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California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) at LAUSD

  • CEQA_logo

    The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a state statute that requires LAUSD to undertake specified environmental review of projects prior to approval by the LAUSD Board of Education. In May 2017, the Board of Education adopted revised "LAUSD Procedures for Implementing the CEQA" (available here), which incorporates by reference the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Section 15000 et seq.). As authorized by Section 15025 of the State CEQA Guidelines, the Board of Education has delegated CEQA's environmental review functions to Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS). The Director of OEHS serves as the District's CEQA Officer.

    The District acquires, constructs, leases and operates many different types of educational and support facilities. Depending on the circumstances, such activities may result in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.  The primary purpose of CEQA is to inform decision makers and the public about the potential, significant environmental effects of these proposed activities and identify the ways that environmental damage can be avoided or significantly reduced through the use of feasible alternatives or mitigation measures.

    In addition, the District's CEQA team is responsible for monitoring the ongoing changes in the community surrounding the over 1,000 schools and other facilities that the District operates.  We provide intergovernmental review of these projects on a regular basis for concerns related to the health and safety of students and staff. Notices regarding the availability of CEQA documents or public hearings (etc.) should be sent to LAUSD OEHS, 333 S. Beaudry Avenue, 21st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017, Attn: Environmental Review or emailed to ceqa-comments@lausd.net

    For more information on CEQA at LAUSD, or requests for information regarding our schools, please 
    e-mail ceqa-comments@lausd.net or call 213-241-3199.

All tree trimming and removal conducted on District property is required to adhere to the procedures described in the LAUSD OEHS Tree Trimming and Removal Procedure. Compliance with this Procedure will ensure that District activities will not conflict with any tree preservation policies while ensuring the protection of breeding and nesting habitat of protected birds. Written approval from the Director of OEHS, Director of Maintenance & Operations, Local District Superintendent, and School Principal is required before any protected tree is relocated or removed. For more information, please contact OEHS at (213) 241-3199 or the District Arborist at (213) 745-1422.

The LAUSD Standard Conditions of Approval for District Construction, Upgrade, and Improvement Projects (SCs) are environmental standards that are applied to District construction, upgrade, and improvement projects to offset potential environmental impacts. The SCs were compiled from established LAUSD standards, guidelines, specifications, practices, plans, policies, and programs and were adopted by the Board of Education on February 5, 2019.

 

In anticipation of implementation of the School Upgrade Program, OEHS commissioned a District-wide Historic Resource Inventory. As part of this study, an updated Historic Context Statement was prepared and 55 campuses were evaluated for eligibility for listing in the National and/or state registers. The Historic Context Statement received a Preservation Design Award from the California Preservation Foundation in 2014 and a Conservation Preservation Award from the Los Angeles Conservancy in 2015.

LAUSD currently has over 180 schools that have been identified as eligible for listing in the National and/or State registers and over 150 more that still require historic review. OEHS has also developed procedural guidelines for CEQA compliance, which have been incorporated into the Program EIR for the School Upgrade Program, and design guidelines for the treatment of historic resources. 

When a project is determined to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061 of the State CEQA Guidelines, a Notice of Exemption (NOE) is prepared and filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office. NOEs are posted at the County Clerk’s office for 30 days and on this website for one year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

CEQA Documents (click on a project name below to access the documents)

The proposed Project involves building replacement and reconfiguration on the Irving MS Campus as part of LAUSD’s update to the School Upgrade Program (SUP). The scope consists of the modernization of the Campus to facilitate a safe and secure campus that is better aligned with the current instructional program and meets current Division of the State Architect (DSA) requirements and educational specifications. The proposed Project includes the demolition of the three permanent classroom buildings located directly over an identified earthquake fault (Homemaking Building, Classroom Building, and Administration Building) and the removal of six portable bungalow buildings in the northwest corner of the site. These buildings would be replaced by the construction of one, approximately 55,000-square-foot, two-story building that would house 19 classrooms and support spaces, administration offices, library, and other building service spaces. Additionally, the proposed Project would include a new Maintenance and Operation (M&O) building and two modular classrooms to be used by the City of Angeles Community School. The proposed Project also includes essential upgrades including seismic retrofit of the existing Auditorium Building outside of the earthquake fault, the removal of barriers as well as other accessibility upgrades, and various landscape and hardscape improvements. While the Project would reduce the total number of standard classrooms on the campus from 65 to 46 to accommodate the long-term needs of the school and community, it would provide additional outdoor learning and gathering spaces for its students.The Public Review Period is open for public review and comment from December 1, 2023 to January 5, 2024.

LAUSD will hold a public scoping meeting on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 6:00 PM in the Irving Middle School Auditorium, 3010 Estara Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90065. All agencies, organizations, and interested parties are encouraged to attend.

