HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 2009-01-281 CITY OF SEAL BEACH
2 Environmental Quality Control Board
3
4 Minutes of January 28, 2009
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6
7 Chairperson Voce called the meeting of the Environmental Quality Control Board
8 (EQCB) to order at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2009. The meeting was held
9 in City Council Chambers and began with the Salute to the Flag.'
10
11 I Roll Call
12
13 Present: Chairperson Voce, Members Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro
14
15 Also
16 Present: Department of Development Services
17 Lee Whittenberg, Director
18 Jerry Olivera, Senior Planner
19
20 Absent: None
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22 Mr. Whittenberg welcomed Ms. Esther Cummings as the newest member of the Board.
23
24 II Approval of Agenda
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26 MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Barton to approve the Agenda as presented.
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28 MOTION CARRIED: 5 - 0
29 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro
30 NOES: None
31 ABSENT: None
32
33 III Oral Communications
34
35 None.
36
37 IV Consent Calendar
38
39 1. Receive and File -Staff Report Re: Draft CEQA Guideline Amendments and
40 Significance Thresholds For Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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42 2. Receive and File -Staff Report Re: Various Reports
43
' These Minutes were transcribed from an audiotape of the meeting.
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1 3. Receive and File -Staff Report Re: Newspaper Article -Seal Beach Naval
2 Weapons Station
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4 4. Receive and File -Staff Report Re: Design Recommendations for the WCI
5 Regional Cap-and-Trade Program
6
7 5. Receive and File -Staff Report Re: Notice of Preparation and Initial Study Re:
8 "Intermodel Container Transfer Facility Modernization and Expansion Project"
9
10 MOTION by Navarro; SECOND by Barton to approve the Consent Calendar as
11 presented.
12
13 MOTION CARRIED: 5 - 0
14 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro
15 NOES: None
16 ABSENT: None
17
18 V Scheduled Matters
19
20 6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES -October 29, 2008.
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22 Recommendation: Approve Minutes subject to any corrections determined
23 appropriate.
24
25 Member Hurley noted typographical errors on Page 3, Line 34 to read " ..determined
26 that there will be one traffic lane ...,"and on Page 6, Line 4 to read " ..scheduled
27 meeting day comes right before ..."
28
29 Member Cummings noted that she would abstain from voting, as she was not present at
30 the meeting of October 29, 2008.
31
32 MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Navarro to approve the Meeting Minutes of October
33 29, 2008 as amended.
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35 MOTION CARRIED: 4 - 0 -1
36 AYES: Voce, Barton, Hurley, and Navarro
37 NOES: None
38 ABSENT: None
39 ABSTAIN: Cummings
40
41 7. Review of Document and Provision of Comments -Draft Mitigated Negative
42 Declaration 09-1 -City Wide Sewer Capital Improvement Project: CIP No.
43 SS0901
44
45 Recommendation: Receive presentation from Staff regarding the proposed
46 project and the environmental review process. Receive comments from the
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of January 28, 2009
1 public and provide any Board comments regarding proposed Mitigated
2 Negative Declaration 09-1 (MND 09-1 ). Receive and File Staff Report.
3
4 Staff Report
5
6 Mr. Whittenberg delivered the staff report. (Staff Report is on file for inspection in the
7 Planning Departmenf.) He explained that the purpose tonight is to receive any
8 comments on the document and added that there will be another opportunity to provide
9 comments a week from tonight at the Planning Commission meeting of February 4th and
10 the public comment period will end on February 18, 2009. He then noted that two
11 representatives from RBF Consulting, one of several city-retained environmental
12 consultants, are present tonight to respond to questions. He stated that this document
13 provides a review of comprehensive sewer replacement and upgrade projects
14 throughout the City of Seal Beach for which the City now has sufficient funding. He
15 indicated that the projects identified in the report are to be conducted over a 10-year
16 period; however, for evaluation purposes, the environmental analysis assumes
17 everything will occur within 1 year. He noted that over the last few months, Staff has
18 presented a number of documents to the EQCB and City Council regarding pending
19 CEQA changes related to greenhouse gas emission reductions and how these are to be
20 evaluated in environmental documents. He added that this is the first environmental
21 document prepared by the City that includes this type of analysis. Mr. Whittenberg
22 continued by stating that the overall conclusion of the document is that there are no
23 significant impacts identified after mitigation measures have been proposed, so the City
24 could approve the projects under a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) with the
25 mitigation measures as proposed.
