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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2004 0915 CC REG ITEM 08AITEM F.A. CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of 9 Zf- ,Aff ACTION;. OL MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Barry K. Hogan, Community Development Director Prepared By: David A. Bobardt, Planning Mana er DATE: August 19, 2004 (CC Meeting of 09/15/2004) SUBJECT: Consider General Plan Amendment No. 2001 -05, Specific Plan No. 2001 -01, and Zone Change No. 2001 -02, for 1,650 Housing Units on 3,586.3 Acres Located Generally North of Moorpark College and State Route 118 on Land Immediately Outside City of Moorpark Municipal Boundaries. Applicant: North Park Village, LP (APN: 500 -0- 120 -065; 500 -0 -170 -135; 500 -0- 180 -125, -1351, - 145, -155, -165, -175, -185, -195, -205, -215, -225, - 235, -245, -255; 500 -0- 281 -165, -175; 500 -0- 292 -135, - 145, -195, -215, -225; 615 -0 -110 -205, -215; 615- 0 -150- 185) BACKGROUND On July 21, 2004, after hearing testimony and asking a number of questions, the City Council continued the North Park Village Specific Plan item with the hearing open to September 15, 2004. This continuance is consistent with the tentative review schedule set on May 19, 2004. The September 15, 2004, Council meeting was set for review of biology, water supply, water quality, groundwater, and oil well issues related to the proposed development. Per Council's request on July 21, 2004, representatives from the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area have been invited to this meeting. In addition, Dr. Frank DePasquale, Superintendent of the Moorpark Unified School District, has indicated that he would be attending the September 15, 2004, hearing to address school issues. fii. 0001 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 2 DISCUSSION Responses to Questions Project Description 1. How many houses are in Campus Hills, Varsity Park, Virginia Colony, and Villa del Arroyo Mobile Home Park? - According to County Assessor records, approximately 1,550 houses, 446 condominiums, and 246 mobile homes are located in these neighborhoods of Moorpark, for a total of 2,242 housing units. The Campus Hills and Varsity Park neighborhoods have 1,960 housing units, the Villa del Arroyo Mobile Home Park has 240 housing units, and Virginia Colony has 42 housing units. 2. Is grading on the land proposed for Phases B and C required to complete Phase A? - As part of the project proposal, Phase A, the first five - hundred (500) houses, would be built with balanced cut and fill of approximately 8.25 million cubic yards. One of the project design features identified in the Mitigation Monitoring Program is that no vegetation in the area of Phases B and C would be removed and no land would be graded until the new freeway interchange is fully permitted, funded, at least fifty percent (50 %) physically complete, and not more than twelve (12) months from expected completion. 3. What could County Supervisors approve on the site without a SOAR vote? What potential uses would this include, and what traffic impacts could result? What are the SOAR voting requirements in the County? - The County SOAR Ordinance is structured differently than the City's SOAR Ordinance. The County SOAR Ordinance, with limited exceptions, requires countywide voter approval of any change to the County General Plan involving the "Agricultural," "Open Space," or "Rural" land use map designations, or any change to a General Plan goal or policy related to those land use designations. The General Plan designation for the North Park property is "Open Space." The zoning is currently "Agricultural Exclusive ", which allows a variety of agricultural uses, private airfields, communications facilities, cultural interpretive centers, residences including farmworker housing complexes, renewable resource energy production, festivals, filming, firewood operations, government buildings, mineral resource development, utility 960002 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 3 structures, farmworker community centers, parks, soil amendment operations, and large animal veterinary hospitals. The minimum lot size, at forty (40) acres could allow as a potential use the construction of up to 89 residential units. It is common on these larger lots (and permitted under existing County law) to include second dwellings. With second dwellings, an additional 89 units could be built for a total of 178 housing units. Using trip generation rates from the North Park Specific Plan EIR, an 89 -lot subdivision could generate between 850 and 1,700 daily vehicle trips, depending on how many second dwelling units are built. This compares to 22,719 daily trips from the proposed project, which includes residential uses, a school, parks, commercial center, lake, and day care center all generating vehicle trips. Under the proposed General Plan Amendment associated with the North Park Specific Plan, any increase in the total number of homes would require subsequent voter