Daytime 57.4 dBA

Nighttime 40 dBA

The City of West Hollywood did not have the ambient noise level data for the day or night, so
LAMC data was used as a substitute for the night and was obtained from a previous EIR, see City
of West Hollywood, 2018 in the references for the full document. The noise levels were deemed
appropriate to use due to the city’s close proximity to LA. The site itself is zoned as SSP and
residential as are surrounding areas (City of West Hollywood, 2018). Therefore, the project would
have an ambient noise level 40 dBA at nighttime (City of Los Angeles Department of City
Planning, 2017). The daytime ambient noise was measured to be 57.4 dBA on 11/12/2022 at 11:30
am. Note that this measurement did not span a whole hour and was extrapolated, see Appendix
B-1 for data.

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Figure 13: Map of Receptors (made with Google’s My Maps)

Figure 14: The Den, to the left, next to the project site (Google Earth)

West Hollywood did not provide criteria as to how to classify a receptor when analyzing noise
impacts. CalTrans recommends analyzing receptors within 500 ft of a project so major
businesses and residences within a .1 mile radius of the project were chosen (Caltrans, 2020).
The distance of the receptors was measured with the measure tool on Google Maps from the
closest point on the receptor to the middle of the site (see Table 16).

Five locations within the environment stood out:

1. The Harper House
2. The Den

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 3. The Pink Taco
4. Andalusia Apartments
5. The Body Shop.

The Andalusia apartments were especially important as they were noted to be a Los Angeles
Historic-Cultural Monument in the initial study. The Andalusia and Harper House are both
residential areas making them receptors of interest.The Body Shop has been used in various
music videos and has hosted some celebrities according to its website. Ambience is a large part
of The Body Shop’s business, and construction noise may affect said ambience making the club a
sensitive receptor. However, the Body Shop will not be affected during some of its hours as the
shop is open from noon to 12 am which is partially outside of construction hours, see the table
below (The Body Shop, n.d.). The Den was also of particular concern due to its close proximity to
the construction site however, its hours are 5 p.m. - 2 a.m. and 5 p.m. - 3 a.m. on Saturday so
construction will not be present for the whole business day (The Den on Sunset, n.d.). The Pink
Taco, a restaurant, was also deemed a sensitive receptor as patrons may be disturbed by the
noise.

Table 15: West Hollywood Construction Hours (City of West Hollywood, n.d.a)

Day Construction Hours

Mon-Fri 8am-7pm

Saturday 8am-7pm interior construction

Sunday No construction

Table 16: Project Receptors

Receptor Distance Use

The Den 28 ft Restaurant and Bar

Pink Taco 83 ft Restaurant

The North 85 ft Residential

Harper
House

Andalusia 69 ft Residential
Apartments

The Body 228 ft Strip club

Shop

26
3.2 Construction Impacts
Table 17: Construction Impacts from OffRoad Equipment (California emissions estimator model ® soft
release)

See Table 3 for Construction Phase and Timeline

CalEEMod was used to estimate the noise impacts of off road vehicles, and construction phases
were broken into 6 phases. It was determined that the longest phase would be “Building
Construction” at 100 days; the shortest phase is Site Preparation at one day.

To determine the construction impacts that the Harper Project will have on the environment and
surrounding community the RCNM model was used. The RCNM model is limited as only a total of
20 machines can be entered into the model. Hence, construction impacts were broken up by its
phases: demolition, site preparation, grading, building construction, paving, and architectural
coating. This also allowed for a more in depth analysis of each phase. The RCNM standards for
each piece of equipment’s dBA were kept. The RCNM model did not have the noise levels for
forklifts, so in Building Construction “All other equipment” was used as a substitute. See
Appendix B-2 for the RCNM model’s set measurements for construction equipment as stated in
the FHWA User Hand Book.

The RCNM model did not allow for different pieces of equipment to be used for various amounts
of time. Yet, this was not an issue as in a worst case scenario, all pieces of equipment are being
used simultaneously. Moreover, a worse case scenario assumes all pieces of equipment are
being used for 8 hours a day, beyond what CalEEMod stated, for the full workday. Equipment is

27
likely to be used for 8 hours if 1) a mistake was made and needs to be redone or 2) work was
damaged and needs to be redone.

