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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2004 1020 CC REG ITEM 08ANOTICE OF CONTINUANCE OF PUBLIC HEARING A duly noticed public hearing regarding: 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, on the Application of North Park Village LP was held on October 20, 2004, at which time the City Council continued the open public hearing to the City Council meeting to be held on November 17, 2004, at 7:00 p.m., in the Community Center located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California. Dated: October 21, 2004 Maureen Benson, Deputy City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF VENTURA ) ss CITY OF MOORPARK ) AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING I, Maureen Benson, declare as follows: That I am the Deputy City Clerk of the City of Moorpark and that a Notice of Continuance of Open Public Hearing regarding: 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, on the Application of North Park Village LP continued from October 20, 2004, to November 17, 2004, was posted on October 21, 2004, at a conspicuous location near the place of the meeting: Moorpark Community Center 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark, California I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on October 21, 2004. Maureen Benson Deputy City Clerk MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council ITEM 8 • A • CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of i0 - a0 -aoo4 ACTION: � _ :�.. vA6gt - 1 ty / /- /7 -aG10 • BY: FROM: Barry K. Hogan, Community Development Director Prepared By: David A. Bobardt, Planning Manager DATE: October 7, 2004 (CC Meeting of 10/20/2004) 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, -135, - 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 September 15, 2004, after hearing testimony on water, groundwater, biology, school, traffic, and valley fever issues, the City Council continued the North Park Village Specific Plan item with the hearing open to October 20, 2004. Discussion on these topics by Council members was deferred to the October 20, 2004 Council meeting, which was originally set for review of the mitigation monitoring program, Environmental Impact Report (EIR) findings, development agreement, and ballot issues related to the proposed development. DISCUSSION Issues Raised A number of issues were raised at the September 15, 2004 hearing. The following information is provided in response to these issues. In addition, information is provided to address a Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 2 question raised at the July visibility of the project site. Water Quality and Groundwater 1. How do centrifugal separat� in case they do not perfori the operation of centrifug by Kris Weber, head of the Hunsaker and AssociatE Centrifugal separation un_ they have no moving parts driven. They only require within the storm water flo storm water flows are gu_ where a vortex is formed. and most suspended solids where they fall out of chamber. Clear, treated wa discharged into the storm the market today also incli mosquito nuisances from the that stays in the integral low flows and are designec 21, 2004 meeting related to rs work, and what will be done as projected? - Information on .1 separators has been provided water quality department with the project engineer. is are self - operating in that and they are entirely gravity the hydraulic energy available 1. In a typical unit, incoming ded into a separation chamber 'he vortex spins all floatables to the center of the chamber, uspension and into a holding =er then exits the unit and is gain system. Most devices on de vector -proof covers to avoid small amount of standing water sumps. These systems work for for high storm flows to bypass the vortex chamber, avoiding a resuspension of captured pollutants. Centrifugal separators have been proven through numerous independent lab tests to be very effective in removing gross pollutants, sediment, oil, and grease. Like any Best Management Practice (BMP) , the ongoing effectiveness of the unit is directly dependent on regular maintenance. Maintenance can be performed using a vactor truck at a frequency of one to four times per year, depending on site specific conditions. Although centrifugal separators do not remove all pollutants, they work well in combination with other systems in treating stormwater. Mitigation identified in the Environmental Impact Report calls for a combination of grass swales and centrifugal separators or other BMPs of equivalent or superior performance to treat stormwater headed for the detention basins. This measure is intended to ensure that any stormwater that percolates from the detention basin into the groundwater does not degrade the quality of the groundwater. It was written for flexibility in design, while still setting a performance standard, since the 000 002 Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 3 ultimate design of the drainage system may be a few years away, and new technology may be available. Calculations are required to the satisfaction of the City Engineer, before a grading permit is issued, that demonstrate compliance with all applicable groundwater policies and regulations. The monitoring program requires a review of the calculations and plans and site inspection after installation to ensure satisfactory performance is achieved. 