approval, making second dwellings less likely to be built. The Board of Supervisors could consider a change of zone for the site to "Open Space" without a change in the General Plan, and therefore without a SOAR vote. Such a zone change would allow a greater variety of uses, including development of 10 -acre residential lots. The development of the entire site with 10 -acre residential lots could result in over 300 houses and over 300 second dwelling units on the lots, once roads and other infrastructure are accounted for. A 300 -lot development could generate between 2,865 and 5,730 daily vehicle trips, depending on how many second dwelling units are built. The County's Open Space zone allows all the uses permitted in the Agricultural Exclusive zone as noted above, but it also allows, through various permit review processes, the following uses: equestrian centers, cemeteries, historic repositories, colleges and universities, correctional institutions, law enforcement facilities, composting operations, public service /utility offices and service yards, campgrounds, athletic fields (unlit), geothermal spas, golf courses and /or driving ranges, motocross /off- highway vehicle parks, periodic outdoor sporting events, recreational vehicle parks, retreats, shooting ranges and outdoor gun clubs, and waste handling, disposal and ,)-60 03 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 4 recycling facilities. Although most of these "open space" uses are low trip generators, development of a mix of these permitted uses on the project site could result in an equal or greater trip generation than the proposed Specific Plan, depending on the ultimate intensity of the use. Projecting trip generation from this list of uses would be very speculative without a specific proposal to review. Traffic 4. What alternatives are available for construction traffic access? - Construction traffic consists of grading and construction equipment deliveries, construction materials deliveries, and grading and construction work crews accessing the site. The only available construction access routes to the site at this time are through Collins Drive or Campus Park Drive. A map showing the existing construction easement from the end of Campus Park Drive through the Unocal property is attached (Attachment 1). The construction of the freeway interchange and access road would provide a third option. Improvements to the intersection of Collins Drive and Campus Park Drive are expected to mitigate adverse Level of Service impacts from construction traffic, however, Mitigation Measure No. 2 in the Traffic section of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) calls for a "Traffic Management and Construction Materials Delivery Plan" prior to the issuance of a grading permit to minimize disruption to the area. The alternatives that could be considered in this plan include the use of Collins Drive or Campus Park Drive, or a combination of the two for site access (prior to completion of the new interchange), the management of allowable times for access (including staggering deliveries during allowable times), and the management of number of vehicles per day. 5. What responsibility would Moorpark College have for mitigating traffic impacts from future increasing student population? - The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 21080.09 requires a college to prepare an EIR for a long -range development plan. The EIR must include an analysis of effects related to changes in enrollment levels (CEQA Guidelines Section 15081.5(b)(1)). Moorpark College has been preparing a Master Plan for its campus; a Draft EIR for this Master Plan is also under Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 5 preparation. Moorpark College is the Lead Agency in the preparation of its EIR and therefore is the Body which would certify the EIR. If the College EIR identifies traffic impacts in Moorpark, it is within the authority of the College to mitigate the traffic impacts or override the impacts through findings in the EIR certification process. Information on the traffic impacts of the future growth anticipated at Moorpark College and mitigation measures needed for these impacts should be included in this Draft EIR. 6. What funding mechanism would ensure completion of the interchange and access road? - The applicant has proposed the following process and funding mechanism to ensure the completion of the interchange and access road. This proposed process and funding mechanism should be included in the development agreement. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REVIEW As a privately funded improvement, the City of Moorpark, through funds generated by North Park Village, would assume the leadership role in permitting the improvements. Caltrans' role in the approval, design and construction of the interchange would be one of review, permitting and limited oversight. Caltrans would not design or bid the project; nor would Caltrans manage the construction of the improvements beyond general oversight. These tasks would be managed by the City of Moorpark, (in some instances delegated to North Park Village by contract), and funded by North Park Village. The process for approval of design and construction of Moorpark College Interchange is proposed as follows: Project Study Report (PSR) : This initial study documents the purpose and need for the interchange, its feasibility, and other basic information required by Caltrans to approve a new connection to the state highway system. A PSR is required for a privately- funded project where the value of construction is estimated to be over $1 million. A critical path task, the PSR would be initiated as soon as practical. In this case North Park Village proposes that the PSR be initiated immediately after the SOAR election. North Park Village would prepare the PSR subject to review and approval by the City of Moorpark. )60005 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 6 Project Development Team (PDT) : Critical to the successful processing and approval of the PSR and subsequent tasks is the creation of a Project Development Team (PDT) . The PDT is comprised of Caltrans staff, City of Moorpark staff, and North Park Village technical consultants (i.e., engineers, etc.). The PDT would be led by an overall program manager responsible for the processing of all elements of project approval between Caltrans, Federal Highways, and the City of Moorpark. The program manager and PDT would report to the City of Moorpark. The entire effort would be funded by North Park Village. Cooperative Agreement: Coincident with the development and approval of a PSR, a Cooperative Agreement would be executed to permit the construction of a new interchange by parties other than Caltrans. Since such an Agreement must be between public agencies, this Agreement would need to be between the City of Moorpark and Caltrans. The Agreement would define the roles and responsibilities of the parties for the design and construction of the interchange. Design Approval: Caltrans would review and approve the project design, pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Cooperative Agreement. Caltrans would not be the lead in the design of the project. The role would be performed by the City of Moorpark, funded by North Park Village. Encroachment Permit: An encroachment permit is needed by all privately- funded projects constructed within the state's right -of -way. The encroachment permit process would authorize the City of Moorpark to actually construct the interchange. Because this can be a complicated and potentially lengthy process, it should be managed by the PDT, as discussed above. As the leader of the PDT, the City of Moorpark would exercise maximum control over the timing of the encroachment permit process. FUNDING AND SECURING THE IMPROVEMENTS As discussed above, it is proposed that the Moorpark College Interchange be entirely funded by the North Park Village project. It is proposed that prior to issuance of the building permit' within the Property, the City and 1 A threshold as negotiated in the Development Agreement. 1)100006 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 7 North Park Village would form a Community Facilities District ( "CFD ") pursuant to the Community Facilities Act of 1982 for the construction and /or acquisition of the Interchange and other public improvements. Concurrent with the formation of the CFD, the City and North Park Village would enter into a construction management agreement whereby North Park Village would oversee and manage the construction of the Interchange. As a condition of the agreement, North Park Village would be required to post performance bonds in an amount satisfactory to the City of Moorpark. CFD bond proceeds would be prioritized and set aside first to pay for: i) the Interchange costs; and ii) other authorized improvements. Prior to issuance of the building permit2 within North Park Village, the CFD would issue bonds in an amount sufficient to fund the cost of constructing the Interchange and the other authorized improvements and fees. If, at the time that CFD bonds are issued, North Park Village does not have sufficient value to meet a value to lien ratio as stated in the City's land- secured financing policy, North Park Village would deposit cash in an escrow account or post an irrevocable letter of credit for the deficiency as a condition of bond closing. If North Park Village fails to provide the required amount of cash or letter of credit, no additional building permits would be issued. Upon issuance of the CFD bonds, a special fund would be established for the expected construction costs of the interchange. Additional CFD bond proceeds would be deposited into a second fund and would be used for other authorized improvements and fees. Each month, after funds are deposited into the interchange construction fund, monies shall be withdrawn and paid to subcontractors and consultants for work performed relating to the interchange, subject to typical City verification procedures. 