HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 2000-04-26
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CITY OF SEAL BEACH
Environmental Quality Control Board
Minutes
April 26, 2000
The Environmental Quality Control Board (EQCB) meeting of April 26, 2000 was called
to order by Chairperson Porter at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was held in City Manager's
Conference Room.
I. Pledge of Allegiance
II. Roll Call
Present:
Absent:
Also
Present:
Chairperson Porter, Members Hurley, Jones, and Voce
Member McGuire
Department of Development Services
Mac Cummins, Assistant Planner
Mr. Cummins stated that Staff had not heard from Member McGuire. Member Voce
asked if Councilperson Campbell had been contacted. Mr. Cummins stated that Staff
has not yet informed Ms. Campbell, as the board had recommended that Member
McGuire be contacted before notifying Councilperson Campbell. Member Voce asked if
Member McGuire wanted to remain a member of the board. Mr. Cummins stated that
late last summer she had indicated that she would not be able to continue her
participation on EQCB due to family commitments. She stated that she would be
discussing this with Council person Campbell; however, since that time Staff has not
heard from Member McGuire. Chairperson Porter stated that he would attempt to
contact Member McGuire.
III. Approval of Agenda
MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Voce to approve the Agenda as presented.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
IV. Oral Communications
None.
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2000
V. Consent Calendar
1. RECEIVE AND FILE - Staff Report to EQCB Re: Responses to Comments Re:
"Draft - Work Plan for Long Term Groundwater Monitoring at Installation
Restoration Sites 40 and 70, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach" and "Final Work
Plan for long term groundwater monitoring at Installation sites 40 and 70, Naval
Weapons Station, Seal Beach."
2. RECEIVE AND FILE - "Final Technical Memorandum No.7, Supplemental Shallow
Groundwater Pilot Test Report, Installation Restoration Site 70, Naval Weapons
Station, Seal Beach,"
MOTION by Voce; SECOND by Hurley to approve the Consent Calendar as presented.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
VI. Scheduled Matters
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - March 29, 2000
Recommendation: Approve Minutes subject to any corrections determined
appropriate.
Vice-Chairperson Hurley noted that it was his impression that the Board had voted to
excuse Member Jones from the March 29, 2000 meeting. Chairperson Porter asked that
the record be corrected to reflect this.
Vice-Chairperson Hurley requested that a typographical error on Page 2, Line 37 be
corrected.
MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Voce to approve the Minutes of March 29, 2000 as
amended.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
Jones
4, City Response Letter Re: "Draft Baseline Survey Report, Revision 0, Subsurface
Soil and Groundwater Investigation - Site 14, Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach,"
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2000
Recommendation: Authorize the Chairman to sign the draft response letter, with
any additional comments determined appropriate, and instruct staff to forward to the
City Council for Information.
MOTION by Voce; SECOND by Hurley to Authorize the Chairman to sign the draft
response letter, with the changes approved by the board. Instruct staff to forward to the
City Council for Information purposes.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
5. City Response Letter Re: "Approval of Comment Letter Re: Draft Environmental
Impact Report Re: Barns Area Restoration & Education Center Project, Rancho Los
Alamitos - City of Long Beach."
Recommendation: Authorize the Chairman to sign the draft response letter, with
any additional comments determined appropriate, and instruct staff to forward to the
City Council for Information.
Vice-Chairperson Hurley noted a correction to be made to Page 4, the first page of the
letter.
MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Voce to Authorize the Chairman to sign the draft
response letter, with the changes approved by the board. Instruct staff to forward to the
City Council for Information purposes.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
VII. Staff Concerns
None.
VIII. Board Concerns
Vice-Chairperson Hurley inquired about the next scheduled meeting date. Chairperson
Porter noted that the next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, May 31, 2000. Vice-
Chairperson Hurley stated that if the EQCB was supposed to meet the 4th Wednesday of
every month, the meeting should be scheduled for Wednesday, May 24, 2000. Mr.
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2000
Cummins stated that he would check the published schedule to confirm the date and would
provide copies for the board members.
Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked Member Jones if with his travel schedule, would he be able
to determine when he would not be able to attend the EQCB meetings. Member Jones
responded that his schedule would not allow for pre-notification of his travel dates.
Chairperson Porter noted that he would be able to notify the board ahead of time should he
be unable to attend.
Chairperson Porter stated that he would like to determine whether Member McGuire would
be remaining on the board. He requested that she be contacted.
Member Voce noted that there is a tree ordinance being drafted for the City. He said that
based on State Law 53067, which makes it illegal to top trees, he would like to see a
reference to this law made in the text of the City's tree ordinance to ensure that tree
trimmers are notified of this ahead of time. He stated that the members were welcome to
provide their input. He said he believes this is very important as every year he has seen
much of the tree volume in the City removed. He noted that owners of commercial
business complexes are being encouraged to raise their standards for trimming of the trees
in their complexes. Chairperson Porter asked If there were agreements with the City to
plant a certain number of trees each year to make up for those that are lost. Member Voce
responded that the Tree Board does apply for grants to fund replenishment of trees.
Member Voce reported that a new ordinance has been adopted requiring that dogs in Gum
Grove Park must be on a leash. He referred to his comments made at the March 1, 2000
EQCB meeting as recorded in the minutes, and to the memorandum in response to his
comments. He stated that in the past Gum Grove issues were routinely handled by the
EQCB. He said that he is certain that there are wetlands at the base of the grove that were
delineated by the same biologist that completed the plans for the Hellman Ranch Project.
