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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEQCB Min 2010-01-271 2 3 CITY OF SEAL BEACH Environmental Quality Control Board Minutes of January 27, 2010 Chairperson Voce called the meeting of the Environmental Quality Control Board (EQCB) to order at 6:31 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. The meeting was held in City Council Chambers and began with the Salute to the Flag.' Roll Call Present: Chairperson Voce, Members Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro Also Present: Department of Development Services Jerry Olivera, Senior Planner Absent: None Approval of Agenda MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Barton to approve the Agenda as presented. MOTION CARRIED: 5 — 0 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro NOES: None ABSENT: None Oral Communications None. Consent Calendar 1. Receive and File: Materials Re: "Low Carbon Fuel Standard," dated October 28, 2009. 2. Receive and File: Various Documents Re: Climate Change, dated October 28, 2009. These Minutes were transcribed from an audiotape of the meeting. 1 of 6 City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2010 3. Receive and File: Responses to Comments Re: Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration /Initial Study IP 09 -250 — Los Alamitos Flood Control Channel Improvement Project — County of Orange dated August 26, 2009. 4. Receive and File: California Air Resources Board Public Meeting Re: Notice of Release of Preliminary Draft Regulations — Cap- and -Trade Program for Greenhouse Gas Emissions, dated January 27, 2010. 5. Receive and File: California Air Resources Board White Paper Re: "Summary of Staff's Preliminary Assessment of the Need for Revisions to the Zero Emission Vehicle Regulation," dated January 27, 2010. 6. Receive and File: 2009 Area Designations, California Air Resources Board, dated January 27, 2010. 7. Receive and File: Various Documents Re: "Low Carbon Fuel Standard," dated January 27, 2010. Mr. Olivera noted that Member Hurley had inquired about Item No. 7, and Mr. Olivera reported that the California Air Resources Board officially adopted the Low Carbon Fuel Standards Guidelines on January 12, 2010. MOTION by Cummings; SECOND by Navarro to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. MOTION CARRIED: 5 — 0 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro NOES: None ABSENT: None Scheduled Matters 8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —September 30, 2009 Recommendation: Approve Minutes with any corrections deemed appropriate. Mr. Olivera noted that September 30, 2009, reflects a typographical error. The correct date should be October 28, 2009. Chairperson Voce recommended continuing this item to the next scheduled meeting to allow the Board Members time to review the copy of the October 28, 2009 meeting minutes. The Board was in agreement. MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Barton to continue approval of the meeting minutes of October 28, 2009, to the next scheduled meeting of February 24, 2010. MOTION CARRIED: 5 — 0 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro 2 of 6 City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2010 NOES: None ABSENT: None 9. City of Seal Beach Comments Re: Initial Study /Mitigated Negative Declaration 15 -09 — "Studebaker LB, LLC — Tank Removal Project, " dated January 14, 2010. Recommendation: Authorize approval of letter with any modifications determined appropriate, instruct Chairperson to sign proposed Comment Letter. Instruct staff to forward to City Council and Planning Commission for information. Receive and File Staff Report. Staff Report Mr. Olivera stated that this project is located at the site of the former proposed Home Depot project. He indicated that the proposal is to remove storage tanks that are no longer in use. Board Comments Member Navarro questioned whether this Initial Study /Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS /MND) is valid, since there is no report of what is projected for the use of this property once the tanks are removed. She also expressed concerns over vehicle trips for trucks working on the project and traffic impacts upon Seal Beach. Mr. Olivera explained that this IS /MND is specific to the tank removal project, and should the City of Long Beach propose a new project for this site, additional environmental reports would be required at that time. Member Hurley stated that he is pleased with the comment letter, but noted a correction to Page 7 of the Staff Report noting that both items under Item XV are identified as Item XV.a, rather than XV.a and XV.d. Member Barton stated that she enjoyed the letter, but Staff must ensure that the City of Seal Beach is apprised of what the future use of this property will be. She then asked if Leisure World is to be impacted by work trucks traveling along Westminster Avenue, or would they be using Studebaker Road. Mr. Oliver stated that he believes the route would be along the 22 Freeway and exiting on Studebaker Road. MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Cummings to instruct Chairperson to sign comment letter as amended. Instruct Staff to forward to City Council and Planning Commission for information. Receive and File Staff Report, as presented. MOTION CARRIED: 5 — 0 AYES: Voce, Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro NOES: None ABSENT: None 3 of 6 City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2010 10. Appointment of Environmental Quality Control Board Member to the General Plan /Local Coastal Plan Citizens Advisory Committee. Staff Report Mr. Olivera stated that the Citizens Advisory Committee would be participating in the revision of the Housing Element and review of the proposed Local Coastal Plan for the City of Seal Beach, and