7. Would the SR -118 bridges over the arroyo require physical widening to add an extra lane in each direction? - Current 2 A threshold as negotiated in the Development Agreement. I'Y GOOO T Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 8 plans by Caltrans for the widening of SR -118 between Tapo Canyon Road and New Los Angeles Avenue call for either the physical widening of the existing bridges or the addition of new bridges. Caltrans staff initially evaluated a potential design exception to restripe the existing bridges with an additional lane and rejected this design. 8. What would be the process for the City to use eminent domain to acquire land for the access road, should the applicant be unsuccessful in acquiring the land through a voluntary transaction? - The development agreement and /or conditions of approval on the Tentative Tract Map for this project would include terms and conditions for the City to acquire property for public right -of -way should the applicant be unable to obtain the proper easements or fee title to the land needed for the access road between the new freeway interchange and the specific plan site. The Subdivision Map Act provides for local agencies to use eminent domain authority, including authority to take immediate possession, to acquire land for off -site public improvements when the developer is unable to obtain necessary title, and for the developer to pay the entire costs associated with acquisition. The eminent domain process includes early notification of the affected property owner and the consideration by the City Council of a resolution of necessity at a public hearing. Complete procedures and regulations for the use of eminent domain are included in Title 7 of the Code of Civil Procedure. 9. How much additional widening on Collins Drive is required by North Park as compared to M&M Development (the developer /owner of the southwest corner of Collins Drive and Campus Park Drive), would Moorpark College be responsible for this, and could the City complete these improvements without the North Park project? - The City Engineer's office has estimated the widening cost to M &M Development to be approximately $100,000. Physical widening to Collins Drive is required from the intersection with Campus Park Drive to the westbound SR- 118 freeway off -ramp to accommodate a median that would prevent left turns in or out of the Campus Plaza shopping center at its Collins Drive access. An additional $80,000 in costs is estimated to complete the improvements identified in the North Park Specific Plan EIR. The amount 'YO00 )8 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 9 of traffic added to this intersection by the projected increase in enrollment at Moorpark College and the contribution by the college to this mitigation would be determined as part of the EIR process for the Moorpark College Master Plan. Public Services 10. What will it cost to build a new library to have enough books to meet library standards per capita? - Standards adopted by the City in developing the Library facilities fee include 1.0 square foot of library space per person, 3 books per person, 8.5 periodicals per 1,000 people, and 1 computer per 2,000 people. The current 7,000 square -foot Moorpark Library has 48,572 books, 93 periodicals, 10 computers, and serves a population of approximately 36,271, extending beyond the City boundaries. It is currently deficient under the City's standards by 29,271 square feet of library space, 60,241 books, 215 periodicals, and 8 computers. The cost of additional library space to bring library space up to City standards to serve the existing and planned population of Moorpark and the surrounding area, without the North Park project, is estimated at approximately $7.8 million, not including books, periodicals, and computers. Under the standards noted above, the North Park project would generate a need for an additional 5,775 square feet of library space ($1.2 million construction cost), 17,325 books, 49 periodicals, and 3 computers. Library facilities fees generated by the issuance of building permits for the North Park project would provide approximately $1.49 million at current rates. This amount would provide for the needs of the development, but would not assist in making up for the current deficit in library space. Open Space 11. How does the acreage of proposed nature preserve in the North Park project compare to existing preserved open space in the City? - The following table shows natural open space acquired from other projects in Moorpark. This 1,092 total acres does not include smaller HOA common space lots that combine natural and graded open space such as the open space lots in the Mountain Meadows neighborhoods: X1000 9 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 10 PROJECT NAME NUMBER OF UNITS NATURAL OPEN SPACE PRESERVED Carlsberg Specific Plan 534 220 acres Marlborough Country Homes 193 7 acres* Moorpark Country Club Estates 216 190 acres Moorpark Highlands Specific Plan 552 169 acres Vistas at Moorpark (SunCal) 110 28 acres Meridian