26
27 Board Comments/Questions
28
29 Member Navarro asked if approved by City Council (CC), when the project would
30 commence. Mr. Whittenberg stated that he was not certain of the Public Works
31 Department (PWD) schedule, but the earliest time would probably be in early 2010,
32 beginning with the first project identified. Member Navarro asked if the projects are to
33 be completed in the order presented. Mr. Whittenberg stated that this is the intent, but
34 this could change based upon funding priorities and whether grants are awarded to the
35 City for these projects. He indicated that the primary goal at this time is to get
36 environmental clearance for all of the projects, and as funding becomes available, work
37 would begin.
38
39 Member Hurley asked if the sequence for the projects was created in order of priority or
40 convenience of building. Mr. Whittenberg stated that they have been ordered by
41 priority.
42
43 Member Barton asked if there were any idea of how long each project would take to
44 complete. Mr. Whittenberg stated that the timeline established by the PWD is based
45 upon the estimated completion time for each project. He added that the actual
46 construction period for some of the projects would probably be 4-5 months, while other
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meefing Minutes of January 28, 2009
1 projects requiring trenching and replacement of sewer lines would take longer. Member
2 Barton asked if the existing sewer lines have been checked to determine which would
3 take priority. Mr. Whittenberg explained that the PWD is able to run a camera through
4 the sewer lines to film the existing conditions and this allows them to prioritize the
5 projects. Member Barton asked if the City has funding for all of the projects. Mr.
6 Whittenberg stated that some of the funding is available, while other monies are in
7 designated reserves, which would require CC determination as to how quickly they
8 would want to begin spending these reserves. Member Barton asked for the definition
9 of a "lift station." Mr. Whittenberg explained that a lift station is used on sewer lines that
10 do not flow by gravity, and material must be pumped up to a lift station where it can flow
11 into a gravity line. Member Barton asked if most of the lines are gravity lines. Mr.
12 Whittenberg stated that the majority of them are; however, some of the lines coming out
13 of Old Town and up Seal Beach Boulevard do require a pump station. Member Barton
14 asked what powers the pump station. Mr. Whittenberg stated that they are electric
15 pumps and have diesel generators as backup.
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17 Mr. Whittenberg reiterated that the purpose tonight is to receive comments on the
18 environmental analysis and mitigation measures as presented in the document.
19
20 Member Navarro stated that she had not noticed a specification for a street sweeper
21 during the construction. Mr. Whittenberg noted that under the City's storm water
22 management program, which is very stringent, street sweeping is included as a
23 standard requirement. Member Navarro then stated that special status plant and
24 wildlife studies were not included in the MND. She noted that there are many
25 eucalyptus trees in College Park East and there are probably a lot of birds nesting in
26 these trees. Mr. Whittenberg explained that all of the work is to be done on the public
27 streets and right-of-ways, so this should not affect the plants or wildlife in this area.
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29 Member Hurley stated that he has no comments on "the meat" of the MND; however, he
30 does have some suggestions that might make it more easily read. He then provided the
31 following recommendations:
32
33 Pg. 2-9, Table 2-1 Project No. 1 under "Location" should read: "Lampson
34 Avenue, east of Seal Beach Boulevard to Los Alamitos Sub-
35 trunk. "
36
37 Pg. 2-9, No Project Number 3 listed under "Project Number" column.
38
39 Pg. 4.3-13 3rd bullet for "Tier 3," Sentence 4: No description of Title 24
40 is provided within the MND, making the discussion in this
41 paragraph meaningless to the ordinary reader.
42
43 Pg. 4.3-14 1St paragraph, 2"d to last sentence. Mr. Hurley takes issue
44 with the line of reasoning, as he understood it in Tier 3. He
45 asked whether feasibility determines whether an impact is
46 significant or not. Use of the word `Thus" makes it sound as
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Cify of Seal Beach Environmental Qualify Control Board
Meefing Minutes of January 28, 2009
1 though since this isn't feasible there is no significant impact.