Note West Hollywood’s construction hours are 8am-7pm (City of West Hollywood, n.d.a). Sundays
no construction is permitted along with holidays and on Saturdays interior construction can take
place. However, an extended hours construction may be applied to (City of West Hollywood,
n.d.a). However, for a reasonable worst case scenario such a permit is not likely as the city only
has six active extended noise permits as of 11/30/2022 evincing their rarity (note not all 6 permits
are for 6 separate projects) (City of West Hollywood, n.d.b).

Any construction that exceeds 55 dBA during the night or 50 dBA must be considered for
mitigation according to Figure 15 below, as these are the city’s noise thresholds for construction
(City of West Hollywood. 2011). Note that the ambient environment already exceeds the noise
threshold of 55 dBA at 57.4 dBA.

Figure 15: Non-Transportation Source Noise Standards Effective Noise Sensitive Land Uses (City
of West Hollywood, The City of West Hollywood 2035 General Plan, 2011).

3.2.1 Summary of Results

In each six phases of construction all receptors experienced a L10 over 55 dBA using the RCNM
model. The lowest L10 was found at The Body Shop for all phases and the highest L10 was found
at The Den. This is expected as, again, The Den is the closest receptor at 28 ft. and The Body
Shop is the farthest receptor at 228 ft.

The charts below affirm that the daytime noise thresholds of 55 dBA, during which construction
would take place, is exceeded in every phase of construction for all receptors. The L10 was used
in the RCNM model to determine a reasonable worst case scenario since the L10 is the noise
level that is exceeded 10% of the time.

28
*all L10s measured in dBA
Table 18: Overview of L10s by Construction Phase

Construction Phase Lowest L10 Highest L10

Demolition 76.3 94.5

Site Preparation 73.4 91.6

Grading 74.4 91.6

Building Construction 85.7 95.3

Paving 71.5 92.3

Architectural Coating 63.5 81.7

Table 19: L10s during Demolition by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 84.8

The Den 94.5

The Pink Taco 85

Andalusia Apartments 86.6

The Body Shop 76.3

Table 20: L10s during Site Preparation by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 82

The Den 91.6

The Pink Taco 82.2

Andalusia Apartments 83.8

The Body Shop 73.4

Table 21: L10s during Grading by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 82

29
 The Den 91.6

The Pink Taco 82.2

Andalusia Apartments 83.8

The Body Shop 74.4

Table 22: L10s during Building Construction by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 85.7

The Den 95.3

The Pink Taco 85.9

Andalusia Apartments 87.5

The Body Shop 77.1

Table 23: L10s during Paving by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 82.7

The Den 92.3

The Pink Taco 82.9

Andalusia Apartments 84.5

The Body Shop 71.5

Table 24: L10s during Architectural Coating by Receptor

Receptor L10

The North Harper House 72.1

The Den 81.7

The Pink Taco 72.3

Andalusia Apartments 73.9

The Body Shop 63.5

30
Figure 16: Noise and Land Use Compatibility Matrix (City of West Hollywood, The City of West
Hollywood 2035 General Plan, 2011).

31
Table 25: New CNEL With Construction Impacts
Figure 16 confirms that any West Hollywood
project within a residential area, which all
receptors and the project are, will need mitigation
if the CNEL is above 60. The new CNEL to
represent the impacts of construction was
calculated to be 67.78. Hourly data could not be
found for the city of West Hollywood so
substitutions had to be made when calculating
the new CNEL. The measured daytime ambient
noise was used for some daytime hours. Note,
that the daytime ambient noise calculation was
extrapled and the original measurement did not
span a whole hour. To replicate a worse case
scenario, the highest L10 during the construction
phase was used for the span of 8 daytime hours.
8 hours is the workday length CalEEMod
predicted and is considered a typical workday. 40
dBA for nighttime hours was used because hourly
nighttime data could not be found (City of Los
Angeles Department of City Planning, 2017).
Hence, the L10 was deemed more appropriate to
use in this case for the construction and daytime
hours as the nighttime hours are an
underestimate and the L10 would help
compensate for this.