Hills (W. Lyon) 250 230 acres Special Devices Incorporated n/a 248 acres TOTAL NATURAL OPEN SPACE PRESERVED: - 1,092 acres North Park Specific Plan (Proposed) 1,650 2,121 acres *Monte Vista Nature Park 12. How could the site be preserved as open space and what funding mechanisms are available from the State, or possible Citywide assessment? - Assuring the preservation of the site in its current condition or as a nature preserve would require either acquisition of fee title to the property or acquisition of a conservation easement on the property by either a public agency or private land conservation entity. A number of funding mechanisms for acquisition are available. They range from budgeting decisions of the acquiring group, whether it is a public agency or privately- funded land trust, to special taxes by a public agency with taxing authority (requiring a 2/3 voter approval). 13. Have any appraisals been prepared for the property? The applicant has indicated that no appraisals have been prepared for the property. Visual Impacts 14. What would the project look like from the SR -118 Freeway at Princeton Avenue? - The City's EIR Consultant is working on a response to this question and it will be provided in the agenda report for the next meeting. 000010 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 11 Health and Safet 15. What can be done for area residents to protect them from Valley Fever during project grading operations? Would the City incur any liability on this issue if it approves the project? - The applicant has provided additional information in response to this question (Attachment 2). 16. When will the Phase 11 (Hazardous Materials) study be completed and what will happen to the project amenities if the mitigation is severe? - Studies of hazardous materials on a project site include Phase I and Phase II Investigations. Phase I Investigations are typically performed as part of the environmental review process associated with discretionary land use applications. Phase II Investigations typically occur prior to initiation of construction or grading activity. Phase I Investigations evaluate available data concerning historical uses of the property; including past and current ownership; interviews of persons having historical knowledge of the property; historical aerial photographs; fire insurance maps; site maps and plans; title searches; hazardous waste plans; business plans and inventories; previous site investigation reports and real estate, zoning, utility, topographic, and geologic maps; and site visits to visually verify any indication of possible hazardous material contamination discovered during the historical review. Phase I Investigations typically recommend further investigation and mitigation (Phase II Investigations) should a proposed land use proceed. Such recommendations are typically incorporated into requisite environmental documents. The environmental review process for North Park Village has followed this procedure. A Phase II Investigation is required as part of standard conditions and requirements prior to the issuance of a grading permit. The Phase II Investigation will conclusively determine if the prior operation of all active and abandoned on -site oil wells and pipelines caused any contamination of subsurface soil or groundwater. Clean up is required in accordance with existing laws. In the experience of the applicant it is not foreseeable that the mitigation and remediation likely required to complete the Phase II requirements would alter the footprint of the proposed plan or jeopardize the proposed amenities. Phase II mitigation usually involves lyty��11 Honorable City Council September 15, 2004 Page 12 the removal, disposal or destruction of hazardous material pursuant to state federation and /or county regulations. Topics for Discussion Information regarding the September 15, 2004, meeting topics of biology, water supply, water quality, groundwater, and oil well issues was previously provided to the City Council under separate cover consisting of the Specific Plan Document, Draft EIR and Planning Commission agenda reports. As noted above, representatives from the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area have been invited to this meeting. Staff with be available to respond to questions. October 20, 2004 Meeting The tentative review schedule has called for the consideration of mitigation monitoring program, findings, development agreement and ballot issues associated with the project on October 20th, 2004. STAFF RECObMNDATION Continue to take testimony in the open public hearing, and continue the agenda item with the hearing open to October 20, 2004. ATTACHMENTS 1. Existing Construction Easement 2. Valley Fever Memo {,G0012 t ^� C.)W /tlpl'..^ 1- N, -4" / ®3 �, k�" -'� \ - aEwodpth I• I ��'ti '� t *. ,t"� I�'4� '. +��'" -v, �•� _ F - - 1 �GI i 4N �A!� i u aI ��� � .-fTl �. �� 1_yk xP, l�'A� .��'� ire i;Y ''� < r. � � � -�I �- �I I ,�k �lj �:1 � �.