November 2020 Update: On November 10, 2020, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners recommended approval of the EIR and proposed Project. A copy of the staff presentation is here: CCP Animal Services Board Meeting Presentation. The item will now be considered by the Personnel and Animal Services (PAW) Committee. The meeting date is expected to be December 2, 2020.
October 2020 Final EIR: The City of Los Angeles (City) has prepared the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Citywide Cat Program (proposed Project). The Final EIR includes the revised proposed Project description (Chapter 1), comments received on the Draft EIR during the public review period (Chapter 2), and technical modifications and revisions to the Draft EIR (Chapter 3), along with the revised Appendices. Regarding comments received, Chapter 2 includes comments received on the Draft EIR during the public review period from August 29, 2019 to October 28, 2019 via mail, email, and at the public meeting held on October 7, 2019, along with the City’s responses to these comments. Please refer to the Table of Contents in the Final EIR for the organization of the responses to comments. The Final EIR is available below for download.
Complete Document (Large File, 52MB):
CCP Final EIR Compiled (PDF)
Individual Files (Easier to Download, PDF Format):
- CCP Final EIR Cover Page
- CCP Final EIR Table of Contents
- CCP Final EIR Chapter 1 (Project Description)
- CCP Final EIR Chapter 2 (Response to Comments)
- CCP Final EIR Chapter 3 (Modifications and Revisions to Draft EIR)
- CCP Final EIR Appendices Compiled
Certification of the Final EIR and approval of the proposed Project requires review from the City’s Board of Animal Services Commissioners and action by City Council. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners will review and consider the Final EIR and proposed Project on November 10, 2020 at 9:30 am at a virtual public meeting. To attend the meeting you can dial (669) 900-6833 and use Webinar ID No. 99574016988. More information can be found here: https://laanimalservices.com/about-us-2/commission/.
If recommended for approval by the Board of Animal Services Commissioners, the City Council will consider the certification of the Final EIR at a future meeting that has yet not been scheduled. The official schedule and meeting agendas for the City Council and applicable Council Committees are available at the City website: https://lacity.org/government/meeting-calendars/city-council-meetingsagendas.
For additional information on the environmental review process, please contact Dr. Jan Green Rebstock, Environmental Supervisor II, City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering, at jan.green.rebstock@lacity.org. You can also monitor this BOE webpage for updates regarding the CEQA approval process.
June 2020 EIR Status Update: The Final EIR is currently under preparation and will be presented to the Board of Animal Services Commissioners and City Council for consideration in Fall 2020. When the Final EIR is available, it will be posted on this webpage for viewing and downloading. Notification to project stakeholders will occur when the Final EIR has been prepared.
Los Angeles, August 29, 2019 - The City of Los Angeles has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the proposed Citywide Cat Program (proposed Project) that addresses free-roaming (feral or stray) cats in the City. The City is requesting input on the Draft EIR from public agencies, residents, and other interested project stakeholders.
Project Background: In 2006, the City’s Department of Animal Services began to implement a “trap, neuter, return” (TNR) policy and program for free-roaming cats. The City also distributed vouchers to be used for free-roaming cat spay or neuter surgeries, issued cat trapping permits, and otherwise provided support and referrals to community groups that engage in TNR programs. In 2008, the City was sued, and in 2010 the Los Angeles Superior Court issued an Injunction which prohibited the City from further implementing the TNR policy and program without completing an environmental review process in compliance with CEQA (Case No. BS115483). The City prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) in 2013, but ultimately decided to modify the proposed Project and prepare an EIR. The scoping process for the EIR began in 2017.
Project Description: Under the proposed Project, the City would: Directly engage in or make available funds for the spay/neuter of free-roaming cats that may be returned to where they were found, relocated to a working cat program, or adopted; Make amendments to the City of Los Angeles Administrative Code (LAAC) to broaden the permitted use of Animal Sterilization Funds and to the City of Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) regarding the definition of a cat kennel; Implement a modified trap, neuter, and return (TNR) program that includes facilitation of trapping, neutering, and returning, TNR-related community education and outreach and collaboration with TNR organizations, and use of incentives to encourage the capture, sterilization, and release of free-roaming cats, including to TNR groups who may return the cats to free-roaming status; Publish and implement program guidelines and ecological conservation measures; and Create a working cat program.
