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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 1997-10-14 .. . . Environmental Quality Control Board Minutes October 14, 1997 Call to Order at 6:30 p.m. I. Pledge of Allegiance ll. Roll Call Present: Absent: Hurley, McGuire, Voce, Christ, Rosenman None Also Present: Barry Curtis, Associate Planner m. Approval of Agenda Motion by Hurley; second by Christ to approve the agenda. Motion Carried: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 5-0-0 Hurley, McGuire, Voce, Christ, Rosenman None None Chairman Rosenman indicated to the audience that, due to a scheduling problem arising from the Board's recent change in meeting days, the Board will be adjourning this meeting at 7:15 p.m. The Board discussed potential dates for a continued meeting and determined to adjourn to Thursday, October 23, 1997 at 6:30 p.m. At the end of tonight's meeting the Board will continue to that date and time. Boardmember McGuire asked that the comment period be extended to October 31st. She also indicated if the Board meets next week, she wants the October 29th meeting cancelled, because they'd be meeting every week this month. IV. Oral Communications Dorothy Whyte, Seal Beach Voiced concern over the limited amount of time available tonight for public input. She asked why the meeting had to be finished in 45 minutes. She expressed concerns with the publication of the meeting and with the fact the comment period is rapidly coming to an end. She hoped that there would be enough time for the Board to complete these scoping meetings prior to the end of the comment period. C:\My Documents\Barry's Old StufflMy Documents\EQCB Stuff\Minutes of October 14, 1997.doc . . . EQCB Minutes of October 14, 1997 v. Consent Calendar 1. Receive and File - Letter to California Coastal Commission re: Court Remanded Bolsa Chica Local Coastal Program (LCP), Land Use Plan Amendment No. 1- 95/Implementing Actions Program 2. Receive and File - "The Power ofEI Nino", u.s. News and World Report, October 6, 1997, pages 16 through 22. 3. Environmental Quality Control Board Resolution 97-1, A Resolution of the Environmental Quality Control Board of the City of Seal Beach Recommending to the City Council the Adequacy of the Final Environmental Impact Report relating to the Hellman Ranch Specific Plan, Subject to the Concerns in "Exhibit N' Being Addressed by the City Council Motion by Hurley; second by Christ to approve the consent calendar as presented. Motion Carried: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 5-0-0 Burley, McGuire, Voce, Christ, Rosenman None None VI. Public Hearings -none VU. Scheduled Matters 4. Scoping Meeting for the Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Proposed Bixby Old Ranch Towne Center Project Mr. Curtis introduced Andie Culbertson of Culbertson, Adams & Associates, the environmental firm hired by the City to prepare the environmental impact report. Ms. Culbertson outlined the CEQA process as it applies to the Bixby application. Ms. Culbertson indicated the purpose of this scoping meeting is for the public to identify environmental concerns, in addition to those addressed in the "Notice of Preparation" for the EIR, that they wish to see addressed in the EIR. The purpose of this meeting is not comment on the merits of the proposed project. MS. Culbertson indicated her firm has already received several comment letters with good suggestions for consideration as well as proposed project alternatives to be considered. Chairman Rosenman opened the public comment period. Irwin Anisman, Rossmoor Mr. Anisman asked that the EIR address whether the proposed public driving range would be placed between Lampson and St. Cloud. If so, he felt light and traffic Page 2 Minutes of October 14, 1997 . . . EQCB Minutes of October 14, 1997 generated by it may have a negative affect on Rossmoor. He has heard Caltrans will be involved in the review of the EIR; what mitigation measures are they proposing? He felt some of the impacts should be upgraded to "Potentially Significant" these were: noise; aesthetics; public services from potential for more crime in commercial area; and, water from a potential reduction of flood water retention on the golf course. Dorothy Whyte, Seal Beach Ms. Whyte felt the driving range will create additional traffic; this should be addressed. She indicated that twice this week the signal at Lampson and Seal Beach Boulevard has been out. It's created a major traffic jam each time. She felt the EIR should address widening of the intersection and bridge to three through