The new CNEL of 67.78 would categorize the noise level as “ZONE B-Conditionally Acceptable”
according to Figure 16. Such a noise level requires mitigation to be undertaken if construction is
to proceed. Mitigation measures are detailed in the mitigation section of the report.

3.3 Operation Impacts

Noise generated from the uses of the project themselves, such as the bakery, gym, etc. were not
seen as significant as their uses are compatible with the surrounding land use which is residential
with some commercial areas. There is no reason to suspect the uses themselves will generate
significant noise. Hence, any significant operational noise will be caused by traffic. Traffic will be
significantly altered by the project. The numbers for the current daily traffic were obtained from
the traffic section. Sunset Blvd. and North Harper Ave. were analyzed to see what impacts the
project would have on traffic related noise. These two roads were chosen because they are the
two roads directly adjacent to the site.

32
Table 26: Daily Vehicular Volume (West Hollywood Mobility Plan 2035, see Figure 16)

Street Name Current Daily Vehicular Volume

Sunset Boulevard 52, 321

North Harper Ave 1,632

There will be 2,000 vehicles over a 24-hour weekday period after the completion of the project
as the project description stated. On Saturday, approximately 2,000 cars and on Sunday it is
estimated that there would be approximately 1,800 vehicles. To see the full calculations, please
refer to the project description.

A worst case scenario assumes that the number of vehicles coming to visit the project will all
travel along these new roads. Such a scenario is likely if one or more of the roads is closed for
repairs. The new numbers would be the following:

Table 27: New Vehicular Volumes With Construction

Street Name New Daily Vehicular Volume New Daily Vehicular Volume
Weekday and Saturday Sunday

Sunset Boulevard 54, 321 54,121

North Harper Ave 3,632 3,432

Using the formula 10 log V2 - 10 log V1 the change in noise level due to the change in the
increased traffic volume was calculated, see appendix for more detailed calculations:

Table 28: Noise Level Increase with Increased Traffic Volume

Street Name Noise Level Increase From Noise Level Increase From
Traffic on Saturday (dB) Traffic on Saturday (dB)

Sunset Boulevard .163 .147

North Harper Ave 3.474 3.228

The project will not have a significant impact when it comes to operational noise as the increase
in traffic related noise increases by 5dB a day. The city did not have a threshold related to traffic
related noise generated by a project. No mitigation is needed for operational noise as the
impacts were not significant.

33
3.4 Mitigation
While operational noise does not need mitigation, construction noise does. CalEEMod could not
be run for noise mitigations, as calculating how mitigation measures would affect noise is beyond
the model’s capacity. In order to reduce noise pollution resulting from construction, the following
will be done:
1. Implementing noise barriers around the construction site (Echo Barrier, 2020)
2. Using mufflers on equipment as applicable (Nelson Global Products Aftermarket, n.d.)
3. Machinery is up to date and well cared for- being oiled or wet as necessary (Pav, 2019)
4. Using customized mitigation measures for each piece of equipment (see chart below)
5. Extending the “Building Construction” so the same amount of hours are worked in double
the time to reduce daily noise

Sound barriers around the construction site can help reduce noise significantly. Sound barriers
can be made with barriers themselves or by draping sound blankets around fencing. Depending
on the brand of the sound blanket, anywhere from 10 dB to a 30 dB decrease in noise can be
achieved (Echo Barrier, 2020). With the new CNEL being approximately 67.78, the minimum of a
10 dB decrease with a sound barrier would make the new CNEL 52.78 which brings noise to
“Zone A- Normally Acceptable.”

The second mitigation measure, “using mufflers,” would help to silence noise coming from the
engine. However, depending on the equipment’s brand and age, this may not be an option for all
pieces of construction equipment. According to the company Nelson Global Products
Aftermarket, their mufflers can reduce sound from 18 dB to 35 dB depending upon the muffler
type.

In addition to using mufflers and sound barriers, simply making sure all equipment is updated,
well oiled/wet as necessary can reduce the likelihood of unnecessary noise as the machines run
smoothly.

Table 29 below offers some mitigation measures for each piece of equipment being used to
construct The Harper Project. Note, that in addition to the sound barrier surrounding the
construction site, additional sound barriers can be set up within the site itself when work is
isolated in one part of the site or the machine being used is mostly stationary.

