IV.

D CULTURAL RESOURCES

1. INTRODUCTION

This section addresses the potential impacts of the proposed project on cultural resources, including
paleontological, archaeological, and historical resources.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

a. Archaeological

Existing archaeological conditions for the project site were derived from an archaeological study
prepared by Marie G. Cottrell (Archaeological Resource Management Corporation, 1981). The
archaeological records search revealed one archaeological site, CA-Lan-885, is located and recorded on
site. In addition, two on-site surveys were conducted in 1981. During one of these surveys, no signs of
site CA-Lan-885 were found. It was noted that the site may have been destroyed during the construction
of a tennis court on the adjacent property, for which the area was blasted clear of rock and leveled.
Subsurface archaeological resources could be uncovered during grading and construction because of the
general concentration of resources in the vicinity.

b. Paleontological

Paleontologic resources are not evenly distributed; the potential for fossil occurrence depends on the rock
type exposed at the surface in a given area. Sedimentary rocks contain the bulk of fossils in the City,
although metamorphic rocks occasionally also contain fossils. As discussed in Section IV.E, Geology, the
project site is underlain by cemented sandstone assigned to the Chatsworth Formation, cemented
claystone, and two types of artificial fill.

c. Historical

The project site is currently vacant. For this reason, no further analysis of historical resources is required.
Santa Suzanna State Park is located immediately north of the project site.

3. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

a. National Register of Historic Places

First authorized by the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the National Register of Historic Places (National
Register) was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as “an authoritative guide to

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be used by federal, state, and local governments, private groups and citizens to identify the nation’s
historic resources and to indicate what properties should be considered for protection from destruction
or impairment.” The National Register is the nation's master inventory of known historic resources and
includes listings of buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts that possess historic, architectural,
engineering, archaeological, or cultural significance at the national, state, or local level.

b. California Register of Historical Resources

Since 1992 provisions codified in Assembly Bill 2881 established the California Register. The California
Register of Historical Resources is the authoritative guide used by state and local agencies, private
groups, and citizens to identify the state's significant historical and archeological resources. It serves to
identify properties which are to be protected, to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse
change. The California Register program encourages public recognition and protection of resources of
architectural, historical, archeological, and cultural significance, identifies historical resources for state
and local planning purposes, determines eligibility for historic preservation grant funding, and affords
certain protections under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). All resources listed on or
formally determined eligible for the National Register are eligible for the California Register. In addition,
properties designated under municipal or county ordinances are also eligible for listing in the California
Register.

c. California Environmental Quality Act

Historic Resources Inventory: Office of Historic Preservation Survey

The evaluation instructions and classification system are prescribed by Office of Historic Preservation
(OHP) in its Instructions for Recording Historical Resources and provides a three-digit evaluation code for
use in classifying potential historic resources. In 2003, the codes were revised to address the California
Register. The first digit indicates the general category of evaluation. The second digit is a letter code to
indicate whether the resource is separately eligible (S), eligible as part of a district (D), or both (B). The
third digit is a number, which is coded to describe some of the circumstances or conditions of the
evaluation. The general evaluation categories are as follows:

 Listed in the National Register or the California Register.

 Determined eligible for listing in the National Register or the California Register.

 Appears eligible for listing in the National Register or the California Register through survey
evaluation.

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 Appears eligible for listing in the National Register or the California Register through other
evaluation.

 Recognized as historically significant by local government.

 Not eligible for listing or designation as specified.

 Not evaluated or needs reevaluation.

A lead agency must consider a property a historic resource under CEQA if it is eligible for listing in the
California Register of Historical Resources (California Register). The California Register is modeled after
the National Register. Furthermore, a property is presumed to be historically significant if it is listed in a
local register of historic resources or has been identified as historically significant in a historic resources
survey (provided certain criteria and requirements are satisfied) unless a preponderance of evidence
demonstrates that the property is not historically or culturally significant.1

To address these issues, guidelines that implement the 1992 statutory amendments relating to historical
resources were adopted in final form on October 26, 1998, with the addition of State CEQA Guidelines
Section 15064.5.

Use of Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to Determine Impacts

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (the Standards) have guided federal agencies in
carrying out their historic preservation responsibilities for properties in federal ownership or control; and
state and local officials in reviewing both federal and nonfederal rehabilitation proposals. They have also
been adopted by historic district and planning commissions across the country. 2

d. City of Los Angeles

City of Los Angeles General Plan

When adopted, the Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources Element will address historic and
cultural protection issues in greater detail. Currently, the Conservation Element of the General Plan states
that an objective of the City is to “protect important cultural and historical sites and resources for
historical, cultural, research, and community educational purposes.” The policy to meet this objective is
to continue to protect historic and cultural sites and/or resources potentially affected by proposed land
development, demolition, or property modification activities.

