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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 2002-02-27 . '. " . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 .22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 . 1CITY OF SEAL BEACH Environmental Quality Control Board Minutes of February 27, 2002 The Environmental Quality Control Board (EQCB) meeting of February 27, 2002 was called to order by Vice-Chairperson Hurley at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was held in the City Manager's Conference Room. Roll Call Present: Absent: Also Present: Vice-Chairperson Hurley, Members Jones, and Unrath Chairperson Porter and Member Voce Department of Development Services Mac Cummins, Assistant Planner Mr. Cummins reported that he had not heard from either Chairperson Porter or Member Voce regarding their absence tonight. II Approval of Agenda MOTION by Jones; SECOND by Unrath to approve the Agenda as presented MOTION CARRIED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 3-0-2 Hurley, Jones, and Unrath None Porter and Voce III Oral Communications None. IV Consent Calendar 1. RECEIVE AND FILE - Letter to Mary A. Angle, Executive Officer, Rivers & Mountains Conservancy, Re: City of Seal Beach Approval - San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers Watershed and Open Space Plan. Letter dated February 12,2002. 1 These Minutes were transcribed from an audiotape of the meeting \\DA T AFILE\USERS\CAlvarez\Carmen_data\EQCB\02-27 -02 EQCB Minutes.doc 1 '. .1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 .46 City of Seal Beach Environmental QualIty Control Board Meeting Minutes of February 27, 2002 2. RECEIVE AND FILE - Memo to EQCB, Re: Receipt of Responses to Comments - Focused Site Inspection Phase II Report, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. 3. RECEIVE AND FILE - Staff Report to EQCB, Re: Receipt of Several Documents for Receipt and Filing. 4. RECEIVE AND FILE - Memo to EQCB, Re: Seal Beach Weapons Support Facility - Installation Restoration Program - Status Report Re: RAB Update. MOTION by Jones; SECOND by Unrath to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. MOTION CARRIED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 3-0-2 Hurley, Jones, and Unrath None Porter and Voce V Scheduled Matters 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - November 28,2001 Vice-Chairperson Hurley confirmed with Mr. Cummins that the minutes of November 28, 2001 had been approved at the meeting of December 19, 2001. Mr. Cummins reviewed the minutes of December 19, 2001 and determined that the November minutes had been approved on that date. He noted that no action needed to be taken on this item. 6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - December 19, 2001 Recommendation: Approve Minutes subject to any corrections determined appropriate. Vice-Chairperson Hurley noted that he had submitted some minor corrections to the Department Secretary. MOTION by Jones; SECOND by Hurley to approve the Meeting Minutes of December 19, 2001 as amended. MOTION CARRIED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 4-0-1 Hurley, Jones, Unrath, and Voce None Porter \\DATAFILE\USERS\CAlvarez\Carmen_data\EQCB\02-27-02 EQCB Minutes doc 2 . " " . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 .46 City of Seal Beach Environmental Qualify Control Board Meeting Minutes of February 27, 2002 VI Staff Concerns Mr. Cummins reminded the Members of the Scoping Meeting regarding the Boeing Property scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2002, at 6:30 p.m. He stated that he has prepared a memorandum detailing what a scoping session is and also explaining the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process for preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). He explained that because it has been a while since the City has prepared an EIR, he felt It would be helpful to provide this Information to the members prior to the actual review of the Boeing EIR. He stated that the scoping session is not mandated by CEQA, but is a process that many lead agencies will include to ensure that discussion of all necessary environmental areas IS included in the EIR. He said that RBF Consultants, who are the City consultants on this project, are in the process of preparing a Draft Initial Study Notice of Preparation (NOP) that is to be published and distributed on Monday, March 4, 2002, which will begin the 3D-day comment period. He noted that the EQCB members would receive a copy for review prior to the Scoping Session. He reported that the project is an approximate 105-acre parcel of land running along the south and western portions of the Boeing property. He stated that the project proposes light industrial uses along the western portion of the parcel and a future retail hotel component to be located along Westminster Avenue. Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked if representatives from the City would be attending the scoping session. Mr. Cummins reported that he and the consultant team would be in attendance. He stated that the City has retained the firm of Hogle-Ireland, a professional planning firm, to assist Staff in offsetting some of the workload. Member Jones asked if the costs for preparation of the EIR would be covered by Boeing. Mr. Cummins explained that the City has retained RBF Consultants and any costs incurred in preparing the EIR would be billed to Boeing. Member Unrath inquired as to what Hogle-Ireland would be responsible for. Mr. Cummins stated that Hogle-Ireland would be drafting the City Staff Reports to the EQCB, Planning Commission, and City Council, which would be reviewed by the Director of Development Services and the Assistant Planner prior to presentation to these agencies. Member Jones asked if there were more information to review prior to the scoping meeting. Mr. Cummins reported that the Board members would receive a copy of the Draft Initial Study NOP next week. Vice- Chairperson Hurley inquired whether Staff would be the first to review any reports received from these consultant agencies. Mr. Cummins confirmed that this was correct. Vice-Chairperson Hurley then asked if the Draft Initial Study NOP would include the environmental checklist. Mr. Cummins confirmed that it would. Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked if so far Staff was in agreement with the consultants' determinations on the environmental checklist. Mr. Cummins stated that there were some minor language corrections, but the substantial portion of the report was reviewed and approved as presented. He emphasized that although the consultants are drafting the document, this is actually a document that the City is presenting. Member Jones asked if the City is presenting the document, does this mean that the City is in favor of the project? Mr. Cummins responded that it is the City's job is to facilitate environmental disclosure, and not necessarily to promote anyone project. He stated that under CEQA the City must ensure that potential environmental impacts are properly disclosed. Member Jones noted that when the Bixby Project began there appeared to be a favorable response \\DA T AFILE\USERS\CAlvarez\Carmen_ data\EQCB\02-27 -02 EQCB Mlnutes.doc 3 ... . " . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 .46 City of Seal Beach Environmental Qualtty Control Board Meeting Mmutes of February 27, 2002 from the City, as the project would help generate sales tax for the City. He asked if the City felt the same about this project. Mr. Cummins stated that City zoning does allow the light industrial use and there will be a General Plan Amendment to allow the hotel and retail uses, which will have a positive fiscal impact for the City. Member Unrath commented that there might be a feeling that light industrial would not produce quite as much income for the City as a retail or hotel use. Member Jones noted that the more retail the City has the more people and traffic there would be. Member Unrath stated that light industrial could produce just as much traffic, primarily at the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., whereas retail traffic would be disbursed throughout the day. Mr. Cummins stated that the plan does allow for point-of-sale warehouse retail type of sales. Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked if notices were to be mailed to the public. Mr. Cummins reported that notice will be published in the newspaper and mailed to all residents within a 300-foot radius of the property, including those Leisure World mutuals that fall within this radius boundary. Mr. Cummins encouraged the Board members to feel free to call him at his workplace with any questions regarding the scoping process. He reported that Staff anticipates having a fairly large attendance at the scoping meeting so it will be held in Council Chambers to accommodate this. Member Jones confirmed that the task of the EQCB is to ensure that all environmental issues are properly addressed and not necessarily to air personal opinions. Mr. Cummins stated that this was correct. He explained that the Board needs to comment on items that may be listed as "No Impact" but the Board feels need to be further evaluated in an EIR. Vice-Chairperson Hurley asked if in order for his recommendation to be valid, it would have to be approved by a majority Board vote. Mr. Cummins responded that at this point all that is being considered are issues that the City may consider significant and that require further evaluation by the Board. He indicated that all the necessary technical studies would be done when the EIR is completed, at which point the EIR will again come before the Board for review. He noted that 3 out of the 5 City Council members would have to agree with the EQCB majority vote. Member Unrath asked if this project would require a zOning change. Mr. Cummins responded that a Specific Plan for the whole area and also a General Plan would be prepared to reflect this. He stated that the Specific Plan would come before the Board at the same time as the Draft EIR (DEIR). Member Jones asked what the current zoning for the property is. Mr. Cummins reported that currently it is zoned as a Light Manufacturing (M-1) Zone and allows a certain number of this type of land uses by right. He said the Specific Plan will allow certain design type features along Seal Beach Boulevard in terms of landscaping, medians, street light fixtures, Interior landscaping improvements, and specific land uses. Member Unrath asked if the DEIR would be provided prior to the meeting of March 13. Mr. Cummins stated that copies of the Initial Study and NOP would be provided. He explained that there would then be a 3D-day comment period ending on April 4, after which time comments received will be reviewed In preparation for completion of the DEIR. Member Unrath asked if the DEIR would be the same as the previous DEIR. Mr. Cummins stated that it would be very similar to the previous EIR except for the allowance for hotel and retail uses in the northern portion of the proposed property, and comments received from Fish & Game on the previous DEIR have created the need for Site Plan changes due to drainage ditches that run east-west through the property that contain a protected species of plants. \\DA T AFILE\USERS\CAlvarez\Carmen_data\EQCB\02-27 -02 EQCB M mutes. doc 4 ,t . t . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 . City of Seal Beach Environmental Qualtty Control Board Meeting Minutes of February 27, 2002 VII Board Concerns Member Jones stated that he had digital photographs of areas along the San Gabriel River at low tide showing a lot of trash. He stated that he had observed at least 10 shopping carts along a 200-yard stretch of the river that were not there a year ago. He said that this has created much concern for him, and he asked if there were an agency to which the Board could forward this information. Member Unrath inquired whether renovation of the Rossmoor Shopping Center would require any action by the EQCB, in particular because 4 buildings are to be demolished and a new Kohl's Department Store and Home Express Store are to be added to the center. Mr. Cummins stated that the initial study for this project was to be published on March 1, 2002, and would not require review by the EQCB. He reported that the project would require a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), which would go directly to the Planning Commission. He stated that the traffic impact report reflects no significant changes at any intersection in the surrounding area. (Document is available for viewing in the Department of Development Services.) He explained that the only issue that created the need for the CEQA process was the need for discretionary approval for the architectural features on the buildings that will exceed the maximum height limit. He stated that otherwise, this project would have been permitted by right in the Commercial (C-2) Zone. Member Jones noted that renovation of the Rossmoor Center is a result of the new Old Ranch Town Center moving in across the street. He commented that the Old Ranch Town Center looks very attractive and up-to-date and he is glad that It won approval as it has prompted redevelopment of the Rossmoor Center. VIII Adjournment Vice-Chairperson Hurley adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m. to the special Scoping Meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 2002. Respectfully Submitted, ~.t't..~~~ G.~L~~ Carmen Alvarez, Executive Secretary Department of Development Services The Board on March 27, 2002 approved the Minutes of the Environmental Quality Control Board of Wednesday, February 27, 2002. ~. \\DA T AFILE\USERS\CAlvarez\Carmen_ data\EQCB\02-27 -02 EQCB Minutes.doc 5