Finally, It is also recommended that the longest and loudest phase of construction, “Building
Construction,” is made longer so fewer pieces of equipment are used to decrease the amount of
noise output each day. Workers should work 4 hours a day for 200 days instead of 8 hours a day
for 100 days. Extending the construction may be more costly and it may be harder to find workers
to fill these hours. However, this mitigation is needed to reduce the CNEL during this construction
phase; which again is the loudest with its highest L10 being 95.3 dBA.

34
The phase is currently 100 days with 8 hour days:

Total hours for Building Construction Phase = 100 days* 8 hours/1 day = 800 hours

X days * 4 hours/ 1 day = 800 hours

X= 200 days
Table 29: Mitigation measures For Equipment

Tool *Number of Mitigation Measure Estimated Effect

Equipment

Concrete/Industrial Saw 1 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)

Rubber Tired Dozers 2 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)

Tractors/Loaders/Backhoes 7 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)

Graders 2 insulated engine Decrease, dB N/A

compartments *Construction
Solutions, (n.d.)

Cranes 1 muffler on pump outlet Decrease, dB N/A

*Dongqi Group. (n.d.)

Forklifts 2 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)

Cement and Mortar Mixers 4 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,

35
 2020)

Pavers 1 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)

Rollers 1 Lubricate chains Decrease, dB N/A

frequently *Baart Industrial
Group, (n.d.)

Air Compressors 1 Enclosure with sound Up to 30 dB

blankets decrease
*dependent upon
brand (Echo Barrier,
2020)
*number of equipment is calculated for all phases of construction

* Sources used to compile the chart: Dongqi Group (n.d); Pav, N (2019); Echo Barrier (2020);
Nelson Global Products Aftermarket (n.d.); Construction Solutions (n.d.); Baart Industrial Group.
(n.d.).

36
4. Transportation

4.1 Environmental Setting and Existing Conditions

4.1.1 Existing Street System

The project site is located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and N Harper Avenue in the City of
West Hollywood. The study area for this analysis is generally bordered by Sunset Boulevard to
the north and N Harper Avenue to the west. Primary regional access to the study area is provided
by Highway 2 and N Harper Avenue.

The following is a brief description of the streets that serve the site:

Sunset Boulevard – Sunset Boulevard is an east-west arterial that provides four travel
lanes during the peak periods, with two lanes in each direction. It is situated to the north
of the project site. Parking is prohibited during the AM and PM peak periods and limited
between the peak periods. The posted speed limit is 35 mph.

N Harper Avenue – N Harper Avenue is a north-south residential street that provides two
travel lanes during the peak periods, with one in each direction. It is situated to the west
of the project site. No parking from on Thursday from 9 AM to 11 AM and daily from 7PM -
7AM without a special permit. The posted speed limit is 25 mph.

4.1.2 Existing Transit Service

The study area is served by bus transit lines operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (Metro) and the West Hollywood CityLine system. In the surrounding
area, there are no existing bicycle network facilities. The pedestrian network in the study area
consists of crosswalks, pedestrian crossings, and sidewalks. Sidewalks are available on all streets
bordering the project site.

4.1.3 Potentially Significant Impact

The Project proposes to remove existing on-site office uses and develop a mixed-use hotel,
restaurant, retail, and residential project. The Project would generate additional pedestrian,
public transit, and vehicle trips beyond existing conditions. Trips generated as a result of the
proposed Project have the potential to conflict with programs, plans, ordinances, or policies
addressing the circulation system (West Hollywood Mobility Plan 2035). This analysis was
prepared to analyze potential conflicts with applicable plans and policies addressing the
circulation system, specifically on Sunset Boulevard and N Harper Avenue. Therefore, this issue
will be further analyzed in this section.

37
Figure 17 shows the Project site (colored in yellow) in relation to the two streets that provide
access to the site, N Harper Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. These two streets were chosen,
since we assumed this is where most people would be causing traffic by entering and exiting
through the site. The daily traffic counts were taken from West Hollywood’s 2035 Mobility Plan
that provides guidance for the upcoming years regarding long-term strategies that addresses the
unique characteristics of West Hollywood’s transportation needs. Sunset Boulevard has a daily
traffic count of 52,231 vehicles while N Harper Avenue has a daily traffic count of 1,632 vehicles.

