PLUM sustains EIR certification for New Beatrice West project over SAFER appeal

The Planning and Land Use Management Committee denied a CEQA appeal from the Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER) and sustained the City Planning Commission’s certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the New Beatrice West project in Council District 11.

Kathleen King, LA City Planning, said the Final EIR was prepared in compliance with CEQA and that staff submitted a detailed appeal response (06/17/2025) addressing the appellant’s points. The project description includes demolition of an existing office building and two accessory buildings, retention of an approximately 87,881 square‑foot office building, and construction of a new eight‑story office building resulting in a total of roughly 287,000 square feet of floor area on a 4.5‑acre site.

SAFER’s representatives argued the EIR failed as an informational document and did not sufficiently analyze noise, vibration and indoor air‑quality impacts (including formaldehyde), and contended the statement of overriding considerations did not justify significant and unavoidable impacts. Planning and the applicant countered that the EIR analyzes required topics, proposes mitigation measures where feasible, and that the appellant’s material either did not create substantial evidence or did not comply with submission rules to the Commission. The applicant noted the project will incorporate the Frank Gehry studio as part of a creative campus in Playa Vista and that the EIR had been prepared in response to previous court-ordered CEQA direction.

After discussion, the committee denied SAFER’s appeal and certified the Final EIR, adopting the related environmental findings, mitigation monitoring program and statement of overriding considerations. The committee’s roll call recorded Blumenfield: aye; Hutt: aye; Nasserian: aye; Lee: aye; Raman: yes (5 ayes).