HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 1980-02-07
. Februa ry 7, 1980
STAFF REPORT
To: Environmental Quality Control Board
From: Nicholas Romaniello, Director of Planning
Subject: Environmental Impact Report on DWP Restoration Plan
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The City of Seal Beach, through the consulting firm of Ultrasystems, has prepared
a draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed restoration plan of the '
Department of Water and Power Site,
BACKGROUND
The California Coastal Commission charged with development of a coastal plan,
presented to the State legislature the California Coastal Plan which addressed
the Department of Water and POI-fer nine-acre site as follows:
lISeal Beach. Retain the nine-acre parcel of Department of ~later
and Power property in public ownership for open space and recreation. II
(P.400 Calif. Coastal Plan,)
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The State legislature enacted coastal legislation which charged the Coastal Commission
with developing a state-wide list of high priority sites for acquistion by the
Coastal Conservancy for public use, ~The DWP site was included on that list of sites.
DWP RESTORATION PLAN PREPARATION
In 1977, the Seal Beach City Council and other groups invited the State Coastal
Consvervancy to prepare a restoration plan for the site. The Coast.al Conservancy
utilized the concept of IIcitizen participation planningll \lfhereby individuals met
in workshops to prepare a plan based upon the consensus of the workshop participants,
(Approximately 200 individuals took part in the workshops over a five-month period,)
The only restriction imposed by the City of Seal Beach was that no part of the costs
of purchase, development or maintenance of the s"ite and project would fall on the
tax payers of the City.
DWP RESTORATION PLAN
The general concepts of DWP restoration plan is described as follows:
The project, \'iholly within the jurisdiction of the City of Seal Beach, California,
consists of a nine-acre site bounded by the San Gabriel River, Marina Drive, First
Street and the public beach.
The project proposal is to develop the southerly 70% of this site as a public park
and recreation facility which include~but is not restricted to the following uses:
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Saltwater Lagoon
Fishing Platform
Landscaping (6 acres)
Sand Fountain
Bike Path
Stairway to River
View Platform
Trellis over Hard Surface Terrace
(nightime overflow parking as second use)
The remainder'of the site, 30%, is proposed to be developed for visitor serving
commercial public uses and with fourteen (14) condominium residential units above
commercial as follows:
Two-story Restaurant (18,800 sq, ft.)
Youth Hostel (3,200 sq. ft.)
Condominiums (14 at 3,000 sq. ft.)
Commercial Shops (6,000 sq. ft,)
Commercial Parking (180 cars)
Cultural Center (10,000 sq. ft.)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
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The City of Seal Beach selected the 'firm of Ultrasystems, Inc., Environmental
Consultants, to prepare a draft environmental impact report in accordance with
CEQA, the State guidelines and adopted City regulations for the implementation of
the California Environmental Quality Act, Notices to this effect and requesting
input from all interested jurisdictions and individuals were published and mailed
directly in July 1979 and October 1979,
The completed draft EIR has received the required 30-day public notice and copies have been
available for public review at the following locations:
MARY WILSON LIBRARY
707 ELECTRIC AVENUE, SEAL BEACH
LEISURE WORLD LIBRARY
2300 BEVERLY MANOR ROAD, SEAL BEACH
LOS ALAMITOS-ROSSMOOR LIBRARY
12700 MONTECITO ROAD, SEAL BEACH
CITY OF SEAL BEACH PLANNING DEPARTMENT
211 EIGHTH STREET, SEAL BEACH
FEBRUARY 14, 1980 PUBLIC HEARING
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This public hearing is being conducted in compliance with ,City and State requirements
for considering environmental impact reports.
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The purpose of the public hearing is:
1. To receive additional public testimony on the draft EIR,
2. To make recommendations to the Planning Commission, City
Council and Redevelopment Agency on the completeness of the
draft EIR. ~
3. To recommend any mitigating measures that seem appropriate
to prevent adverse environmental effects which may result from
implementation of the project.
In reviewing the draft report, along with all comments received, the Director of
Planning has found that: '
1. The draft, along with the comments, are representative of a report
prepared with a sufficient degree of analysis to provide decision-
makers with information to make an intelligent decision which takes
into account environmental issues and consequences.
2. ' The overall evaluation of the environmental effects of the proposed
project were reasonable.
3. Each significant environmental issue raised was addressed in a complete
and accurate manner.
4. The draft report was developed in accordance with the requirements
of the CEQA, the State Guidelines and the requirements of the City
of Seal Beach.
All comments received to date have been incorporated into the draft EIR and are
hereby made part of the official record.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is the recommendation of the Director of Planning that the Board find this draft
EIR and comments pertaining thereto to be an adequate, accurate and conlplete report'
that was compiled in a good faith effort of full disclosure and that the report be
certified as a final EIR for this proposed project,
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Nicholas Romaniello
NR:dd
cc: Council Members
City Manager