Figure 17: Average Daily Traffic Around the Site (West Hollywood Mobility Plan 2035)

For the traffic analysis, we looked at the impact the traffic flow will have on the level of service on
the selected streets of N Harper Avenue. From Table 30, we break down roadway capacity based
on the type of streets. In Table 31, we classified N Harper Avenue as a residential street with two
traffic lanes with a capacity of 600 vehicles/lane/hr. We chose to go with the lower part of the
range, since we wanted to assume a reasonable worst case scenario where the street would only
be able to handle a smaller amount of traffic, leading to a total roadway capacity of 1200
vehicles/hr. Sunset Boulevard was classified as an arterial street with four traffic lanes with a
capacity of 1600 vehicles/lane/hr, leading to a total roadway capacity of 6400 vehicles/hr.

38
Table 30: Capacity of Roadway Systems (Geraldine Knatz’s Traffic Lecture on 9/29/2022)

Capacity of Roadway System

Street Type Capacity (Vehicles/Lane/Hr)

Residential 600-800

Arterial 1600

Freeway 2000

Table 31: Road Access Points to the Harper Project Site and Roadway Capacity

Road Access Points to the Harper Project Site

Street Name Road Type Number of Lanes Total Roadway

Capacity
*using the capacity
values from the
“Capacity of
Roadway System”
Table*

North Harper Avenue Residential 2 1200 veh/hr

Sunset Boulevard Arterial 4 6400 veh/hr

The data from Sunset Boulevard was collected from LA’s GeoHub Site which provided hourly
traffic rates from the arterial street that goes by the project site. The data was exported from the
site and can be found in Table 32. From Table 32, we can see that the Peak Hour Volume
occurred around 5 PM with 3254 vehicles. The overall average daily traffic on Sunset Boulevard
was found by summing every hour’s number of vehicles, resulting in a total of 52,231
vehicles/day. The average daily traffic on N Harper Avenue was taken from Figure 17 regarding
Average Daily Traffic Around the Site, which was 1632 vehicles/day.

There was no hourly traffic data found regarding N Harper Avenue. However, according to
Precision Traffic & Safety Systems, the peak hour volume (highest hour) is generally between 6
percent and 10 percent of the ADT. The lower part of the range is generally found on lower
volume roadways. The average value is approximately 8.4 percent of the ADT. Since we are
assuming a worst case scenario, we will go with the upper bound of 10 percent. This 10 percent
will be considered the PHV percentage. By applying this 10 percent rule to N Harper Avenue, we
found that the PHV is 163 vehicles.

39
Table 32: Average Traffic Counts on a Wednesday on Sunset Blvd (Geohub for LA County)

Time Number of Vehicles

12:00:00 AM 1428
1:00:00 AM 904
2:00:00 AM 587
3:00:00 AM 276
4:00:00 AM 212
5:00:00 AM 460
6:00:00 AM 1246
7:00:00 AM 1991
8:00:00 AM 2422
9:00:00 AM 2574
10:00:00 AM 2873
11:00:00 AM 2951
12:00:00 PM 2974
1:00:00 PM 3111
2:00:00 PM 3164
3:00:00 PM 3015
4:00:00 PM 3069
5:00:00 PM 3254
6:00:00 PM 3185
7:00:00 PM 3175
8:00:00 PM 2464
9:00:00 PM 2386
10:00:00 PM 2570
11:00:00 PM 1940

Average Daily Traffic on Sunset Blvd.

Σ 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 = 52231 𝑣𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠/𝑑𝑎𝑦

40
 Figure 18: Number of Vehicles vs. Time on Sunset Blvd

Peak Hour Volume (PHV) on Sunset Blvd.

Time: 5:00 PM
Number: 3254 vehicles
𝑃𝐻𝑉 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 3254
PHV Percentage = 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐
= 52231
= 0. 0623 = 6. 23%

Average Daily Traffic on N Harper Ave.

1632 vehicles/day

Peak Hour Volume (PHV) on N Harper Ave.