lanes in each direction because of the added traffic generated by the project. Audrey Kime, Seal Beach Ms. Kime indicated she and a group College Park East had forwarded a letter of concerns to the City on August 20, 1997. She provided the Board with a copy of the letter. She indicated she was glad the Board was going to continue this meeting to allow additional testimony, as this is such an important matter. Chairman Rosenman asked staff whether the comment period could be extended to the 31 Bl as Boardmember McGuire had requested? Mr. Curtis indicated the deadline on October 25th is a hard and fast deadline for responsible agencies, but staff and Culbertson, Adams were both willing to informally extend the comment period to October 31 Bl for members of the public. HJ Norton, Seal Beach Mr. Norton complained the City has provided no notice on this matter to either of the local military bases. Ms. Culbertson indicated their firm had sent copies of the "Notice of Preparation" to responsible agencies as required under CEQA. Both military bases were included in that mailing as well as the FAA and OC Airport Land Use Commission. To date only the ALUC has responded, but the comment period is still open. Mr. Norton stated City manager Keith Till had told him the he [Mr. Till] hadn't written anything regarding this project to either base. Phillip Chapperson, Seal Beach Mr. Chapperson indicated he prefers homes to commercial uses on the property because commercial uses create more traffic. He suggested the consultants poll the people of College Park East what they would prefer to have developed in their Page 3 . Minutes of October 14, 1997 . . . . . EQCB Minutes of October 14, 1997 neighborhood. Chairman Rosenman indicated the Board would take no more public testimony tonight to allow a few minutes for Board concerns. Boardmember Voce indicated he would prefer to allow the time for public comments from anyone who may not be able to attend the continued meeting on the 23rd, Chairman Rosenman asked anyone wishing to speak who will not be able to attend the continued meeting to do so now. Phil Fife, Seal Beach Mr. Fife asked that the EIR compare impacts from this proposal with those from the previous mixed-use proposal. He expressed concerns with impacts being "strung out". For example, if the tennis club site ceases to be used for that purpose it would revert back to Bixby; would the zoning revert back to commercial? Another example, the golf course is reduced in size; what if this reduction in size makes the use less viable, particularly in light of a public course opening at the Hellman site, and it closes? Ms. Culbertson indicated the former mixed-use proposal is one of the project alternatives that will be considered. The EIR will, therefore, compare the effects of the two alternatives. Chairman Rosenman indicated the EIR on the previous proposal was never certified and the Board had concerns with the adequacy of the document. Perhaps data from the previous EIR should not be used in the analysis of the mixed-use alternative. Ms. Culbertson indicated her firm would verify information from the previous EIR for accuracy before using such information. Gary Marshal, Rossmoor He asked that the EIR refer to his community as Rossmoor, rather than unincorporated county area adjacent of the project. Chairman Rosenman closed public comments. VIII. Staff Concerns - none. IX. Board Concerns Boardmember McGuire expressed a need for better advertising of these meetings. Chairman Rosenman suggested she work with staff to address this. Boardmember Christ expressed a hope the Board would receive materials in a timely manner and have full access to all materials. Page 4 Minutes of October 14, 1997 . . . . . EQCB Minutes of October 14. 1997 Chairman Rosenman expressed a concern with Boardmembers names and phone numbers being available to the public at City Hall. x. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 P.M. / Barry rtis, Secretary Environmental Quality Control Board Page 5 Minutes of October 14, 1997 . . . Fm)'n the Dcs/{ of "1)t"Ji.~ 7ltJSflnHU4M, l't "7:>. " ." &~l} J}~~~d.1~~~. P. O. Box .119.2, St1s1 Beac'h, C.allfornla /)0740..21.92 Wednosda)fj Sephnrtb(;l!r 24! 1997 M.s.. Jocmne 'tac) City Clerk City of Saal Beach! CA R.~~ J~hgD.9~. ~f.A..slgr.2~S~ Dear Mrs. Yeo, Effective imm~~diatiEtly ploasc~ chango my residential address vi~H:t".vis public; iJllquirios to: P. O. Box 3192j 5()cll Bf~Cltc::h, CA 9074,0. Thanks fur )f()Ur help wii'h this. Cordk~lly, ;X~-J 1?~ David Rosenman/ M.D. Chc:lIir! Environmental Qllclity Control B()OIrd