2. Did the groundwater quality analysis rely on periodic drainage of the lake, and if the lake is not going to be drained, how will this affect the conclusions of the study? - Information to address this issue has been provided by J. Harlan Glenn, author of the lake management plan for the project, and Greg Arakaki of Kennedy Jenks, author of the groundwater quality analysis. The lake is not projected to need periodic drainage based on the experience of other artificial lakes with management similar to that proposed for this project. Mineral salts, also known as total dissolved solids (TDS) , will build up in this proposed lake because evaporation will leave the salts in the lake water. This build -up will be slow due to a combination of percolation of lake water through the clay liner and dilution by essentially salt -free rain water entering the lake. The TDS build -up rate can also be decreased by letting the water level in the lake drop before the rainy season starts. In similar lakes with no storm drain water from streets, the build -up has been slow. For example, the TDS build -up at the East Lake Village Lake in Yorba Linda has gone from a level of 50 to 500 milligrams per liter in the potable supply water to about 2100 milligrams per liter in a 25 -year period that the lake has been in operation. Fish can easily stand up to several times this amount of build -up. The species of algae and other plants may change slightly with increased TDS, but the overall effect is very small. The groundwater quality analysis prepared for this project did assume that some water from the lake would need to be periodically removed to export constituents to maintain a stable water quality within the lake. This does not imply that the lake would need to be fully drained, but rather that a balance be achieved between exporting the higher TDS lake water and importing lower TDS replenishment Fy 000.3 Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 4 water. It assumed that the amounts needed to be exported annually would be dictated by the ability of the fish species and plants to adapt to higher salinity water. As noted above, similar lakes have not needed to export water for fish and plants to survive, but have achieved a balance over time. The groundwater quality analysis based its assessment on a three -year accumulation of TDS in the lake. Under this scenario, the water quality of the lake percolate would pose no problems to the underlying groundwater quality. Biology 3. How does the information on wildlife movement in the area gathered by the National Park Service affect the conclusions on wildlife corridors in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR)? - Staff of the National Park Service (NPS) working in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area (SMMNRA) unit has been monitoring wildlife movement in the region to understand the wildlife connections between the Santa Susana Mountains and the Santa Monica Mountains. The NPS provided comments on the Draft EIR for the North Park Specific Plan with information on wildlife movement across the SR -118 freeway near the project site (Volume IV, Letter 1, Page C -19) . Although the freeway is a major barrier to wildlife movement, a concrete "box" underpass crossing near the project site, identified in the NPS study as "Equipment Pass ", was evaluated. The NPS study showed significant wildlife activity using this crossing under the SR -118 freeway including coyote and bobcat. The EIR did evaluate this crossing and presented that information in Appendix E of the EIR and also in the Response to Comments. The analysis found that the structure of the underpass is unsuitable for mule deer due to its limited size, as well as other wildlife, in particular smaller wildlife species that are more dependent on natural substrates such as some amphibians and reptiles. The EIR analysis found that Hidden Creek Canyon is used primarily as a local travel route and not a regionally important wildlife movement corridor. This conclusion is still considered valid in light of the information in the NPS study. The EIR concluded that project impacts on wildlife movement were significant due in large part to impacts to this underpass and the other four other wildlife crossings (culverts) fl-)00 0 04 Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 5 identified in Appendix E. Mitigation was provided that included an additional underpass (designed for mule deer and with a natural substrate) to the project access road from the freeway that would allow wildlife movement to continue in Hidden Creek Canyon. 4. Will the creation of the lake change the composition of the wildlife and wildlife movement? - A source of permanent water would attract many wildlife species resident in the area, such as highly mobile mammal species. However, open space connections to the lake are limited, and only those mammal species that use urban habitats would be expected to occur. The lake would likely be an attraction to bird species that now don't presently occur at the project site, including ducks and gulls. 