a Board Member must appointed to represent the EQCB. Chairperson Voce stated that he is the appointee representing the EQCB from "way back when," but should the Board wish to appoint another member, he would open for nominations. Member Cummings stated that she would not be able to accept a nomination. Member Hurley moved that the Board re- appoint Chairperson Voce; Member Navarro seconded the motion. Chairperson Voce stated that he would abstain from voting. MOTION by Hurley; SECOND by Navarro to re- appoint Chairperson Voce to the General Plan /Local Coastal Plan Citizens Advisory Committee. MOTION CARRIED: 4-0-0-1 AYES: Barton, Cummings, Hurley, and Navarro NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Voce 11. Update on ARCO Station at 5 St. and Pacific Coast Highway — Memorandum to be distributed at Board meeting of January 27, 2010.) Chairperson Voce stated that meetings on this issue are ongoing. He said that soil contamination at this site has previously occurred and is being revisited. Member Navarro thanked Mark Persico for the timely provision of this information via e -mail. Chairperson Voce commented that when he spoke with Mr. Persico last week, he found him to be very courteous and willing to listen, and responded to Chairperson Voce's concerns. He noted that Mr. Persico expressed his concerns over the "paper load' that is cranked out every month to all of the members. He said that he believes Staff is planning on converting to electronic means to convey information. Mr. Olivera confirmed that in the future Staff will be providing an electronic "synopsis" of most of the items on the agenda, and should the individual members wish to review the complete document, it will be made available to them. Chairperson Voce noted for 4 of 6 City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2010 those members who do not have access to a computer or e-mail, a "hard copy" of the information would continue to be provided. Member Barton and Hurley noted that they do not have access to a computer. Chairperson Voce indicated that in the future a hard copy of the agenda would continue to be delivered to these two members. 12. Further discussion on wood - burning fireplaces. Chairperson Voce stated that tonight he has distributed information on wood - burning fireplaces, and noted that this winter smoke from wood burning fireplaces appears to be worse than in previous winters. He indicated that he will continue to pursue this matter until some type of resolution comes about, by providing more educational materials related to this issue. He requested that the Board Members also provide input or recommendations to help create a support and perhaps a proposal for presentation to City Council. Member Hurley inquired about the proposed plan to have educational material included with the monthly utility billings. Member Voce stated that he believes the only material circulated was the information from the Air Quality Management District (AQMD) for conversion of wood burning fireplaces to gas burning. He commented that this does not solve the problem, as gas fireplaces also burn logs and this particulate matter is sucked into surrounding homes via their heating systems. Chairperson Voce stated that the Board needs to look at measures to curb this problem next winter. He added that when this issue was last discussed in October 2009, the Board had requested that Staff provide updates on air pollution from AQMD. He noted that he has not seen any new updates, but asked that Staff provide these as they are made available by AQMD. Mr. Olivera noted that AQMD now requires that fireplaces in new construction be gas burning, as well as for outdoor fireplaces or fire pits. Chairperson Voce noted that portable fire pits are still sold at hardware stores, but the AQMD has also banned these. He asked that Staff confirm this. Member Navarro recommended contacting local real estate agents, who frequently use the term "wood- burning fireplaces" as a selling point in their advertisements for homes. She said that she does not believe that people have a general awareness of this issue and how harmful it can be. She indicated that it would be best to begin with an information campaign to create awareness within the community. She suggested continuing with a regular mailing of information with the monthly utility bills and establishing a link for information on the City website. Chairperson Voce stated that this issue should eventually be categorized as a "public nuisance" in the City Code. Member Hurley recommended contacting the Orange County Health Care Agency to discuss this issue. Chairperson Voce added that at the last meeting the Board had also recommended contacting other cities to see how they have handled this problem. Mr. Olivera stated that he would look into these options. 5 of 6 City of Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board Meeting Minutes of January 27, 2010 Staff Concerns Mr. Olivera noted that each Board Member has been provided with a copy of the Draft Title 11 Zoning Code. He stated that beginning in March several community meetings are planned for review of this document Board Concerns Member Navarro stated that even after the work completed on the storm drains, College Park East (CPE) still experienced flooding along Ironwood Avenue, Candleberry Avenue, and Lampson Avenue. She noted that further work is to be done on two storm drains in CPE and she would like a status update on this work at the next meeting. Adjournment Chairperson Voce adjourned the meeting at 7:18 p.m. to the next scheduled meeting of February 24, 2010. Respectfully Submitted, Carmen Alvarez, Executive Assistant Department of Development Services The Board on March 3, 2010, approved the Minutes of the Environmental Quality Control Board of Wednesday, January 27, 2010. Ze� . 6 of 6