HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 2011-03-30
CITY OF SEAL BEACH
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Environmental Quality Control Board
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Minutes of March 30, 2011
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7 Chairperson Voce called the meeting of the Environmental Quality Control Board
8 (EQCB) to order at 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. The meeting was held
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9 in the City Manager’s Conference Room and began with the Salute to the Flag.
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Roll Call
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13 Present: Chairperson Voce, Members Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
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15 Also
16 Present: Department of Development Services
17 Jerry Olivera, Senior Planner
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19 Absent: Member Vento
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21 Chairperson Voce noted that Member Vento’s absence is excused.
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Oral Communications
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25 None.
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Approval of Agenda
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29 MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Barton to approve the Agenda as presented.
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MOTION CARRIED: 4 – 0 – 1
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AYES: Voce, Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
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NOES: None
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ABSENT: Vento
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Consent Calendar
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38 No items.
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Scheduled Matters
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42 1. Approval of Meeting Minutes of January 26, 2011.
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These Minutes were transcribed from an audiotape of the meeting.
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of March 30, 2011
1 Recommendation: Approve Minutes with any corrections deemed appropriate.
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3 MOTION by Barton; SECOND by Navarro to approve the Meeting Minutes of January
4 26, 2011, as presented.
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MOTION CARRIED: 4 – 0 – 1
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AYES: Voce, Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
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NOES: None
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ABSENT: Vento
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11 2. Approval of Response Letter Re: Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact
12 Report (EIR), Second + PCH Project – City of Long Beach, dated March 2011.
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14 Recommendation: Authorize approval of letter with any modifications deemed
15 appropriate; instruct Chairperson to sign proposed Response Letter. Receive
16 and File Staff Report.
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18 Staff Report
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20 Mr. Olivera noted that Staff had received the Recirculated Environmental Impact
21 Report (EIR) on March 11, 2011. He indicated that the EIR was originally circulated
22 last year, but after receiving comments from several agencies, the project was placed
23 on hold, and the developers are now proceeding with the same project as originally
24 presented last year. He noted that Staff recently received comments from the City’s
25 traffic consultant, which did not allow time to include them in the response letter. Staff
26 is, therefore, recommending that the Board approve the content of the letter as
27 presented tonight and authorize Staff to make modifications so that these comments
28 may be included, and that Chairperson Voce review and approve the final copy of the
29 letter.
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31 Mr. Olivera then briefly reviewed the traffic consultant’s report, which identifies traffic
32 impacts at the Studebaker Road/State Route 22 interchange and at the intersection of
33 Seal Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway,
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35 Board Comments
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37 Member Navarro noted that the letter should include comments regarding delaying
38 the project until after work on the Seal Beach Boulevard/I-405 overpass is completed,
39 since the proposed Second + PCH Project will impact traffic within Seal Beach.
40 Chairperson Voce agreed that this should be included in the comment letter.
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42 Member Barton asked if the Southeast Area Development Improvement Program
43 (SEADIP) would restrict the height of this project. Mr. Olivera stated that in order to
44 proceed with this project, SEADIP, which places a 35-ft. height limit on developments
45 within this area, would have to be amended. He noted that there are several other
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of March 30, 2011
1 SEADIP restrictions that would also have to be amended in order for this project to
2 proceed as proposed.
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4 Member Barton asked if this project location is near an earthquake fault. Mr. Olivera
5 noted that it is not far from the fault.
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7 Chairperson Voce then suggested that after making modifications to the proposed
8 comment letter, Staff could forward a draft copy to the Board members for final
9 comments.
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11 MOTION by Navarro; SECOND by Hurley to authorize Staff to make additions or
12 revisions to the comment letter as deemed appropriate, provide draft letter to Board
13 members for review, and authorize Chairperson to sign final copy of Response Letter.
14 Receive and File Staff Report.
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MOTION CARRIED: 4 – 0 – 1
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AYES: Voce, Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
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NOES: None
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ABSENT: Vento
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21 3. Approval of Response Letter Re: Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding
22 of No Significant Impact for Stationing an Army Reserve Black Hawk Company
23 at the Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, California.
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25 Recommendation: Authorize approval of letter with any modifications deemed
26 appropriate; instruct Chairperson to sign proposed Response Letter. Receive
27 and File Staff Report.
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29 Staff Report
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31 Mr. Olivera provided a brief overview and noted that all of the studies would indicate
32 that there would be no significant impacts.
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34 Member Navarro said she disagreed with the statement that the issues of air quality,
35 noise, and traffic are adequately addressed in the EA. She requested that Staff
36 provide the decibel level for noise on the base now, and what it would be during
37 operation of a Black Hawk Helicopter. She also noted that after monitoring the
38 helicopter activity from her home, she observed that the helicopters are not staying
39 within their assigned flight patterns. She recommended that Staff request that the
40 Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) provide the noise contours and flight patterns for
41 these helicopters. Member Navarro then stated that College Park East (CPE)
42 residents received no notice of this proposal and critical data is still needed for review.
43 She also requested that residents be provided with a telephone number to register
44 complaints, and noted that a “live person” should respond, rather than a recording.
45 She indicated that a report of the actual decibel levels of a Black Hawk helicopter
46 should be provided, and perhaps a video or demonstration of a Black Hawk in
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of March 30, 2011
operation would be beneficial. She then stated that she would not vote to approve the
comment letter, but wished to include additional comments from the Board before
Chairperson Voce signs a final draft letter.
Chairperson Voce agreed that the letter should include comments related to mitigation
measures for noise and visual impacts.
Mr. Olivera noted that in order to meet the deadline for the comment period of April
20, 2011, the Board would have to vote on this item tonight. He recommended
employing a similar motion as was made for Item No. 2.
MOTION by Voce; SECOND by Barton to authorize Staff to make additions or
revisions to the comment letter as deemed appropriate, provide draft letter to Board
members for review, and authorize Chairperson to sign final copy of Response Letter.
Receive and File Staff Report.
MOTION CARRIED: 4-0-1
AYES: Voce, Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
NOES: None
ABSENT: Vento
Staff Concerns
None.
Board Concerns
None.
Adjournment
Chairperson Voce adjourned the meeting at 7:55 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Carmen Alvarez, Executive Assistant
Department of Development Services
The Board on July 27, 2011, approved the inutes of the Environmental Quality
Control Board of Wednesday, March 30, 2011.
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