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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAAC Min 1997-04-09 CITY OF SEAL BEACH '-' ARCHAEOLOGICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES APRIL 9, 1997 CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chairperson Fitzpatrick called the meeting to order at 5:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Members Benjamin, Fitzpatrick, Goldberg, Johnston, Unatin (5:15 PM), Willey, and Young, Absent: Chairperson Frietze '-' Staff Present: Lee Whittenberg, Development Services Director Mr. Whittenberg informed the Committee that Chairperson Frietze had called and said she would not be able to attend due to a family medical emergency. Member Unatin has called and he will be about 15 minutes late in arriving. MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Willey to excuse the absence of Chairperson Frietze. MOTION CARRIED: 6-0-2 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Willey, Young and Vice- Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Member Unatin and Chairperson Frietze APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Willey to approve the Agenda as presented. '-' MOTION CARRIED: 6 - 0 - 2 C:\My DocumentsIARCHCOMM\04-09-97 Minutes.docILWl04-24-97 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 \.. AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Willey, Young and Vice- Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Member Unatin and Chairperson Frietze ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Vice-Chairperson Fitzpatrick asked for oral communications from the audience. There were none. CONSENT CALENDAR Before the vote, Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick noted the Navy is downsizing and reconfiguring at the Naval Weapons Station and asked if this would effect any of their projects? Mr. Whittenberg said to his knowledge the downsizing is not affecting remediation activities. He did not know if this would effect new construction activities. '-' Member Willey asked to be excused to answer a page. The Chair agreed. MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Benjamin to approve the Consent Calendar: 1. RECEIVE AND FILE - City Council Staff Report of February 24, 1997, and City of Seal Beach Comment Letter dated February 25, 1997, re: "Pre-Final Extended Removal Site Evaluation Work Plan, IR Sites 40 and 70, Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach". 2. RECEIVE AND FILE - City of Seal Beach Comment Letter dated February 19, 1997 and City Council Staff Report dated February 24, 1997, re: "Focused Site Inspection Report for Operable Units 4 and 5, Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station". 3. RECEIVE AND FILE - City Council Staff Report of February 24, 1997, and City of Seal Beach Comment Letter dated February 25, 1997, re: "Draft Environmental Assessment/Initial Study for Implementation of the Multiple Construction Project (MCP), Armed Forces Reserve Center, Los Alamitos". 4. RECEIVE AND FILE - Letter to State Historic Preservation Office from Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station re: Determination of No Impact, Ballfield Restoration, dated March 13, 1997. '-" 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 2 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 '-" 5. RECEIVE AND FILE - Status Report re: Hellman Ranch Archaeological Consultant Selection Process. MOTION CARRIED: 6-0-2 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Willey, Young and Vice- Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Member Unatin and Chairperson Frietze SCHEDULED MATTERS Member Unatin arrived at 5: 15 PM. 6. Approve Minutes of Special Archaeological Advisory Committee of January 8, 1997. '-" Staff noted Members Fitzpatrick and Johnston were absent at that meeting. MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Benjamin to approve the Minutes as presented. MOTION CARRIED: 4-0-2-2 A YES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Unatin, and Young NOES: None ABSTAIN: Member Johnston and Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick ABSENT: Chairperson Frietze, Member Willey out of room 7. Approve Minutes of a Continued Meeting of the Archaeological Advisory Committee, held on January 15, 1997. Member Willey returned. Member Johnston said the spelling of the name "J uaneno" was incorrect on page 3. '-' 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 3 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 \...- MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Young to approve the Minutes as presented, with correction as noted. MOTION CARRIED: 7-0-1 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Unatin, Willey, Young and Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Chairperson Frietze 8. Review and Discussion with Gum Grove Park Group regarding issues of Mutual concern regarding Gum Grove Park. Mr. Whittenberg noted the Archaeological Advisory Committee had a meeting on February 5, 1997, with a presentation from the Gum Grove Park Group about their activities. The Committee asked the Group to return for a second meeting. That meeting could not be held due to lack of a quorum. Mario Voce has come to the meeting this evening to update the Committee on the Gum Grove Nature Park Group (Group) and their activities. '-' Mario Voce * Gum Grove Nature Park Group Mr. Voce introduced himself as a member of the Environmental Quality Control Board (EQCB) and the Gum Grove Nature Park Group. He asked the Committee for permission and guidance for the Group to plant in the Gum Grove Park. Mr. Voce explained the Group is working on a long-term restoration program for Gum Grove Park. He explained restoration when it involves a nature park. He explained an exotic borer killed 100 of the 450 existing Eucalyptus trees. Under the guidance of a State forester, the Group identified the dead trees and worked on a restoration program for them. This involved removal of the dead trees and the replanting of new trees that are resistive to borer attack. Another necessary part of the restoration would be an irrigation system. The Group would prefer over-the-ground, elevated, and collapsible Rain Birds. Because they would be portable, you could move them around the park as you need to. Nothing needs to be dug to implement this system and it's not expensive. Such an irrigation system would help prevent fires. Because Gum Grove Park is a wilderness area and they plan to plant native Californian trees, shrubs and flowers, including herbs. A part of restoring California's indigenous biology is to start with the plant life. This will be a big step forward because all the native California animal species will be '-" 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 4 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 \..,.. able to make Gum Grove Park their home because they will have their food sources. He asked the Committee if there is an area of Gum Grove Park which, at this time, it is safe to plant new trees? Also, what safeguards does the Committee recommend and would they want a monitor present? He invited the Committee for a tour of Gum Grove Park and asked staff to get back to him on a date and time. He noted this could be done on weekdays and weekends. He noted Gum Grove Day is Sunday, April 27th. There will be a bird watching tour at 8:00 a.m. and other activities primarily for children from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. '-" Member Benjamin asked how much the restoration program will cost and where is the money coming from? Mr. Voce said funding is by donations and the Group has been saving for two years and not spending money. They don't know how much everything will . cost because they haven't totaled the restoration. They are doing this year-by-year and project-by-project. The irrigation project could cost $1,000. They hope to save up to $10,000 because that will enable them to receive matching grant programs, which have been offered. That would be real money to work with. The City helps through maintenance and not with funds. For example, mowing the dead grass when the park is very dry - to prevent fires. Member Goldberg asked Mr. Whittenberg if spring and summer planting would be possible, noting there is a standstill until another archaeologist is hired. She asked where the Committee is with reports put out by Dr. Stickel, is there anything related to Gum Grove Park to say that planting can proceed? Or would it be best to only water and do no planting until the appropriate time? Mr. Whittenberg said the City has Dr. Stickel's site survey maps, which cover extensive areas. Staff could review those base maps and attempt to get some direction from them. The new EIR indicates another archaeologist's opinion, that Dr. Stickel was very conservative on his site boundaries. If the Committee were to stay outside Dr. Stickel's boundaries they would be okay and that would give the Group a place to start working. Once the archaeologist ultimately does his work out there and finalizes the boundaries then at that point there may be other areas to work in. ~ Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick asked if the diseased trees were dug out and removed? Mr. Voce said yes, that happened in the winter of 1996. The problem was diagnosed in fall of 1995. In February 1996 they were cut down to the surface by an arborist. A couple of the trees he wanted to save because they were 100 years old, so they preserved a tree stump. Mr. Voce said he 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 5 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 \....- understood about the sensitive areas and the need for security. He added that last year, when the roots were removed a backhoe was used and as machines, they're indiscriminate. Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick asked how fast this could be acted on to assist Mr. Voce? Mr. Whittenberg said realistically 4 - 6 months. The archaeologist interview panel will meet for a second round of interviews next Wednesday. They will interview two firms, which made the first cut. A recommendation from the interview panel will then go to the City Council for their April 28th meeting. If the Council makes a decision at that time to retain a certain firm, by the time the contracts are signed and insurance provided, it will be thirty (30) days before they will start working on the project. The first part of their project is to write a Research Design and get it approved by the City and the California Coastal Commission. This must be done prior to their doing any detailed investigation. \....- Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick asked if Member Willey could take the maps prepared by Dr. Stickel and give Mr. Voce places where he could plant? Mr. Whittenberg said he didn't think that would be a problem. Member Willey said she didn't recall anything received from Dr. Stickle as locating the sites on the U.S. Survey maps. The question is, did he locate the sites and tie them into the data points --- as should have been done? Mr. Whittenberg said Dr. Stickel had a fairly detailed map but thought it might be tied to the topographical map. Member Willey said if the sites are tied to the topographical map, the best thing that could happen is to get the areas of planting tied to the topo map and from there she thought the Committee should go ahead and let them plant. Member Goldberg asked Mr. Voce if this was satisfactory or was he looking for this Committee to do something more? Mr. Voce replied that he knows the Group has to work within this Committee's scheduling. The Group would like to plant three (3) trees on Gum Grove Day. They would be replacing three trees that were planted last year and died; they planted eleven (11) trees last year. He noted that they don't have to plant lots of trees this year and next year --- a few each year can be done. They are planting 15-gallon size trees, not the big crate size. He explained the size of the hole needed. Herbaceous plants need small size holes. He said he didn't want to plant anything without permission and clear direction. Mr. Voce asked about a having a monitor present, noting he did not have the sophistication to know what he was looking for. He thought somebody else, having a better orientation, would be a good idea. '-" 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 6 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9, 1997 '-" Member Willey asked when the plantings would take place? Mr. Voce said the plantings would take place during the day. The City's staff would do the main part of the planting. Last year the Group planted one tree on Gum Grove Day and City staff planted the other ten. This year they'd want to plant the three new seedling trees in the previous three dead tree holes. He didn't think they could plant more than 20 trees per year. The money has to be available and the sites must be considered not only from an archaeological standpoint but also from a botanical standpoint --- certain distances between trees etc. Approximately ten trees per year would be good. There is one area at the southeastern area of the Park had many diseased trees removed and is now quite barren. They would like to reforest here. Member Goldberg said the Committee should look at the maps and if there's an area that Stickel said was okay, then Mr. Voce could go ahead. ~ Mr. Voce offered the tour to the Committee again, to describe what they're doing and actually point things out. Several Committee members said they would like to go. Mr. Whittenberg said that as long as no more than 4 Committee members together at anyone time, they could take a tour at any time. Once there are 5 or more members together, the tour must be scheduled as an adjourned meeting and notify the public they may go along. Mr. Voce said the Gum Grove Park Group meets the second Monday at each month at his house. There is no set hours at Gum Grove Park and there is no gatekeeper. The Committee asked Mr. Voce to suggest a time convenient to him. He said he could provide a tour on Gum Grove Park day - Sunday, April 27th as he knew he would be there all day. Member Willey asked how soon Mr. Voce could mark his areas of interest on a topographical map. Mr~ Whittenberg suggested the Committee mark instead the areas the Gum Grove Group could work in. The Committee agreed. MOTION by Goldberg; SECOND by Willey to allow the Gum Grove Group to start the irrigation project, using portable rain birds, as soon as they think its desirable and there be no restriction to areas. MOTION CARRIED: 7-0-1 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Unatin, Willey, Young and Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ~ 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 7 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 '-' ABSENT: Chairperson Frietze MOTION by Willey; SECOND by Goldberg for Committee authorization for Member Willey to provide a utilization map of Gum Grove Park to the Gum Grove Nature Group for planting areas which are outside the identified archaeological areas on Dr. Stickel's maps. MOTION CARRIED: 7 - 0 - 1 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Unatin, Willey, Young and Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Chairperson Frietze Mr. Voce requested that once the studies are completed, if