� -�� ,� �� -_ •�', I i i I � ' I 7 I 1 I „I l • _ 64' � '� � I: �i .!e (�;_ �.Fh l '�` , rl' T I���Il�ll � _ - f EXISTING � , CONSTR UCTION � - •,f � , ter- � — � —i I � � � S ` � k "� " 1a — EASEMENT , / // � I _ ) , fl I rlrr "Ij� • � Y Y r I7Y, _ y I r - -•. t - -_ r` t'`'?^'. - %,kl�ll�r�av _ ,ry /fir �,r�Z�If�` �j e• +tr -f��.� �_ -- _ `I' "s ( I =_j EXISTING CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT EXHIBIT PREPARED BY: HUNSAKER &ASSOCIATES % R V I N E I N C NORTH PARK VILLAGE PLANNING • ENGINEERING SURVEYING Three HUghe[ • Irvine, U Y361tl DH: IINEERI3-G , F %: (9CV)i EYING 9 0: \North Park Village \Exhibits \Exist- Consl- Esmt -Exh. d.9 7RC GjsTorre(-Focused Solufio> Date: August 25, 2004 MEMORANDUM To: Vince Daly, North Park c: Kim Kilkenny, North Park Village, LP Village, LP From: Eric Walther, Ph.D. Project: 29020701 Subject: Valley Fever Assessment for North Park Village, LP This memorandum responds to your request to assess the Valley Fever issue as related to the North Park Village project. This assessment will briefly describe the genesis of Valley Fever and the actions North Park Village will take to assure that its contribution to the incidence of the disease is negligible. A brief biographical sketch of my background is at the end of the memorandum Valley Fever is the common name for coccidioidomycosis (pronounced kok-sid-ee-oid-oh -my- KOH-sis), a respiratory disease caused by the fungus coccidioides immitis (pronounced kok -sid- ee-OID-eez IMM- ih- tiss). The fungus exists as a mold in undisturbed surface ( <12 inches) soil, especially around rodent burrows, Indian ruins, and burial grounds. The incidence of the mold is more common after a rainy winter or spring. The name, Valley Fever, comes from the Central Valley or San Joaquin Valley, where the affliction is most common. Valley Fever is caused by the body's reaction to inhalation of the spores of the fungus. Approximately 60 percent of people do not display Valley Fever symptoms after inhaling the spores. The remainder of exposed individuals display the flu -like symptoms of Valley Fever, which include fever (104- 105F), harsh dry cough, loss of appetite, headache, body ache, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes. Less than one percent of infected individuals develop more serious effects from the disseminated form that spreads from the lungs to the bones, joints, skin, liver, kidney, brain, etc. These effects include joint swelling, limping, lameness, skin abscesses, incoordination, seizures, pneumonia, meningitis and death. Valley Fever is diagnosed by an antibody blood test or culture, and is treatable with oral and injectable anti - fungal agents. No vaccine has been developed to protect individuals from infection after exposure to the spores. Valley Fever symptoms affect 50,000 to 100,000 persons each year in the US. Of these, 35,000 cases occur in California. Ventura County had 41 cases of Valley Fever in 2003, none of them fatal, and none occurred in the Moorpark area. The next part of the discussion focuses on the mechanism by which people are exposed to the spores. Fungal spores are basically small particles with a size of a few microns (i.e., one micron is one millionth of a meter or one thousandth of a millimeter versus 17 -180 microns for the diameter of a human hair). These small spores can be easily released to the atmosphere by wind - induced turbulence, and spread by wind to other locations. High winds alone can disturb soil and release the spores, but soil disturbance makes the spores more easily entrained in wind. CC ATTACHMENT 2 21 TechnoloeN Drive • Irvine. California 92618 l'elephone 949- 727 -9336 • Fax 949 -727 -7394 'it) 2 Agricultural tilling is the largest regularly repeated activity that disturbs soil and releases spores. Earthquakes (e.g., Northridge on January 17, 1994) and associated landslides are infrequent large -scale disturbances of soil that can release large amounts of spores in a short period of time. The Northridge earthquake was followed by an anomalously high occurrence in Ventura County of 203 Valley Fever cases in 8 weeks, including 3 deaths. Construction activities such as excavation and grading disturb soil, and potentially allow entrainment of soil dust and fungal spores into the atmosphere. Highest risk individuals are Central Valley farm workers, who are exposed for relatively long periods of time and to large soil dust concentrations. Construction workers are also potentially exposed to large soil concentrations for long periods of time, depending on dust control measures that may be applied in their projects. Susceptible population subgroups are the elderly, African- Americans, Asians, women who are pregnant in their third trimester, and those with weak immune systems. Dust control, or lack of it, becomes the key to actual exposure of individuals to the spores. Agricultural workers typically do not apply active dust control measures to tilling or the use of mobile agricultural equipment (e.g., tractors, combines). Pickup trucks drive down agricultural dirt roads with no dust control, raising large, long