PHV Percentage = 10%

Peak Hour Volume = 1632 vehicles/day * 10% = 163 vehicles

41
4.2 Construction Impacts
In terms of construction impacts, we used the assumptions outlined at the beginning of the
presentation to get the building construction outputs from CalEEMod. There were multiple
phases considered. However, the building construction phase had the most trips for the building.
In terms of the worst case scenario, we assumed that all of the workers/ vendors will be going
home during the peak hour at 5 PM, resulting in 124 additional vehicles on the road.

Since the building construction phase is the longest and has the most workers commuting to and
from the site, we assumed this would be the worst case scenario during the construction phase
as this is when the most people are filtering in and out of the project. Also, we assumed that
everyone would be going back home around the same time at 5 PM, which is considered the end
of the work day. We also assumed that the same amount of vehicles would be added to each
road, N Harper Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, surrounding the site. The total amount of
additional trips was added to the peak hour volume for N Harper Avenue. The new PHV for N
Harper Avenue is 287 vehicles while Sunset Boulevard’s PHV is now 3378 vehicles.

Information from Table 4: Number of Trips per Day during Construction

# Trips Vendor Total # Trips
Phase Name # Trips Worker (/day) (/day) Hauling
Building Construction 95 29 0

Total Additional Trips During Construction: 124 vehicles

Adjusted Traffic Volume During Construction’s Peak Hour

N Harper Avenue
New Traffic Volume = 163 Vehicles+124 Vehicles = 287 vehicles
Sunset Boulevard
New Traffic Volume = 3254 Vehicles + 124 Vehicles = 3378 vehicles

Is there a significant impact?

After finding the new PHV during construction, we used the new PHV numbers and the capacity
of each roadway to determine the level of service. The level of service definitions can be found in
Figure 19. After performing the analysis, we found that for Sunset Boulevard and N Harper
Avenue that there would be no significant impact as the level of service remained both in range
of excellent level of service during the construction phase.

42
 Figure 19: Level of Service Definitions (Highway Capacity Manual)

N Harper Avenue

Volume = 287 Vehicles/hr

Capacity = 1200 vehicles/hr
Volume to Capacity Ratio = 287/1200 = 0.239

The volume to capacity ratio is within range of the excellent level of service
meaning there is no significant impact for traffic on this road.

Sunset Boulevard

New Traffic Volume = 3378 vehicles/ hr

Capacity = 6400 vehicles/ hr
Volume to Capacity Ratio = 3378/6400 = 0.5278

The volume to capacity ratio is within range of the excellent level of service
meaning there is no significant impact for traffic on this road.

4.3 Operation Impacts

The numbers found here were previously calculated with the following assumptions made above
in the operations project description section. The study focused on the weekday additional trips
by mode. Additionally, we only looked at the daily weekday trips, since we assume this is when
most people will be traveling in and out of the project site due to the commercial and hotel uses
that it has. We only looked at the mode split that included individual vehicles and disregarded
other modes such as walking and public transportation, since this would lead to additional
vehicles on the road. Also, we will be assuming that the daily increase in vehicles on each road
will proportionally increase based on the higher peak hour volume percentage of 10%. This value

43
was taken from the PHV percentage used for N Harper Avenue. We take the larger number to
ensure we are emulating a worst case scenario condition during peak hours.

Information from Table 10: Number of Visitors to the Project by Mode and Day

Other
Hotel Commercial Residential

Weekday Weekday Weekday

Car, truck, or
van - drove
alone 1138 564 166
Car, truck, or
van - carpooled 131 65 19
Total 1379 684 201

Total Amount of Vehicles Combined from Every Use (Except Residential): 2063 vehicles

Smart Growth Model for the Residential Component of the Project

The estimated PM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips for the residential component of the project was
calculated using the smart growth model; however, it could not be applied to the other land uses
on the site as it mainly applies to residential uses. For the other uses, we used the values
calculated for the hotel and commercial uses in table 10 and multiplied it by the 10% PHV
percentage to get the traffic increase from the other uses. We then added both values together
to get the total amount of traffic increase from the project being built.