there's historical or archaeological information that can go public they would like to be able to include this in their brochure, which is updated once a year. Mr. Voce said he would telephone Mr. Whittenberg with 3 tour dates. COMMITTEE CONCERNS '-" Member Goldberg, asked if a letter had gone out from the Committee to the Navy, and there wasn't a quorum at the February Sth meeting, and wondered if something had gone out? Mr. Whittenberg said he would check to see. Member Goldberg asked if the Committee was losing its relationship with the Navy, since most items from the Navy are receive and file items? Their representatives have not been attending this Committee's meetings. Mr. Whittenberg said he has not had contact with Navy personnel related to this Committee. The Committee needs to decide whether items comes to them as action items or as Receive and File items on the Consent Calendar. Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick said the major issue is their 50% reduction in staff. People start looking over their shoulder and things change until a point where it levels off. Member Johnston said she thought it doesn't matter what the City or this Committee says bec~use the Navy is going to do what they want to do. We are not cutting them off as we're going to send the letter discussed on February 5th. .~ Mr. Whittenberg said that by putting an item on the Consent Calendar there is no reason the Committee can't pull it off and discuss it separately. When the Committee instructed staff to put everything on the Consent Calendar, that action relieved staff of immediately having to prepare a response letter, staff report etc. If an issue does need a response, it can be pulled off the Consent Calendar. This could produce a timing problem as this Committee meets every 60 days. This is a policy issue for the 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 8 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 '-" Committee, as to how they would wish to deal with this issue. Member Benjamin said her gut feeling is the Navy is a bit angry with us. Member Unatin said 1.5 years ago the Committee told Lisa Bosalet specifically that it did not want her sitting in on their meetings and that she didn't belong at this table. If she were present she should be in the gallery. The intention of the Consent Calendar instruction to staff happened because the Committee was arguing with what staff was writing. The Committee felt it should prepare the documents itself. Then the Committee decided it didn't have to answer everything. He asked if the Committee wanted Navy personnel present? Member Unatin said as long as there is a flow of information on what's going on the Naval Weapons Station why change procedures. They did cooperate with us for awhile but they still do pretty much what they want to do. Mr. Whittenberg said they do send the City copies of documents that relate to archaeological sites or other items they think the City should know about. Member Unatin said the Committee acted like it had police powers. Then it goes more realistic. Mr. Whittenberg said the Committee would always have items coming in which may not be of major importance but which staff feels the Committee should know about. If there were a major concern staff would call a special meeting. '-" Member Goldberg noted there are still two vacant seats on this Committee. Mr. Whittenberg said the City Council is aware of that but nobody has been selected to date. '-" Mr. Whittenberg explained that after Mayor Forsythe resigned, the Native American Heritage Commission called the City and said they understood there are some really crazy things going on in Seal Beach regarding archaeological issues. Staff asked them for assistance in working through this process. The Commission sent down a list of 7 different tribal representatives from Gabrielinos and asked that they be involved in the archaeologist interview process. According to the Native American Heritage Commission, this is clearly Gabrielino territory. There are differences of opinion on that in the Native American community. He indicated he would not discuss that issue any further, noting it was the Native American community's issue to resolve. The Commission's first suggestion to staff was to start the interview process over entirely, invite all the consultants back and have totally new members of the interview panel. This would begin with a clean slate. Staff explained this could not happen in Seal Beach simply because there are not enough people to throw out the one group and bring in a new group. Staff suggested setting up a process to invite the Gabrielino representatives in to meet with the final two interview firms. The Gabrielinos would indicate any preference they had between those two firms. Letters were sent to the Gabrielino representatives and only one of those contacts has indicated a willingness to participate in the interviews. Next week the two archaeology firms will be meeting separately with the Native Americans. There may be more than one Gabrielino 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 9 