 

The proposed Project is designed to address the most critical physical concerns of the buildings and grounds at the campus through building replacement, renovation, and modernization to provide facilities that are safe, secure, and better aligned with the current instructional program. The proposed Project will include the demolition and removal of the existing Auditorium Building, Cafeteria Building, lunch shelter, West Classroom Building, and some covered walkways to construct one Kindergarten Classroom Building to house approximately four kindergarten classrooms and support spaces and one Multi-Purpose Room/Food Services/Library Building to house food services, multipurpose room, lunch shelter, and library. The proposed Project includes minor work to convert an existing library and one classroom into administrative spaces in the Administration, Library and Classroom Building; new covered walkways, removal and replacement of trees; exterior painting of remaining buildings; associated landscape, hardscape, playground, outdoor learning environments, and parking improvements; and infrastructure upgrades including, but not limited to, sanitary sewer, water, storm water, and electrical utilities; interim facilities, as required; and other improvements to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements. The Public Review Period is open for public review and comment from November 8, 2023 to December 8, 2023. 

LAUSD will hold a hybrid public meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, 6:00 p.m. All agencies, organizations, and interested parties are encouraged to attend.

  • In-person: 6:00pm at the 49th Street Elementary School, Room 40-42 (near main office).
  • Online: Zoom Online Meeting Link https://lausd.zoom.us/j/83921903418; Phone # Dial In: +1 213-338-8477; ID# 839 21903418

 

The District is preparing a Subsequent Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to address the environmental effects associated with the implementation of the District’s School Upgrade Program (SUP). The Final Subsequent Program EIR is currently scheduled for public hearing on December 12, 2023 with the District's Board of Education. Please check the meeting agenda approximately 72 hours before the meeting for additional information.

The Final Program EIR was certified by the Board of Education on November 10, 2015. 

 

 

The IS/MND for the Rise Kohyang Middle School Project was adopted by the Board of Education on February 8, 2022.

The IS/ND for the Hamilton High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on February 10, 2021.

The IS/MND for the Lincoln High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on January 12, 2021.

The IS/MND for the Vaughn Next Century Learning Center Administrative, Media/Literacy & Kitchen Building Project was adopted by the Board of Education on January 12, 2021.

The IS/MND for the Taft Charter High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on October 6, 2020.

The IS/MND for the Shenandoah Elementary School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on June 9, 2020. 

The IS/MND for the Kennedy High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on June 9, 2020. 

The EIR for the Burroughs Middle School Comprehensive Modernization Project was certified by the Board of Education on June 9, 2020. 

The IS/MND for the Rise Kohyang High School Project was adopted by the Board of Education on May 19, 2020.

The IS/MND for the Reseda Charter High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on March 10, 2020. 

The IS/MND for the Belvedere Middle School Comprehensive Modernization was adopted by the Board of Education on March 10, 2020.

The IS/MND for the Elizabeth Learning Center Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on November 5, 2019. 

The IS/ND for the 92nd St. Elementary School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on October 1, 2019.

The IS/MND for the Ascot Avenue Elementary School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on June 18, 2019.

The IS/MND for the McKinley Avenue Elementary School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on June 18, 2019.

The EIR for the San Pedro High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was certified by the Board of Education on November 13, 2018.

The IS/MND for the Jefferson High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on November 13, 2018.

The EIR for the Roosevelt High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was certified by the Board of Education on May 8, 2018.

The EIR for the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies Comprehensive Modernization Project was certified by the Board of Education on May 8, 2018.

The IS/MND for the North Hollywood High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on April 10, 2018.

 

The IS/ND for the Polytechnic High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on February 13, 2018.

The IS/MND for the Ulysses S. Grant High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on December 12, 2017.

The IS/ND for the Cleveland Charter High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was adopted by the Board of Education on October 10, 2017.

The EIR for the Huntington Park High School Comprehensive Modernization Project was certified by the Board of Education on May 8, 2018.

The IS/MND and Collins Street Elementary School Demolition Project was adopted by the Board of Education (Board) on October 10, 2017.

The 9th – 12th grade Hale Charter (VAPA) Project discussed at previous community meetings is no longer being considered for the former Highlander Road Elementary School site located at 23834 Highlander road West Hills, CA 91304. Currently there is no plan for the former Highlander Road School site. Should a new plan arise, the District's Facilities Services Division is committed to informing and engaging the public early on in the process.

 

The EIR for the International Studies Learning Center Project was certified by the Board of Education on June 13, 2017. 

The IS/ND for the Venice High School Comprehensive Modernization was adopted by the Board of Education on May 9, 2017. 

The IS/MND for the Colfax Charter Elementary School Classroom Addition Project was adopted by the Board of Education (Board) on May 9, 2017.

  • Preliminary Project Referral Form for CEQA & Site Assessment Reviews 
     
     This form is for District use and should be filled out by project proponents (e.g., Asset Management, A/E Services...) to initiate the CEQA and/or Site Assessment review process.