To determine the PHV from added vehicles due to the residential component of the project, it
was assumed that around one-fifth of people will be commuting to and from the project site at 5
PM. The PHV for PM Peak Hour Vehicles inputted into the smart growth model was 40 vehicles.
However, after inputting this into the smart growth model. The number of added vehicles to traffic
was decreased to 18 vehicles. To get the additional vehicle trips from the hotel and other
commercial uses of the project site, the total number of vehicles combined from every use
(except residential): was 2063 vehicles. After applying the 10% PHV percentage, the number of
added vehicles from the other uses was found to be around 207 vehicles after rounding up to the
nearest whole number. 207 and 18 were added together to get the total of 225 additional
vehicles at peak hour from the use of the CalEEMod and the Smart Growth Models. This number
was then added to the original PHV to determine the new volume during the operational phase
of the project.

44
Table 33: Smart Growth Model Outputs (Smart Growth Model)

Model Outputs10
Smart Growth Factor -0.01
Actual/ITE-Estimated AM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips 0.27
Actual/ITE-Estimated PM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips 0.45
Estimated AM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips 9
Estimated PM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips 18

PHV Percentage = 10%

Total Amount of Vehicles Added During Peak Hour
(2063 * 10%) + Estimated PM Peak Hour Vehicle Trips From
Smart Growth Model= 207 + 18 = 225 vehicles/hr

Adjusted Traffic Volume During Peak Hour After Project is Built

N Harper Avenue
New Traffic Volume = 163 Vehicles+225 Vehicles = 388 vehicles/hr
Sunset Boulevard
New Traffic Volume = 3254 Vehicles + 225 Vehicles = 3479 vehicles/hr

Is there a significant impact?

After finding the new PHV during the operational phase, we used the new PHV numbers and the
capacity of each roadway to determine the level of service. The level of service definitions can be
found in Figure 19. After performing the analysis, we found that for Sunset Boulevard and N
Harper Avenue that there would be no significant impact as the level of service remained both in
range of excellent level of service during the operational phase.

N Harper Avenue

Volume = 388 Vehicles/hr

Capacity = 1200 vehicles/hr
Volume to Capacity Ratio = 388/1200 = 0.323

The volume to capacity ratio is within range of the excellent level of service
meaning there is no significant impact for traffic on this road.

45
 Sunset Boulevard

Volume = 3479 vehicles/ hr

Capacity = 6400 vehicles/ hr
Volume to Capacity Ratio = 3481/6400 = 0.5436

The volume to capacity ratio is within range of the excellent level of service
meaning there is no significant impact for traffic on this road.

4.5 Mitigation

4.5.1 Mitigation Measures

No mitigation measures are necessary. However, in the air quality section, there were mentions of
a commute trip reduction program to reduce the impacts on air quality. The implementation of
this mitigation measure would further reduce the traffic implications occurring on the site and will
serve to aid the surrounding streets in mitigating the amount of vehicles on the road by
emphasizing the use of alternative modes of transportation.

4.5.2 Significance after Mitigation

Impacts would be less than significant without mitigation.

46
Appendix A - Additional Project Maps

Appendix A-1: Project Location (City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group, 2022)

47
Appendix B - Noise

Appendix B-1: Noise data taken approximately 11:30 am at 11/12/2022 by Kishann Rai

48
Appendix B-2: Image from FHWA Roadway Construction Noise Model User’s Guide p.3

49
 Appendix B-3 (Exposition Corridor Transit Neighborhood Plan Draft EIR - 4.9 Noise)

50
 Appendix B-4: Zoning of area surrounding the project
(https://www.weho.org/home/showpublisheddocument/36958/636692560718630000)

51
Results from the RCMN model

Demolition Phase

The North Harper House The Den

The Pink Taco Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-5: Results from the RCMN model Demolition Phase

52
Site Preparation Phase

The North Harper House The Den

The Pink Taco Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-6: Results from the RCMN model Site Preparation

53
Grading

The North Harper House The Den

The Pink Taco Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-7: Results from the RCMN model Grading

54
Building Construction Phase

The North Harper House The Den

Pink Taco Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-8: Results from the RCMN model Building Construction

55
Paving

The North Harper House The Den

The Pink Taco

Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-9: Results from the RCMN model Paving

56
Architectural Coating

The North Harper House The Den

The Pink Taco Andalusia

The Body Shop

Appendix B-10: Results from the RCMN model Architectural Coating

57
*Equation in excel: =(10*LOG(V2))-(10*LOG(V1))