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 '-" representative. Once those interviews are done the City interview group will meet. Gwen Forsythe will not participate in this interview process any longer. The two remaining archaeologists will come in and discuss specific subjects as instructed by staff. Hopefully there will be a consensus between the interview panel and the Gabrielino groups and this can be forwarded to the City Council. Staff suggests the Archaeological Advisory Committee schedule a Special Meeting for May ~ to review documentation and formalize a recommendation to the EQCB relative to the Cultural Resources portion of the Hellman Draft EIR document. The comment period ends on May 2~ and that would give this Committee one-month to read and review the Hellman EIR and perhaps hold another Special Meeting to formalize a recommendation. Mr. Whittenberg suggested that if the Committee would like, a study session could be set up. The firm who prepare4 the Cultural Resources section of the Hellman Ranch Draft EIR, SRS, could come in and discuss that with the Committee prior to the May ~ meeting. That might help the Committee formalize comments on the adequacy of the Draft EIR. Staff needs direction as to this matter. ~ Members Goldberg and Johnston said they would be out of town on April 23M, but they would like to have the meeting on April 30th. Member Willey said she would prefer the 30th. Member Goldberg reaffirmed that the study session will be set for April 30th and on May ~ the Committee will meet to discuss the Cultural Resources portion of the Hellman Draft EIR" and make comments to the EQCB as to the adequacy of the evaluation in the EIR. For example, the Committee may feel something needs to be evaluated that wasn't or inadequate mitigation measures. Member Goldberg noted that on May ~ the Committee may schedule yet another meeting so they have something to present to the City Council. Mr. Whittenberg said the end of the comment period if May 2~ so the Committee needs to be doing something before that date. Member Young said after that one Gabrielirio meets with the potential archaeologists, are they going to consult with this Committee? Mr. Whittenberg said their Comments will be forwarded to the interview panel, not this Committee. Member Goldberg asked why the Native Americans aren't sitting in with the rest of the interview committee so their comments and the whole Committee can hear questions? Mr. Whittenberg said several members of the Gabrielino's decided not to participate in this interview process because they received bullets in the mail. They just don't want to be involved at all. The ones who were willing to participate wanted more privacy and the City was trying to accommodate them. '-" 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 10 Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 '-' Member Goldberg asked if the Gabrielino's who review the archaeologists would be participating in this Committee? Mr. Whittenberg said the interview are a one-time event and they have been told that if they wish to serve on this Committee they need to write a letter to the City Council indicating their interest in serving. The Native American Heritage Commission has identified Vera Rocha as the Most like Descendant for the Hellman property. Staff has been trying to contact Ms. Rocha to see if she would like to serve in this interview process but to date has been unable to get a response from her. Member Johnston said she really tried to encourage them to participate but didn't get a good response. She noted many of them are working and live far away, mostly in the Los Angeles area. Mr. Whittenberg said he would be giving the Committee a memo outlining the dates of the various meetings, the technical report prepared by SRS, a copy of the EIR. '-' Member Benjamin asked if the City has received anything Gary Stickel worked on? Mr. Whittenberg said yes, the City now has everything he worked on, including the infrared photos he worked on. This is a copy, not the original. The City doesn't have the original because Dr. Stickel was disputing the cost of the film with the firm who produced it and he never paid them. Staff is trying to obtain the film by paying the firm. Vice-Chairman Fitzpatrick said this was one of his concerns and noted he would really like to see those photos again. STAFF CONCERNS - None ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Unatin; SECOND by Goldberg to adjourn to a Continued Meeting on April 30, 1997 at 5:00 PM. MOTION CARRIED: 7-0-1 AYES: Members Benjamin, Goldberg, Johnston, Unatin, Willey, Young and Vice- Chairman Fitzpatrick NOES: None ABSENT: Chairperson Frietze '-" ice-Chairperson, Archaeological A 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 11 '- '-- ~ Archaeological Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes April 9. 1997 ~~u~ A Whittenberg, Secretary Archaeological Advisory Committee Note: These Minutes are tentative until approved by the Archaeological Advisory Committee. The Archaeological Advisory Committee Minutes of April 9, 1997 were approved on ~t2..JL.. 90 , 1997. 04-09-97 Minutes.doc 12