He stated that Gum Grove Park is an environmentally sensitive habitat, but he has not
been able to locate any literature defining Gum Grove as such. He said that it is always a
legitimate concern when a wetlands environment is involved, whether in Gum Grove Park
or down the street. He said that this was legitimate C(oncern, which he felt was snubbed
and cut out of the process. Mr. Voce stated that he believed these issues should quality
EQCB to have some kind of purview beyond that of the Parks Commission. He stated that
the Parks Commission did not look into environmental matters at Gum Grove and,
consequently, made recommendations without true environmental input. He said that in
the future when he discusses Gum Grove Park he would like to know that his comments
are being taken seriously by Staff. He stated that the Gum Grove Park group was told that
the Parks and Recreation Commission would be bringing the leash law back before the City
Council as early as late April or early May, and it took place in April, taking everyone by
surprise, because no one was notified. He said that the EQCB should be aware of this
matter so that they are not cut out of a true environmental input process in the future.
Chairperson Porter stated that perhaps the Parks and Recreation Commission and City
Council should be notified that EQCB must be notified of important environmental matters,
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2000
Member Voce stated that it was up to Staff to notify EQCB whenever environmental issues
come up.
Member Voce reported that the City Council had made smoking on the pier illegal. He said
this was good because now cigarette butts would not be thrown into the ocean.
Member Jones stated that his district had been the recipient of a beautiful median, which
has been planted for the last year with trees. He said it is very beautifully done and he
wanted to state for the record that he commends Public Works for a fine job.
Chairperson Porter stated that he has been approached by a couple of people in his district
who have a little bit of grass in front of their homes, and find that lately dog owners have
allowed their dogs to eliminate their waste matter on the grass. One of the homeowners
placed a sign at the front of his home stating "Please clean up after your dog," and now the
homeowner finds that dog owners are allowing their dogs to "poop" in front of the sign.
Chairperson Porter said that the dog waste is ugly looking and goes into the sewers. Mr.
Cummins stated that he believed there is a section in the City Code that deals with this
issue, but, unfortunately, this is like other issues that are very difficult to enforce.
Chairperson Porter stated that enforcement by issuing tickets is not always effective, and
he is concerned that the property owners may attempt to confront the dog owners, which
could lead to a volatile situation. He suggested that placing an article in the newspaper to
help educate and remind residents of the need to be courteous to their neighbors might be
helpful. Mr. Cummins stated that concerned residents could contact their Councilperson or
the City Manager to seek resolution of the issue.
Mr. Cummins noted that he wished to apologize to Member Voce if he thought the
memorandum composed by Mr. Cummins was terse. He said that environmental quality
issues that affect Gum Grove Park are well within the purview of the EQCB. He stated that
some of the comments made at the meeting of March 1, 2000, questioning whether or not
the City Manager had the power to tell the Chief of Police to not enforce issues related to
Gum Grove were, in fact, not within the purview of EQCB. He stated that his understanding
was that the wetlands mentioned by Member Voce are located on the Hellman Property,
and that Gum Grove Park has not been officially declared as an environmentally sensitive
habitat by any agency. Member Voce stated that the biologist's map does delineate the
wetlands at the end of Gum Grove. He indicated that the EIR might include a copy of this
map. He stated that the map was prepared when Hellman Ranch was proposing a golf
course on this property-a project that did not receive approval. He said that as the
property is delineated, Fish and Game laws and other federal and state laws do apply. He
suggested requesting a copy of the map to assist in clarifying this matter. Member Voce
stated that in any case, a 50-foot wetlands buffer around that area for all domestic pets
should be enforced. Mr. Cummins stated that he would investigate the matter to determine
whether any wetlands do intrude onto Gum Grove Park and if there are any state or federal
regulations mandating wetlands buffers. Member Voce stated that this has never been
determined and that when the macadam was constructed it splayed into and partially filled
some of the wetlands. Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked on what legal basis the 50-foot
buffer was proper. Member Voce responded that this is the minimum accepted buffer
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City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board
Meeting Minutes of April 26, 2000
established by both Fish and Game and the Army Corps of Engineers. Chairperson Porter
asked what EQCB could do to get clarification on this issue. Member Voce responded that
a copy of the map would help clear up any questions on this matter. Mr. Cummins stated
that he would acquire this information. Member Jones asked if the freshwater supply WAS
through the water table. Member Voce responded that because the water is so close to the
surface at the bottom of the grove, when it rains, part of it comes down the embankment of
the hill, and another part lays in place on top of ground where the water table is already
very high. He said that it fills up after only a couple of inches of rain. Member Voce stated
that he had discussed this area with the Fish and Wildlife person from the Naval Weapons
Station who stated that he was very interested in the fresh water wetlands near Gum Grove
because he needs a bivouac in place for mating geese. He is very interested in all of these
parcels of wetlands that can be made available for freshwater birds. Member Jones asked
what typically delineates a buffer zone. Member Voce stated that the area beyond a
certain portion of contamination of the wetland would be the buffer zone. Member Jones
asked what, other than an imaginary line on a map delineates the buffer zone from the non-
buffer zone. Member Voce stated that there was no fence to delineate the buffer zone.
IX. Adjournment
MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Voce to adjourn to the next meeting of May 24, 2000.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
4-0-1
Porter, Hurley, Jones, and Voce
None
McGuire
Chairperson Porter adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
~~
Carmen Alvarez, Executive Secretary
Department of Development Services
The Board on May 24, 2000 approved the Minutes of the Environmental Quality Control
Board of Wednesday, April 26, 2000. ~ .
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