2 He believes an impact is independent of feasibility.
3
4 Pg. 4.3-15 "Localized Significance Thresholds," Line 5 should read: `: .
5 .project-specific level of ..."
6
7 Member Hurley stated that he found no description of how sewage is to be handled
8 while a line is being reconstructed. Also, there is only one small typo in Noise on Pg.
9 4.11-1: the first column heading of the table should read "Would the project result in:"
10
11 Member Navarro referred to Table 2-1 on Page 2-9 and asked if this is proposed to be a
12 10-year project, and does Table 2-1 depict the scope of the locations for the project.
13 Mr. Whittenberg explained that the projects are listed by number and by year, so Project
14 Nos. 1 and 2 would be anticipated to be completed in CIP Program Year 1, and so on.
15 Member Navarro recommended that any work to be done on Lampson Avenue or Seal
16 Beach Boulevard be completed during the summer months, because when there is a
17 constriction along Lampson Avenue, this leads to traffic gridlock, particularly around
18 7:30 a.m.
19
20 Chairperson Voce referred to Appendix A, Air Quality Data, and noted the table labeled
21 "Construction Emissions," and shows the Duration (days) listed for each phase of the
22 project. He asked if for "Demolition," the totals under the Emission Factors are for the
23 projected 42-day time period. Mr. Whittenberg stated that this was correct.
24 Chairperson Voce then referred to the following table titled "Operational Emissions" and
25 asked if the units listed represent the averages for everything. Mr. Whittenberg noted
26 that construction emissions are during construction periods when there are pieces of
27 equipment creating fumes. Operation emissions will only occur at pump or lift stations
28 when those pieces of mechanical equipment are operated.
29
30 Member Cummings stated that she would like to see a chart that provides the names for
31 the chemical acronyms.
32
33 Member Hurley asked if Staff is certain that the Old Town alleys measure more than 16
34 feet in width. Mr. Whittenberg explained that between the alleys and the required
35 setbacks for getting in and out of the garages, there would be 33 feet between
36 structures along the alleys.
37
38 VI StafF Concerns
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40 Mr. Whittenberg noted that he believes there are no items pending for the February 25,
41 2009, EQCB meeting, but Staff will notify the Board should the meeting be canceled.
42
43 VII Board Concerns
44
45 Member Barton inquired about recognizing Diana Neal for her service on the Board.
46 Mr. Whittenberg stated that this will be scheduled for the next meeting.
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of January 28, 2009
1 Chairperson Voce stated that there has been a significant amount of digging and earth
2 movement within Gum Grove Nature Park, even in the archaeologically sensitive zones,
3 and it appears to be "extreme bike trails" type of digging. He noted that he has
4 discussed this with the Recreation Commission, but in terms of the archaeological
5 impacts, he had to report this to Mr. Whittenberg. He then stated that he has also had
6 discussions with Jerry Olivera regarding fireplace emissions and how bad this is getting,
7 and said that he e-mailed related documents to Jerry and would like to have them
8 shared with the EQCB members on a future agenda. Mr. Whittenberg stated that Staff
9 does have the materials and will include this as a discussion item on the next agenda.
10 Chairperson Voce indicated that when he has his kitchen window open, the smoke from
11 his neighbor's fireplace set off the smoke alarm. He noted that almost every night in the
12 neighborhood on The Hill the smell of smoke is sometimes overwhelming, and these
13 fumes are taken in by heating systems in surrounding homes and are creating serious
14 health and pollution effects.
15
16 VIII Adjournment
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18 Chairperson Voce adjourned the meeting at 7:12 p.m. to the next scheduled meeting of
19 February 25, 2009.
20
21 Respectfully Submitted,
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23
24
25
26 Carmen Alvarez, Executive Secret
27 Department of Development Services
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29
30 The Board on~'~~ ~. ZP~~ approved the Minu es of the Environmental
31 Quality Control Board of Wednesd~ nuary 28, 2009.
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