1 Public Resource Code Section 5024.1 and 14 CCR Section 4850.

2 “Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.” From the Internet: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/
tps/tax/rhb/stand.htm, 28 December 2007.
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Historic-Cultural Monument

The Los Angeles City Council designates individual buildings and sites as Historic-Cultural Monuments
on recommendation of the City’s Cultural Heritage Commission. Division 22, Section 22.171.7 of the City
of Los Angeles Administrative Code defines an historical or cultural monument as:

Any site (including significant trees or other plant life located thereon) building or structure of
particular historic or cultural significance to the City of Los Angeles, such as historic structures
or sites in which the broad cultural, economic or social history of the nation, state or community
is reflected or exemplified, or which are identified with historic personages or with important
events in the main currents of national, state, or local history or which embody the distinguishing
characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period style
or method of construction, or a notable work of a master builder, designer, or architect whose
individual genius influenced his age.

Designation recognizes the unique architectural value of certain structures and helps to protect their
distinctive qualities. Buildings may be eligible for historical cultural monument status if they retain their
historic design and materials. Those that are intact examples of past architectural styles or that have
historical associations may meet the criteria in the Cultural Heritage ordinance.

City of Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zones

Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs) are locally designated historic districts or groupings of
historical resources. Under the HPOZ ordinance (Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.20.3.), to be
significant, structures, natural features, or sites within the involved area or the area as a whole shall meet
one or more of the following criteria:

a. has substantial value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of, or is
associated with the life of a person important in the history of the city, state or nation;

b. is associated with an event that has made a substantial contribution to the broad patterns of our
history;

c. is constructed in a distinctive architectural style characteristic of an era of history;

d. embodies those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type or engineering specimen;

e. is the work of an architect or designer who has substantially influenced the development of the City;

f. contains elements of design, details, materials or craftsmanship, which represent an important

innovation;

g. is part of or related to a square, park or other distinctive area and should be developed or preserved
according to a plan based on a historic, cultural, architectural or aesthetic motif;

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h. owing to its unique location or singular physical characteristics, represents an established feature of
the neighborhood, community or City; or

i. retaining the structure would help preserve and protect an historic place or area of historic interest in
the City.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS

a. Significance Criteria

The L.A. CEQA Thresholds Guide adopted in 2006 has determined that a project would normally have a
significant impact upon archaeological resources if it could disturb, damage, or degrade an
archaeological resource or its setting that is found to be important under the criteria of CEQA because it:

CR-1 Whether, or the degree to which, the project might result in the permanent loss of, or loss of
access to, a paleontological resource; and

CR-2 Whether the paleontological resource is of regional or statewide significance.

CR-3 Is associated with an event or person of recognized importance in California or American

prehistory or of recognized scientific importance in prehistory;

CR-4 Can provide information which is both of demonstrable public interest and useful in addressing
scientifically consequential and reasonable archaeological research questions;

CR-5 Has a special or particular quality, such as the oldest, best, largest, or last surviving example of
its kind;

CR-6 Is at least 100 years old3 and possesses substantial stratigraphic integrity; or

CR-7 Involves important research questions that historical research has shown can be answered only
with archaeological methods.

CR-8 Demolition of a significant resource;

CR-9 Relocation that does not maintain the integrity and significance of a significant resource;

3 Although the CEQA criteria state that "important archaeological resources" are those, which are at least
100-years-old, the California Register provides that any site found eligible for nomination to the National
Register will automatically be included within the California Register and subject to all protections thereof. The
National Register requires that a site or structure be at least 50 years old.
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CR-10 Conversion, rehabilitation, or alteration of a significant resource which does not conform to the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic
Buildings; or

CR-11 Construction that reduces the integrity or significance of important resources on the site or in the
vicinity.

Thresholds

Paleontological Resources

The determination of significance is made on a case-by-case basis, considering the following factors:

CR-1 Whether, or the degree to which, the project might result in the permanent loss of, or loss of
access to, a paleontological resource; and

CR-2 Whether the paleontological resource is of regional or statewide significance.

Project Impacts

Paleontologic resources would be potentially affected by impacts resulting from earthmoving activities
associated with development of the proposed project. Direct impacts resulting in the possible loss of
some fossil remains, currently unrecorded fossil sites, associated specimen data and site data, and the
fossil-bearing strata could result mostly from earthmoving activities in previously undisturbed strata.
Direct impacts also would result from any earthmoving activity that buried previously undisturbed
strata, making the strata and their paleontologic resources unavailable for future scientific investigation.
Direct impacts would occur primarily within the proposed development area and probably would not
occur in the designated open space. Indirect impacts would result from easier access to fresh exposures of
fossiliferous strata and the accompanying potential for unauthorized fossil collecting.