5. if the Alamos Canyon project is built, will this project have a cumulative affect on wildlife corridors, and how was this addressed in the EIR? - The EIR considered the cumulative biological impacts of the project to be significant. These impacts were mainly attributable to loss of habitats and its associated wildlife, but also to a reduction in connectivity between remaining natural open spaces. In order to mitigate these cumulative impacts, the Specific Plan includes the dedication of the Nature Preserve on the entire north and east sides of the project that will serve to buffer existing wildlife movement corridors - Alamos Canyon to the east and the Oak Ridge /Big Mountain open space area to the north. Health and Safety 6. What effect will the lake have on the likelihood of being exposed to West Nile Virus? - West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito -borne disease that is common in Africa, west Asia, and the Middle East, and has recently spread across the United States. The virus can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses, and some other mammals. It is transmitted by mosquitoes to birds and other animals through a mosquito bite. The WNV normally cycles between mosquitoes and birds. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on an infected bird. People may also be infected if they are bitten by a WNV- infected mosquito. The North Park Village Lake Management Plan (J. Harlan Glenn Engineers, November 15, 2002) includes a program for vector control for the proposed lake. Mosquitoes have the Q Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 6 potential to exist in very large numbers in floating or attached algae or in macrophyte growth on the lake. They can be eliminated in most cases by controlling macrophyte growth and by introducing mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) to a lake. Mosquito fish are small fish which eat mosquito larvae. The Lake Management Plan proposes to stock the lake with 10,200 mosquito fish. Mosquito fish also serve as food for the sunfish and bass. If excessive populations of mosquitoes were to develop, the Lake Manager and /or the City's Community Services vector control staff would be notified if chemical treatment was to be required. Any necessary monitoring and mitigation of mosquitoes will be overseen by the City's Community Services Department vector control staff. Hazardous Materials and Oil Wells 7. Will the Mitigation Measure requiring a Phase 2 Assessment specifically address review of the work program to ensure that soil gas sampling is included as part of the analysis? - At the September 15, 2004 hearing, Mr. Randy Griffith, a local resident, raised concerns that the mitigation monitoring program for the Phase 2 Assessment of hazardous materials did not specifically address soil gas sampling. Mr. Griffith recommended two changes to the mitigation monitoring program: 1) that mitigation monitoring include City review and approval of the Phase 2 Assessment work program and 2) that soil gas sampling be specifically identified as a required component of the Phase 2 Assessment work program. These recommended changes will be included into final proposed mitigation monitoring program. B. Why has a Phase 2 Assessment not been completed yet? - A Phase 2 Assessment could involve excavation and other disturbance to the property, not typically performed as part of the EIR process. It has been the City's practice to require this study prior to issuance of a grading permit. 9. Are any other oil operations besides Vintage Petroleum operating on the project site? The applicant has verified with Gary Austin of Messenger Investments, the property owner at the time that Vintage Petroleum acquired all mineral rights and existing surface drilling rights from Unocal, and that Vintage is the only holder of such rights on the project site. Honorable City Council October 20, 2004 Page 7 Visual Impacts 10. What would the project look like from the SR -118 freeway at Princeton Avenue? - The City's EIR Consultant has provided additional views to supplement the existing visual analysis contained in the EIR: one from the SR -118 freeway at Princeton Avenue, and one from the easterly terminus of Broadway, looking across Rustic Canyon Golf Course. Photographs from these locations are attached. In both cases, the site is obscured from view by both topography and vegetation. Topics for Discussion Additional information on 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. The tentative review schedule has called for the consideration of the mitigation monitoring program, EIR findings, the development agreement and ballot issues associated with the project on October 20th, 2004. Given the extent of information to be discussed that was carried over from the September 15, 2004 meeting, it is recommended that discussion of these topics be deferred to the November 17, 2004 City Council meeting. STAFF REC010MNDATION Continue to take testimony in the open public hearing, and continue the agenda item with the hearing open to November 17, 2004. ATTACHMENTS 1. View from the SR -118 Freeway at the Princeton Off -Ramp 2. 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