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6415-6419 West Selma Avenue / California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) / Appeal

Council File 21-1404

Introduced
2021-11-24
Last changed
2026-05-15
Status
open
Expires
2028-05-15
Committee
Planning and Land Use Management Committee
Initiated by
Area Planning Commission (APC) / Central
References
Case: ZA-2013-3504-ZV-PA1-1AEnvironmental: ENV-2018-7559-CE-1A

Brief

The Central Area Planning Commission referred a CEQA appeal challenging the environmental clearance for a development project at 6415-6419 West Selma Avenue. The appeal was filed in November 2021 and sent to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, where it has remained pending through multiple continuances. The file technically expired in December 2025 but was revived in May 2026 when the APC submitted new documentation; a committee hearing is scheduled for June 9, 2026.

Full summary

This file addresses a California Environmental Quality Act appeal challenging the categorical exemption granted for a development project at 6415-6419 West Selma Avenue in Council District 13. The applicant, 6417 Selma Holdings LLC, received a plan approval (ZA-2013-3504-ZV-PA1-1A) from the Zoning Administrator, and the project was determined to qualify for a categorical exemption from full CEQA environmental review (ENV-2018-7559-CE-1A). The Central Area Planning Commission heard the matter on August 24, 2021, voting 4-0, and the decision was subsequently appealed on October 14, 2021 by two parties: Casey Maddren of Citizens for a Better LA, and Romulus Zamora along with UNITE HERE Local 11, represented by attorney Jordan Sisson of the Law Offices of Gideon Kracov. The core question before the Council is whether the categorical exemption was properly granted or whether more rigorous environmental review is required. Notably, the underlying plan approval itself was not appealed and is not before the Council for consideration — only the adequacy of the environmental clearance is at issue. The file has moved at an unusually slow pace. After being referred to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee in late 2021, the committee scheduled and then continued the item multiple times — in March 2022, April 2023, and September 2023 — without reaching a decision. Processing was further complicated by pandemic-related tolling of the statutory time limit beginning in March 2020, followed by reinstatement under Mayor's Executive Directive No. 1 in December 2022. Despite those extensions, the committee never acted, and the file expired under Council policy in December 2025. In May 2026, the APC resubmitted the planning department transmittal, formally re-routing the matter back to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee. The transmittal notes that all relevant substantive documents were already submitted under this council file, and that the item has been scheduled for a PLUM committee hearing on June 9, 2026. The file now carries a new expiration date of May 15, 2028. The underlying CEQA appeal — whether the project's categorical exemption was legally sufficient — remains unresolved after nearly five years and awaits committee action and an eventual Council vote.

Activity (14)

  • 2026-05-15 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 9, 2026.
  • 2026-05-06 Area Planning Commission (APC) / Central document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.
  • 2026-05-06 Document submitted by Area Planning Commission (APC) / Central, dated May 6, 2026.
  • 2025-12-16 File expired per Council policy, Council file No. 05-0553.
  • 2023-09-19 Planning and Land Use Management Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2023-09-08 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 19, 2023.
  • 2023-04-18 Planning and Land Use Management Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2023-04-07 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on April 18, 2023.
  • 2023-02-28 Time Limit has been reinstated pursuant to the Mayor's Executive Directive No. 1 issued on 12/16/2022.
  • 2022-03-01 Planning and Land Use Management Committee continued item to a date to be determined.
  • 2022-02-18 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 1, 2022.
  • 2021-12-02 Time Limit has been tolled pursuant to the Mayor's Public Order issued on 3/21/2020. (Original Time Limit: 12/29/2021)
  • 2021-11-30 Area Planning Commission (APC) / Central document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.
  • 2021-11-24 Document(s) submitted by Area Planning Commission (APC) / Central, as follows:Central Los Angeles Area Planning Commission report, dated November 23, 2021, relative to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Appeal for the project located at 6415-6419 West Selma Avenue.

Documents (32)

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