The regional or statewide significance of a paleontological resource may be based on the quality and
integrity of the resource, remaining supply, feasibility of recovery, or scientific and public importance.4

4 The Los Angeles California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Thresholds Guide, adopted in 2006, page D.1-4.

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As discussed in Section IV.E, Geology, the project site is underlain with colluvium and alluvium, both
sedimentary rocks. The LA CEQA Thresholds Guide states that sedimentary rocks contain the bulk of
fossils in the City.5 As such, the project site has a high probability of containing unknown fossils.

For the reasons described above, excavation in undisturbed sediments within the boundaries of the
project site has potential to adversely impact significant nonrenewable paleontologic resources.
Mitigation measures are proposed below in order to protect any fossils present under the earth surface in
the project site. With implementation of mitigation measure MM-CR-1, impacts would be reduced to a
less than significant level.

Archaeological Resources

A project would normally have a significant impact upon archaeological resources if it could disturb,
damage, or degrade an archaeological resource or its setting that is found to be important under the
criteria of CEQA if the project:

CR-3 is associated with an event or person of recognized importance in California or American

prehistory or of recognized scientific importance in prehistory;

CR-4 can provide information which is both of demonstrable public interest and useful in addressing
scientifically consequential and reasonable archaeological research questions;

CR-5 has a special or particular quality, such as the oldest, best, largest, or last surviving example of its
kind;

CR-6 is at least 100 years old6 and possesses substantial stratigraphic integrity; or

CR-7 involves important research questions that historical research has shown can be answered only
with archaeological methods.

Project Impacts

The proposed project would result in development of 58 percent of the project site. The proposed project
would require approximately 600,000 cubic yards of grading and cut and fill. Therefore, impacts are
anticipated to be less than significant with implementation of mitigation measure MM-CR-1.

5 The Los Angeles California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Thresholds Guide, adopted in 2006, page D.1-1.
6 Although the CEQA criteria state that "important archaeological resources" are those, which are at least
100 years old, the California Register provides that any site found eligible for nomination to the National
Register will automatically be included within the California Register and subject to all protections thereof. The
National Register requires that a site or structure be at least 50 years old.
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Historic Resources

CR-8 demolition of a significant resource;

CR-9 relocation that does not maintain the integrity and significance of a significant resource;

CR-10 conversion, rehabilitation, or alteration of a significant resource which does not conform to the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic
Buildings; or

CR-11 construction that reduces the integrity or significance of important resources on the site or in the
vicinity.

Project Impacts

No historical resources were found within the project site as the project site is currently vacant. For this
reason, no impacts to historical resources would occur and no mitigation measures are required.

b. Mitigation Measures

MM-CR-1 A qualified archaeologist/paleontologist should be present during grading operations to

assure that reasonable measures are taken to protect and recover significant
archaeological/paleontological resources, should any be uncovered.

5. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

a. Paleontological Resources

Development of the related projects in the City could potentially affect paleontological resources. The
cumulative effect of these projects would contribute to the loss of subsurface cultural resources, if these
resources were not protected upon discovery. CEQA requirements for protecting paleontological
resources are applicable to development in the City Los Angeles. Because subsurface paleontological
resources would be protected upon discovery as required by law, impacts to those resources would be
less than significant. The project includes mitigation measures that would reduce the project’s impact to
paleontological resources to a less than significant level. Consequently, the project’s contribution to any
cumulative impacts would not be cumulatively considerable and, therefore, cumulative impacts would
be less than significant.

b. Archaeological Resources

Development of the related projects may also require grading and excavation that could potentially affect
archaeological resources. The cumulative effect of these projects would contribute to the loss of
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subsurface cultural resources, if these resources were not protected upon discovery. CEQA requirements
for protecting archaeological resources are applicable to development of related projects. Because
subsurface archaeological resources would be protected upon discovery as required by law, impacts to
those resources would be less than significant. The project includes mitigation measures that would
reduce the project’s impact to archaeological resources to a less than significant level. Consequently, the
project’s contribution to any cumulative impacts would not be cumulatively considerable and, therefore,
cumulative impacts would be less than significant.

c. Historical Resources

No impacts to historical resources were identified; for this reason, implementation of the proposed
project would not contribute to cumulative impacts.

d. Adverse Effects

With implementation of the recommended mitigation measure MM-CR-1, project related to

archaeological, paleontological, and historical resources impacts would be less than significant. As no
historical resources impacts were identified, no mitigation measures are necessary.

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