Project Objectives: Broadly stated, the purpose of the proposed Project is to assist in achieving the City’s no kill goal and support the City’s adoption of TNR as the preferred method of addressing the free-roaming cat population in the City. The objectives of the proposed Citywide Cat Program include: Facilitating spaying and neutering of cats in the City; Reducing the relative number of free-roaming cats in the City over time; Facilitating more public and community education on animal-related topics, including free-roaming cats; Training animal services center staff members on cat management programs and engage in collaborative efforts with local rescue groups to help respond to and address free-roaming cat issues; Further implement the City’s no-kill policy by reducing the rate of euthanasia of cats in City animal services centers; and Establishing TNR as the preferred policy to humanely address free-roaming cats.
Environmental Impacts: The analysis contained in the Draft EIR determined that the proposed Project would not result in any significant environmental impacts. No mitigation is required.
Public Review Period: The Draft EIR public review and comment period begins August 29, 2019 and ends on October 28, 2019. The Draft EIR is available online at the Bureau of Engineering website: Citywide Cat Program
Hard copies may also be viewed at the following locations:
- Los Angeles Central Library located at 630 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071.
- City of LA, Bureau of Engineering, 1149 S. Broadway, 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90015
- North Central Animal Services Center, 3201 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031
- South LA Animal Services Center, 1850 West 60th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90047
- West LA Animal Services Center, 11361 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
- Harbor Animal Services Center, 957 North Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
- East Valley Animal Services Center, 14409 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys, CA 91405
- West Valley Animal Services Center, 20655 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311
Public Meeting: A public meeting to receive comments on the Draft EIR will be held on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ramona Hall Community Center, 4580 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90065.
Comments: Please send comments on the Draft EIR to:
Dr. Jan Green Rebstock
City of Los Angeles
Public Works, Bureau of Engineering
Environmental Management Group
1149 S. Broadway, 6th Floor, Mail Stop 939
Los Angeles, CA 90015-2213
Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to jan.green.rebstock@lacity.org. Please remember to:
- Send your comments in letter format as an attachment to the email;
- Include a mailing address in the comment letter; and
- Include “CAT PROGRAM” in the subject line.
Following the close of the comment period, the City will consider and prepare responses to the comments received and compile a Final EIR. The Final EIR will be posted online at the Bureau of Engineering website: Citywide Cat Program. All responses to comments submitted on the DEIR by public agencies will be provided to those agencies at least 10 days prior to certification of the Final EIR. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners and City Council Committee(s) may consider and make recommendations to the Los Angeles City Council regarding the Final EIR and proposed Project. The Los Angeles City Council will make findings regarding the extent and nature of the environmental impacts as described in the Final EIR. The Final EIR will need to be certified by the City prior to making a decision to approve or deny the proposed Project. Public input is encouraged at all public meetings before the City.
| Report (Click on italicized text to view report) |
Review Status | Public Review Period |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of Availability | August 29, 2019 - October 28, 2019 | |
| Notice of Availability (Spanish) | ||
| DEIR Executive Summary | August 29, 2019 - October 28, 2019 | |
| Draft Environmental Impact Report | Closed | August 29, 2019 - October 28, 2019 |
| DEIR Appendices | August 29, 2019 - October 28, 2019 | |
| Aug 31, 2017 Notice of Preparation | Closed | Aug 31, 2017 - Oct 30, 2017 |
| Proposed Citywide Cat Program Scoping Meeting Presentation | ||
| Scoping Meeting Comment Card | ||
| April 11, 2017 Project Description | ||
| Initial Study/MND | Closed | Oct 03, 2013 - Nov 04, 2013 |
| Notice of Intent | ||
| Public Meeting Transcript | ||
| CCP Animal Services Board Meeting Presentation |