Appendix B-11: Calculating change in noise level due to traffic

58
References

Baart Industrial Group. (n.d.). Excessive roller chain noise: Sources and solutions . Baart Industrial
Group. Retrieved from https://baartgroup.com/excessive-roller-chain-noise/

CAPCAO. (2021). California Emissions Estimator Model User’s Guide. Retrieved from
http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/caleemod/user-guide-2021/01_user-39-s-guide
2020-4-0.pdf

City of West Hollywood, & De Novo Planning Group. (2022). (rep.). 8228-8240, The Harper
Project Initial Study. West Hollywood, CA: De Novo Planning Group. Retrieved October 17,
2022, from https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2022090073

California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment (n.d.). CalEnviroScreen 4.0.
Retrieved from https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen

Caltrans. (2020, April). Traffic Noise Analysis Protocol .

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/environmental-analysis/documents/env/tra
ffic-noise-protocol-april-2020-a11y.pdf

City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning. (2017, April). Exposition Corridor Transit
Neighborhood Plan Draft EIR: 4.9 Noise. Retrieved from
https://planning.lacity.org/eir/ExpositionCorridor/Deir/ECTNP%20Index.html

City of Seattle. (2019). Commute Trip Reduction Strategic Plan 2019-2023. Retrieved from
https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/TransportationOptionsProgram/C
TR_Final_Plan_20190822.pdf

City of West Hollywood. (2018, August). City of West Hollywood Zoning Map.
https://www.weho.org/home/showpublisheddocument/36958/636692560718630000

City of West Hollywood. (2011, September 19). City of West Hollywood Ch.10 Safety and Noise.
Retrieved from
https://www.weho.org/home/showpublisheddocument/7918/635229037960770000

City of West Hollywood. (n.d.a). Building and Safety. Retrieved from

https://www.weho.org/city-government/city-departments/planning-and-development-servi
ces/building-and-safety#:~:text=CONSTRUCTION%20HOURS%20ARE%208%3A00AM,on
%20Sundays%20or%20City%20Holidays

City of West Hollywood. (n.d.b). West Hollywood Extended Hours Permits.

https://dpw.weho.org/extendedhours.

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City of West Hollywood Open Data. (n.d.). Citywide Traffic Volumes Map. Retrieved from
https://data.weho.org/Traffic/Citywide-Traffic-Volumes-Map/rnip-gr5e

Construction Solutions. (n.d.). Solution summary: Quieter motor graders. Retrieved from
https://www.cpwrconstructionsolutions.org/heavy_equipment/solution/832/quieter-motor-
graders.html

Dongqi Group. (n.d.). Noise treatment of crane equipment. Retrieved from

https://www.craneyt.com/noise-treatment-of-crane-equipment.html

Echo Barrier. (2020, April 19). Reducing Heavy Machinery Noise. Retrieved from
https://blog.echobarrier.com/blog/reducing-heavy-machinery-noise

The Harper on Sunset. The Harper. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2022, from
https://theharperonsunset.com/

Nelson Global Products Aftermarket. (n.d.). Small Engine Exhaust Solutions. Retrieved from
https://www.nelson-aftermarket.com/small-engine-exhaust-solutions/

Pav, N. (2019, June 28). Saw blade noise - how to reduce it is very important! NCcttingtools.
Retrieved from
https://www.nccuttingtools.com/saw-blade-noise.html#Chapter_4_10_Ways_To_Reduce_
The_Operating_Noise_Of_The_Saw_Blade

South Coast Air Quality Management District. (2019) South Coast AQMD Air Quality Significance
Thresholds. Retrieved from
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-thresholds.pdf?sfvrsn=2

The Body Shop. (n.d.). Home - The Body Shop. Retrieved from
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The Den On Sunset. (n.d.). Hours and Location. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from
https://www.thedenonsunset.com/location/the-den-on-sunset/

Models and Tools Used:

ArcGIS Pro software
California emissions estimator model ® soft release
FHWA Roadway Construction Noise Model User’s Guide, January 2006
Roadway Construction Noise (RCNM) Model
Google Earth

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