plumes of soil dust that travel for miles before settling out. Strict dust control during construction of North Park Village will protect both workers and surrounding neighbors. North Park Village will encompass a large total area of 3,586 acres, of which about one third (i.e., 1,131 acres) will be disturbed for the construction of 1,650 homes and community facilities. Although excavation and grading for the construction of these homes and facilities will disturb the soil, potential generation of fugitive dust from construction of the project will be strictly controlled by the following comprehensive set of measures that were adopted during the evolution of the draft and final Environmental Impact Report (EIR): - Watering will be used frequently (at least twice daily) on soil that is being disturbed by the movement of heavy -duty construction equipment, such as scrapers, bull dozers, graders and compactors. Affected activities include land clearing, grubbing, scraping, excavation, land leveling, grading, cut - and -fill operations, and demolition. - Inactive disturbed areas (e.g., storage piles of fill dirt) will be stabilized against wind erosion with environmentally -safe dust suppressants. - Construction activities will be scheduled to occur upwind of active excavation, when and where possible. - Construction personnel will be hired from the local population, where possible, because the local population is more likely to already have developed immunity from Valley Fever. - Construction personnel will be provided with ventilators or masks to reduce their chance of inhaling spores. - The maximum speed of construction vehicles will be controlled to not exceed 25 miles per hour. - Clearing, grading, earthmoving or excavation operations will be suspended during periods of high wind (i.e., greater than 25 miles per hour averaged over one hour). 7RC (YO O15 Heavy -duty construction vehicles will be washed before they leave the site. Construction mobile equipment will be kept onsite or close by to minimize fugitive and exhaust emissions for daily mobilization. The set of fugitive dust control measures will comply with Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) Rule 51 (Nuisance). The Project has committed to additional specification of these dust control measures as follows: - Soil will be moistened to a depth of 4 inches where Valley Fever spores could be present. - Dirt roads will be watered frequently enough to prevent visible dust plumes. - Dump trucks and other construction vehicles exiting the site will be treated to remove soil from their wheels before entering public streets. Example treatments include wheel bumps to shake off the soil, and wheel washing stations at construction exits. Transition aprons between onsite dirt roads and public streets may also be constructed and cleaned frequently to reduce offsite transport of soil (called trackout). - Blowers and dry rotary brushes will not be used to clear dust off paved roads onsite. - The water trucks will include a front watering bar to reduce dust generation from their own wheels. Implementation of the above sets of fugitive dust control measures assure that the chance of the public or project workers contracting Valley Fever from project activities would be reduced to negligible. Biographical Sketch on Public Health/Risk Assessment Dr. Walther's educational background includes the following degrees: - Bachelor's Degree in Engineering Physics, Cornell University - Master of Science degree in Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany - Doctor of Philosophy degree in Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany Dr. Walther has 34 years of experience, of which 15 years were in air quality - related research and 19 years consisted of consulting to industry and government. The research and consulting included projects for General Motors, Duke Energy, Mitsubishi, Lockheed Martin, Dupont, and the following government institutions: - National Science Foundation - National Academy of Sciences - National Academy of Engineering - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Park Service 7RC El - U.S. Army - U.S. Air Force - United Nations During the 15 years of research Dr. Walther held at various times Adjunct Professorships at the following universities: - State University of New York at Albany - University of Arizona, Tucson - University of Nevada at Las Vegas Dr. Walther has published more than 50 scientific articles and holds a U.S. Patent for an air pollution measurement method based on gas -to- aerosol conversion. He has prepared numerous air quality impact analyses (AQIAs) and health risk assessments (HRAs) including the following: - power plant HRAs as a part of California Energy Commission Applications for Certification - rail and truck haul regional landfill AQIAs and HRAs as a part of Environmental Impact Reports under the California Environmental Quality Act and Environmental Impact Statements under the National Environmental Policy Act - HRAs for industrial facilities TITC (} ()0017